Often, patio furniture is a distant afterthought to normal home decorating. Upon moving into a new home or redecorating a current home, most of us either put up with whatever old patio furniture we have or, somehow, we forego patio furniture altogether, perhaps forgetting just how pleasant it can be to “live” outdoors when the weather allows. Out of sight, out of mind, as the old saying goes, and that typically applies to patio furniture as much as anything else in your home.
Your patio furniture shouldn’t be seen as just a few things that people can sit on while they’re outside. Rather, if you reconsider your outdoor space entirely, spend a little more time in your home’s yard or yards, you will quickly see why so many of your friends and neighbors are creating outdoor living spaces where they’re spending much of their family and social time. Of course, you’d be wise to leave your favorite comfortable furniture inside when you make your move outside, but you’ll still want to be comfortable.
Choosing a selection of quality, complementary patio furniture is your first step in taking advantage of the better weather of spring and summer to spend more time outside. Many people are reluctant to invest in quality patio furniture because it’s something that “just sits outside in the weather.” Well, ironically, spending a little extra on patio furniture will typically result in a more durable, more weather-proof patio furniture set. Sure, you could buy the cheapest patio furniture you could find, but you’d be back doing the same thing rather quickly. For the same combined price, you can go out and find something of quality, something comfortable, something stylish, something that helps your enjoyment of your yard and your hard-earned down time.
First, resist the urge to go small. In other words, don’t just buy enough patio furniture to seat your immediate family. One of the best parts about moving toward more outside time is the opportunity to socialize with friends and extended family. A yard is a great gathering spot, you are sure to find, and buying a simple table with only four chairs, will leave people standing and uncomfortable quickly. As strange as it may seem at first, buy twice as many chairs as you might think you’ll need; you’ll be glad you did the first time everyone has a seat.
Beyond just being weather-resistant and abundant, your patio furniture is going to need to be comfortable. Solid, stable patio chairs that swivel, rock gently, or both, are underappreciated, or at the least taken for granted. It’s a subtle thing, but patio chairs that move a bit allow for more comfort, more relaxation, and easier conversation.
Now, with all of those comfortable, gently rocking, patio chairs in mind, you’re going to need a slightly larger table than you at first envisioned. There are myriad choices in table surface options and much of your surface choice will be a simple matter of style. Do note, however, that cleaning some surfaces is easier than other, and some are more easily cleaned than others with, say, a pressure washer or garden hose. Some people enjoy the rugged durability and easy care of tile or stone surfaces, others prefer the simple style and easier care of glass. Remember, the glass surface tables are tempered and extremely durable but they are made of glass; children of certain ages and personalities could probably find a way to break it if left unattended.
Glass surface, stone surface, metal surface, or something else altogether, your patio table and patio chairs will get much of the focus as it is where friends and family will gather while you are entertaining. Conventionally, when most of us think of patio furniture we are thinking of table and chairs.
If you’re taking notice of the trend toward outdoor living space, though, you’ll notice that there is nearly no end to the patio furniture available to today’s customer. Just about any piece of conventional interior furniture can be replicated outdoors. Yes, that means you can arrange a patio furniture setting that adds a sitting and reading area, complete with couches, love seats, even recliners and ottomans. Since your yard is likely larger than your living room, family room, or dining room, the only limit to your exterior design ideas is your imagination.
Obviously, it all starts with your patio furniture. Choose a comfortable area that has a nice combination of shade and sun at the right times of day (think late afternoon and early evening…barbeque season) and then go about surrounding it with a quality set of patio table and patio chairs. If you find yourself enjoying your outdoor environs as much as we think you will, though, you’ll be adding to your outdoor patio furniture collection before you know it.
Outdoor living becomes just a little addictive. Plan on enjoying, in fact relishing, your time outside, in your comfortable patio furniture, with your friends and family at your side. Rather than sitting inside to eat dinner or socialize, beautiful spring or summer weather glistening outside, spend your evening hours enjoying the longer hours of sunlight. Relax outside and watch the sunset; work steals most of your daylight hours, so take some of them back by plopping yourself down in your quality patio furniture with your favorite beverage in your hand.
If you’re worried about getting cold out there as the day wanes, or as the season extends, well, you’re going to want to keep things warm and comfy. You can extend the season in which you relax comfortably in your patio furniture by implementing something as simple as a propane-powered patio heater or something as involved as an ornate outdoor fire pit. Either way, by the time the season starts to wind down, you’re going to have really hit your stride out there and not want to revert to the boring indoors. You’re going to want to be warm and comfortable out there so that you can stay out there even longer.
Happy days in your outdoor spaces!
