The sounds of the leaves crunching beneath your feet, the telltale smell of pumpkin spice latte from the nearby Starbucks—fall is well and truly here, heralding the eventual arrival of winter.

Now for most, enjoying the chilly weather involves sitting at home and toasting your feet by the fire.

But for those who live in areas with pleasant, tolerable winter (for all the West Coast residents out there!), this is the time to get creative with our outdoor spaces, turning them from summery oases into comfortable igloos of warmth and comfort.

How do we achieve such a feat? PatioHQ has some choice décor tips.

–         Light Things Up

Can’t be bothered to put up layers and layers of fairy lights? Take the minimalist approach and buy affordable patio lanterns instead. Choose white or clear lights for some soft illumination and hang them from the railings and trees for an ethereal glow. If that’s not possible, place them about your patio or line a pathway with them.

–         Change Your Outdoor Pillow Fabrics

Are your outdoor patio cushions looking a little worse for wear? This is the perfect opportunity to give them a makeover. Choose from the thousands of styles at PatioHQ. Staying true to the winter theme, pick shades like frosty blue or emerald green and red. If not, go with a classic color like white and add accent pillows for good measure.

–         Incorporate Some Christmas Touches

Add Christmas stockings to the patio railings, lay down a checkered throw for your patio couch or chaise, and add candles and small fir trees as decorations to get you in the mood. Even if it doesn’t snow come Christmas, at least you’ll have a sense of the holiday magic around you!

–         Invest in a Fire Table

If you don’t have one already, now’s definitely the time to buy a high-end fire table for your patio setting!

Safer to use than a campfire, a fire table will not only add to the cozy ambiance, it’ll give you the opportunity to create your own memories of a holiday spent around the bonfire, toasting marshmallows and talking about stories from your childhood.

Get Ready for Winter!

A final note: focus on making your patio cozy, if not perfectly stylish.

Winter, Christmas, and New Year are all about coming together with the people you love, and being grateful for everything you have. So get ready for the festivities!

Make your patio more fun and welcoming. Turn it into a space that the whole family will want to gather in, come the first chilly breeze of the season!