A Style Guide To Outdoor Furniture
By Jade Blackmore
Now that summer’s almost here, it’s time to revamp your backyard and patio. You may want to add a new piece or change your whole design scheme. Regardless of your intentions, there are lots of styles to choose from, including retro, modern, artisan, country, and casual. Weathered woods give you a rustic country look, and minimal metal furniture (preferably in bright colors) offers a retro ‘60s or ‘70s feel.
Cottage furniture has a soft, home-style design and looks great in an enclosed porch or on a rustic stone or brick patio. You can achieve this look with wicker chairs covered with solid-colored cushions.
You can stick with one style or mix and match for a more bohemian look. Let’s look at the various types of outdoor furniture and what pieces might be best for your yard and lifestyle.
Buy According to Your Common Activities
If you cook and entertain a lot, you’ll want more furniture (and possibly an outdoor sofa or seating area). If you have a small space or rarely entertain people other than family members and close friends, you’ll probably need just a table and a few chairs.
Improvements in venting systems and fabric durability make it easier to have upholstered sofas, benches, and chairs outdoors. Fabrics look the same as the ones you use indoors. You can choose from white or pale colors for a classic look, or choose bold geometric or paisley prints that pop out against garden greenery.
If you’ll use your yard for summer networking or leisurely get-togethers, mix and match decorative pillows to give sofa and chairs an eye-catching look (and make long talks more comfortable).
Consider the Climate
If you live in a humid climate, wicker furniture may wilt due to all the moisture in the air. Dry weather can cause wood furniture to crack or become parched. Plastic or metal furniture may be better if you live in a temperamental climate.
Always check the workmanship and quality of outdoor furniture before you buy. This is important regardless of the climate, but even more so if you live in an area with lots of inclement weather.
Any metal welding must be free of gaps and blend in with the overall design, and joints in wood pieces should fit tightly. Furniture secured with tenon joints, wood dowels, and in-set screws are stronger than pieces joined with nails or glue.
Position screws, bolts or other attachment hardware so they are protected from rain and other elements, or use stainless steel hardware.
How Large is your Patio/Yard?
Measure your yard or patio, and plan your furniture arrangement accordingly. Figure out where you’ll have certain functions, such as a sit-down dinner, barbeque, or casual conversation overlooking the pool. You need to make sure you have enough space for the furniture that you need. If you find a table and chair set you love, but it won’t fit in your backyard, you’ll be packing up a return box the next day. Save time and frustration by “measuring twice and buying once.”
If you entertain outdoors often, draw an informal sketch of how tables, chairs, sofas and a barbeque or kitchen equipment will look in the space. Include doors, walkways and other architectural elements in the sketch.
A small space can still look great with stackable plastic chairs or a “nesting” set of chairs, ottomans, and tables, that can be stacked after use like large nesting dolls.
Outdoor Furniture Materials
Plastic and polymer outdoor furniture is a great fit for beach areas. These materials come in a variety of colors and can be left outdoors year-round. They need little maintenance except for occasional cleaning.
Durable metal furniture also comes in a variety of colors and designs. You can leave it bare for an industrial look or add a seat pad for comfort. Seat pads also protect the metal from the elements. Wrought-iron chairs have beautiful scrollwork and are much stronger than metal or aluminum. If you’re on a budget, choose lightweight powder-coated aluminum furniture and add colorful seat pads.
Today’s rattan furniture is made from synthetic material instead of woven palms. They come in many colors and give your yard a “beachy” feel. Rattan requires little upkeep and won’t crack or erode from bad weather. Since rattan is lightweight, you can move it around easily to test new layouts.
Natural wood looks beautiful and is perfect for outdoor use. Redwood, cedar, teak, and eucalyptus are just a few of the woods used to make patio furniture. Teak features the tightest grain and is more resistant to moisture than other woods. However, all wood furniture is open to decay and rotting over time. Use a sealant and furniture oil to protect wood from the elements.
Maintenance and Storage
Keep any style of outdoor furniture clean and looking brand new with regular maintenance.
Cushion fabrics are made to be durable and spill-resistant, but they will get dirty after extended use. To clean, dust dirt off the surface. Mix a solution of one-fourth cup mild dishwashing detergent or Woolite to a gallon of diluted water. Dip a sponge or soft-bristled brush in the solution and wipe the cushion covers. Rinse the cushions lightly with water and allow them to air dry.
Use a mild detergent solution to clean teak furniture once a year, and wipe down wicker occasionally with the same solution when it gets dirty.
If metal furniture shows signs of rust, use sandpaper to remove the offending spot and then repaint or varnish the area. Bird droppings and other strong acids can corrode finish quickly, so remove droppings as soon as you see them.
Before storing outdoor furniture for the winter, machine wash removable fabric covers with a tiny bit of bleach to get rid of mildew. Cover cushions with a cloth tarp instead of a plastic one if storing in an outdoor shed. Wash patio umbrellas with a bristle brush and mild detergent. Open the umbrella to let it dry, and close it to store.
