How to Socialize Safely at Home

BEING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS DURING COVID was easier last spring and summer, when you were able to feel reasonably safe gathering outdoors at sidewalk cafés and restaurants, picnic areas, and porches and patios. Now, with the pandemic still raging and winter weather arriving, options for lingering outdoors in most parts of the U.S. have diminished. // But with the right furniture, equipment and gear, you can transform your backyard into an inviting space to socialize and still stay warm.

- RIVAN STINSON

CREATE A WELCOMING AND SAFE SPACE

To turn your patio or backyard into a space that’s perfect for entertaining, start with seating. Keeping social distancing top of mind, you’ll want to create multiple seating groups using bistro-style tables that seat up to four guests, says Kesha Franklin, CEO and principal interior designer for Halden Interiors, a design firm based in Green Brook, N.J. Because this furniture will be used outdoors, invest in pieces made from quality materials that are weather-resistant (think aluminum, teak or wrought iron).

If you’ve got some cash to spend, Franklin recommends shopping for bistro dining sets from outdoor furniture manufacturer Babmar (www.babmar.com). Its AMBER ARMLESS DINING SET ($1,185) seats two and is constructed from powder-coated aluminum, teak and tempered glass. If your budget is more modest, BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS’ CLAYTON COURT 5-PIECE PATIO DINING SET ($450 from Walmart.com) is a top pick among reviewers at The New York Times’ product-review site Wirecutter. The set, which comes with a table and four chairs, is made from steel and has cushioned seats. It garnered praise for comfort and being low-maintenance.