Expand Your Living With Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture is on-trend in every season. Here are some basics for setting up your outdoor space under the sky.
Now, more than ever, we're using our outdoor spaces for hospitality, work, play, and daily living. As you think about outdoor furniture, ask yourself what kind of furniture would work best on your patio and how much you want to invest.
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Backyard Outdoor Furniture
Most people put dining sets on their backyard patios. You often have a larger area and privacy in a backyard that doesn't face the street or your dog-walking neighbors.
When picking out your dining table and chairs, consider whether your backyard outdoor space has a covering. Do the patio table and patio chairs need to be water-resistant?
If the dining set will be in the open-air, be sure to invest in cushions that are quick-drying and mildew resistant, or if you want a low-maintenance option, skip seating that requires cushions altogether.
Select furniture with a patio umbrella that is UV-resistant. If the outdoor dining set you love doesn't include an umbrella, you can purchase an outdoor living retractable shade to cover your patio.
Outdoor Creativity
Be creative with your backyard outdoor experience. Use a fire pit or an indoor-outdoor rug for a cozier feel. Hang an all-weather hammock for napping.
You can place pairs of Adirondack chairs in small corners of the yard for conversation and reading. Add a coffee table, and you have an outdoor sweet spot for family or guests.
Front Porch Furniture
If you're looking for front porch furniture, you're most likely shopping for a "conversation set." This includes an outdoor sofa, loveseat, or daybed, a lounge chair or two, and a side table.
Front porches are outdoor welcoming spaces. You can use a front patio to gather with neighbors, enjoy late-night drinks, or even work from home. Some front porches have enough room for outdoor tables, while others feel best with lounge chairs and a coffee table.
Outdoor Furniture Materials
When choosing your outdoor furniture, consider how much you want to invest and how long you want your patio furniture to last. Rattan and wicker patio furniture sets are budget-friendly but don't last as long.
If you invest in high-quality teak or a powder-coated steel frame, you will pay more but have a product that is rust-resistant and long-lasting. Metal produces the most durable patio furniture and may be worth the investment. While resin wicker is cheaper, you'll be replacing it every few years.
Weather-resistant Sunbrella cushions cost more. In fact, with high-quality patio sets, these cushions are most of the expense. But they are eye-catching, eco-friendly, mildew-resistant, water-resistant, and UV resistant. Whether on a sectional or bistro set, Sunbrella cushions take your outdoor living to the next level, for the long haul.
When choosing your outdoor seating, if possible, take the time to visit a showroom and sit on it. Comfort is key if you want to use your outdoor furniture for more than curb appeal.
Where Can I Buy Outdoor Furniture?
National brands such as West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware sell outdoor furniture even in the off-season, with options to customize decor and varieties of Sunbrella cushions.
Lower cost retailers like Wayfair, Houzz, Home Depot, Opalhouse at Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond offer outdoor furniture sets, beginning in the late winter. Be sure to quickly purchase patio furniture because they sell out and don't restock patio furniture until the next year.
Manufacturers that specialize in outdoor patio furniture offer the best quality product with the most choices. You can order Tropitone, Castelle, and Sunset West from a local retailer who can offer you personalized service to help you bring home decor outdoors.
Furnish the Outdoors and Expand Your Living
When you purchase quality, comfortable outdoor furniture, you create more rooms outside. With the realities of COVID-19, we're more motivated than ever to gather outside, no matter the season.
With the right furniture, your front porch can be another living room or home office. Your backyard becomes an extra dining area, a fire pit fiesta, and a peaceful lounge. This spring, think of how you can increase and improve your living space by taking it outdoors.
