How to Choose the Right Outdoor Furniture
In summer, your outdoor living space takes precedence over the increasingly warm, stuffy, and monotonous indoor spaces. Eating outside and absorbing the smells and sounds of summer can feel as if you are on a prolonged vacation in the comfort of your own home. Yet, picking out the best outdoor furniture takes some skill and smart decision-making. Read on to discover essential tips that will allow you to choose the best outdoor furniture for all occasions and budgets.
Consider the Right Material for Your Climate
Not all materials are made the same when it comes to outdoor furniture. All of them come with a set of pros and cons which highly depend on the local climate. Teak, metal, and cedar are popular weather-resistant options, but that is not all you need to know. Aluminum chairs, for example, are a great lightweight option that is not suitable for windy areas. Wood furniture such as porch swing is not a great choice if you are exposed to chronically humid weather. If you stick with wood, you’ll have to count on yearly chemical treatments that will prevent the deformation and cracking of the furniture. The same goes for a hammock chair made of cotton as excess humidity can create mold on it. Go for a polyester hammock instead and spare yourself trouble down the line and mind the climate whenever you go shopping for outdoor furniture.
A Sketchbook and a Distance Meter Are Your Friends
Carefully measure the available space you want to reserve for your future home-based oasis. Treat it just like any other indoor room and apply the same degree of common sense. You surely want your outdoor space to be as easily accessible so leave enough room for comfortable movement. If your outdoor space is limited, choose the type of furniture that reflects that – instead of standard patio dining sets, go for a cafe table or a set of bar stools. Try to draw a sketch featuring all the furniture pieces you want to buy and measure every single space that will get in touch with them, including the gaps between boards that your chairs/stools will be placed on. You do not want to find out that you messed up the proportions after you shell out for the furniture.
Save Space for Rainy Days
In addition to measurements, being economical with space is a key consideration when choosing the best outdoor furniture. Treat your furniture as chess pieces depending on available surfaces for it. Water-resistant furniture, for example, does not have to be placed under the covering, so you can be more flexible with its placement. Think about whether your wooden and metal furniture is going to be placed on a grassy patch (more susceptible to rotting and corrosion) or a concrete surface. You better not forget the winter storage space for all moving parts of your furniture such as pillows, upholstery, or stackable chairs, and prepare the adequate cover for the bulkier pieces. Yet, do not overestimate the weather resistance of even the most robust furniture out there as you will greatly extend its lifespan if you can take it apart and put it away in a dry space during the winter.
Time Your Purchases Smartly
Having the outdoor leisure space of your dreams should not require you to break the bank. At the end of the day, you want to buy the best and branded outdoor furniture if you want it to last for several seasons. Yet, if you see yourself changing it just as often as your indoor pieces, you can get away with cheaper options as well and put more focus on esthetic features than on longevity. In any case, the best time to go shopping is late summer i.e. the time when you’ll see more much-needed discounts (mid to late August and early September). Also, be on the lookout for yard sales since people who are moving are more than likely to want to get rid of their outdoor furniture as soon as possible.
Check out other useful guides on our website and learn how to make the best use of new lighting features or design your kitchen with an eye on both luxury and convenience.