Grilling and barbecuing -- a favorite year-round pastime is the reason many residents leave the confines of their homes and step outside, to the backyard, patio or balcony. Grills and outdoor kitchens make nearby dining tables a necessity, at least during the warmer months of the year.

Carving out the right area for an outdoor dining table should be viewed as an opportunity to design a space around your lifestyle, rather than designing your lifestyle around the space.

Dining outdoors and entertaining guests is one of the true joys of having a home and yard.

Things to Consider

So, where do you put that patio table? If space is not too limited -- like on a city balcony -- you will need to consider several factors:

• Near the outdoor kitchen or grill makes sense, although you don't want to be downwind of a charcoal barbecue or smoker.
• If the kitchen is indoors, it's a good idea to locate the outdoor table not too far away, for easy access.
• If meal prep will take place indoors, you want the table to be located nearby. Just maybe not butted-up against the outside kitchen wall. During the summer, outdoor walls can get really hot -- like fry-an-egg-on-a-vertical-surface hot.
• Select a site near a door for easy in-and-out access. Think kitchen, bathroom.
• A buffet table or bar is a handy way to allow guests to serve themselves, goes along with the informality of the outdoor dining experience, and frees-up space on the dining table. Make sure there's enough room to accommodate both guests and the buffet table or bar without crowding. The rule: about 4 feet between the buffet table or bar and the outdoor dining table.

• Do any of your guests use a wheelchair, walker or cane? Be mindful and make necessary accommodations so that they can easily move around.
• Noise After Dark: You want your guests to have a good time. But if someone gets louder when they get more relaxed (libations), will the patio table be near your children's bedrooms? Will the noise carry if you locate the dining table next to the fence dividing your property and your neighbors? Devise a layout that will make everyone happy.

Views

What's the view from your yard? If you live on a hilltop, the world below you will look dazzling at night while gazing at it from an outdoor dining table. How about any views within the yard itself? Do you have a lovely garden, pool or nicely illuminated fountain? Locate a dining table so you can enjoy the amenities in your own landscape. Maybe your house has lots of windows, and, when softly lit at night, looks lovely from the backyard looking in.

Shade

You can have the most expensive, gorgeous outdoor dining table in the land, but if it's sitting smack-dab in the middle of a concrete patio in the desert with the sun beating down, nobody is going to care. Provide shade and shelter, in the form of outdoor umbrellas, shade cloth or sails, or a gazebo.

Poolside

If the swimming pool is well maintained and there is room, the effect of dining near the pool or a body of water can be calming and elegant. Water has a way of doing that. Just make sure to turn off the robotic cleaner and other noisy features that can kill the charm of the occasion. Adding effects like color-changing lights and pool fountains are little extras that will enhance your outdoor dining experience.

Size

Make sure your furniture isn't too large for the space. Big, comfortable, deep-seating sets are popular for outdoor rooms, but simply won't work if your guests don't have room to get in and out of their chair or move around the table. Measure the space before you go shopping for dining furniture. Less, and sometimes smaller, is the smarter way to go.