Winter in Northern Colorado brings crisp air, early sunsets, and the perfect excuse to turn your outdoor spaces into cozy holiday retreats. Living at Greenspire at Windsor Lake, our homeowners love to decorate their covered patios, lakeside decks, and front porches. They want pieces that invite you outside despite the cold, that create ambiance without fuss, and that look intentional rather than overdone. We’ve curated a collection of our favorites for the holiday season.
Gathering Around the Fire
The heart of any cold-weather outdoor space is warmth, and the BioLite FirePit+ delivers that beautifully. What makes this fire pit special is its smokeless technology—patented airflow creates clean-burning flames that won't chase your guests around the patio. The X-ray mesh body disappears at night, creating the illusion of a floating fire. When dinner is ready, lift the fuel rack, add charcoal, and transform it into a hibachi-style grill. The 12,800mAh battery runs the integrated fan for up to 30 hours and doubles as a phone charger. This makes any evening cozy.
Comfortable Outdoor Seating
Traditional outdoor furniture often means hauling cushions inside every time the weather shifts. Fatboy Original Outdoor bean bags solve this problem with high-grade Olefin fabric that repels water and dirt while staying remarkably soft. These oversized bags add a playful, high-end element to fire pit gatherings—guests actually want to linger when they're this comfortable.
Furniture That Endures
For seating that handles whatever Northern Colorado throws at it, Outer outdoor furniture combines sustainability with serious weather resistance. Their OuterWeave™ fabric with integrated OuterShell™ cover system is both weatherproof and fade-resistant, maintaining its appearance through intense sun and sudden snow. The modular design adapts to your space—start with a loveseat and add sections as your outdoor living evolves. Deep cushions stay comfortable in cold weather, and the built-in covers mean you're not wrestling with tarps when the forecast changes. The clean, modern lines work beautifully with the contemporary architecture found throughout Windmill Homes communities.
Layering in Warmth
Nothing says "stay awhile" like a stack of cozy throws. Faux fur throws from West Elm bring unexpected luxury to outdoor seating. Machine washable and surprisingly warm, these blankets invite guests to wrap up and settle in. Keep several folded in a weatherproof basket near your seating area. Guests help themselves, and suddenly everyone's comfortable enough to stay for another round of cocoa.
Elegant Holiday Accents
Holiday decor for outdoor spaces should feel considered, not chaotic. The Balsam Hill Winter Elegance door swag captures this balance perfectly. Pre-lit with warm white LEDs, it features snow-dusted branches, pinecones, and red berries in an asymmetric design that brings movement and interest to entryways. The battery-operated lights mean no extension cords snaking across your porch, and the six-hour timer ensures it's lit when you want it without wasting battery.
Ballard Designs outdoor hurricane lanterns serve double duty as decor and functional lighting. Oversized metal frames with glass panes create a substantial presence on steps or flanking doorways. Fill them with LED pillar candles and fresh evergreen clippings for a simple, sophisticated look. Group them in odd numbers—three on the steps, five along a walkway—for visual impact that feels intentional.
The champagne gold cone trees bring modern geometry to holiday decor. This set of three lighted trees in varying heights creates visual interest on porches or patios. The metallic finish catches and reflects light beautifully, while the simple cone shape reads as contemporary rather than traditional. They're substantial enough for outdoor display but lightweight enough to reposition as needed.
Bringing It Together
This holiday season, don't let cold weather keep you indoors. With the right pieces, your outdoor spaces become gathering spots where memories happen—where neighbors stop by for s'mores, where families linger after dinner, where the glow of firelight and string lights makes even December evenings feel warm.
At Windmill Homes, homes are designed with outdoor living in mind—covered patios, thoughtful sight lines, and spaces that invite you to step outside regardless of the season. These pieces complement that vision, turning outdoor areas into extensions of the home.
Discover how these elements come together in Windmill's designer-crafted homes, where indoor-outdoor living is built into every floor plan.
