With the changing of the seasons upon us and colder weather approaching, enjoying hot days and warm nights entertaining and relaxing outside in your Melbourne verandah will soon be a distant memory. That doesn’t mean, however, that your outdoor living area won’t continue to be provide benefits. That’s because a verandah is a 365-day of the year investment.
Using your Melbourne verandah in cold weather
There’s no doubting the benefits of a verandah during a Melbourne summer or when the weather is warm. A morning coffee outdoors, relaxing with family, entertaining guests, cooking up a storm on your barbecue… There are so many ways to use your outdoor living area.
But what about when the weather turns cold? Is winter the time to head inside, turn the heater on and hibernate? Not in our book. In fact, with a little creative thinking your verandah can be just as widely used in winter as it can in summer.
7 ways to get more from your verandah in winter
- Yes, it can get a bit cold and miserable in winter, but there are plenty of nice days as well. A winter day when the sun is out and the wind is mild can be extremely pleasant spent outside, particularly if you can sit in the warmth of the sun.
- The beauty of verandahs is that they almost always have a roof. This will keep any rain off your head, as well as your barbecue and outdoor furniture.
- Increasing protection from the elements will increase the amount of time you can spend in your verandah. Which is why you should consider outdoor blinds. They do a great job in the cold and hot weather in making your outdoor living area more comfortable.
- You could pop on some thermal underwear, a thick coat and a Big Freeze beanie to stay warm, but embarrassingly you’d end up looking like the Michelin Man or Woman. Instead, invest in some outdoor blankets and pillows to make your verandah cosier.
- To ward off the cold on those really chilly days, you’re going to need to invest in some heating. There are a wide variety of choices you can opt for, all available from good hardware stores. Whether it’s a fire pit or a brazier, a freestanding electric or gas patio heater, or a more elaborate electric strip heater or outdoor gas fireplace, you’ll be warm in no time.
- While it’s a couple of months from the shortest day, it can certainly get dark in winter, even during the daytime. So, invest in lighting for your Melbourne verandah. Like the heating, you can choose between simple and economical, or something more elaborate and expensive.
- If you’re keen to spend a lot of time under your verandah during winter, and you have a good amount of space, add a hot tub or spa. Enjoy a soak on your own or a party with an intimate number of friends – it’s entirely up to you!
Good advice, great verandahs
These tips have been brought to you by David Buntin and his team from Outside Concepts Bayside Branch. David’s not just excellent with tips and advice, he can design and build a verandah for your Melbourne home that will be practical and stylish, all-year-round.
Organise a free design and quote today by phoning Outside Concepts on 1800 601 674.
From concept to clean up, you can rely on us. Give Outside Concepts a call on 1800 601 674 to organise a free quote.

Spending more time outdoors in your Melbourne verandah makes sense, even when the weather turns cold.