Design an Outdoor Movie Night

Up on the blog this week, it is all about getting the outdoor space ready.  With Spring around the corner, it's time to swap out your usual Netflix and chill movie binging for something way more exciting—an outdoor movie night! Stock up on popcorn, invite some friends and set up a movie screen in the backyard or on the roof deck. We’ve rounded up plenty of inspiration for your cinematic soirée, including design ideas. The only thing you’ll have to worry about: which movie will it be?

Photo Cred:  Style Me Pretty

GETTING SET UP

There are a few things you will want to keep in mind when setting everything up for your outdoor movie theater. First of all, we know that the backyard isn’t all that far from the living room - but at least it’s outside and offers a change of scenery.  You will want to have close access to electricity for all your plugins to reach and work well; extension cords may be needed during this phase of setup.

Next, when you get the appropriate equipment, including the right projector, you’ll want to make sure you set it all up on solid, even ground. Avoid hills and bumpy patches. You don’t want the expensive electronics to tip over or fall and break.

Photo Cred:  Pinterest

THE SCREEN

And as for the movie screen.  If you don't have a flat surface to project to, a super simple and really cheap option is to use the frames for a soccer banner.  They are absolutely perfect for outdoor movie screens.  You can absolutely size your screen to any width and height you like.  Drape it with a sheet, tarp, drop cloth or whatever you might have on hand inside your home.  Try to get the material nice and tight so it fits securely over the frame.  Any wrinkles and dents will show once you start the movie.

Photo Cred:  Pinterest

SOUND

If you do not want to hard-wire your sound, you can use a low-latency Bluetooth transmitter to broadcast sound from your laptop to your low-latency Bluetooth headphones or outdoor speaker system (using a low-latency receiver). This will work great if you are projecting from an HDMI output on your laptop. Make sure to check that your Bluetooth transmitter can accept multiple connections if you want to enjoy movie night with friends without disturbing the neighbors.

Photo Cred:  The Garden Glove

GET COZY 

Need design inspiration for your movie night? We love this cozy setup, complete with fluffy floor pillows.  You don’t have to make it fancy—just make sure you have lots of pillows and blankets.  If you can get them all in the same color scheme, even better.

Photo Cred:  Pinterest

GIMME SMORES

If you’ve got a fire pit, now’s the time to use it to its full potential! But even if you don’t, you can still make s’mores—click here for an easy indoor s’mores recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to make.

Photo Cred:  Pinterest

WRAP IT UP

Cap off the evening with some sweet party favors. Bundle up microwave popcorn and candy and top them off with cute tags and a drink.  This is your time to shine, interior designer or not!

Photo Cred:  Pinterest

Just a reminder, if you have neighbors, keep them in mind when watching your movie. Running the projector at all hours of the night with the speakers blaring may not be the best idea. Remember, treat them the way that you want to be treated: Respectfully. Now go and enjoy your outdoor movie!

Hey Philadelphia, let's get social.  Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and connect on LinkedIn! Each day I will post follow up interior design thoughts from the latest blog post to give you more inspiration.  AND, please leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought of this post!

In addition to being a Philadelphia Multifamily Interior Designer,  I also design boutique hotels, fitness centers, office spaces, residential development projects, other commercial spaces such as office and retail spaces, and the senior living community throughout the tri state area.  We work here in Philadelphia, the main line, and even Nationally!