The best way for a family to enjoy the yard or the garden is to have an outdoor furniture set that would serve as the focal or center point of leisure and relaxation activities. Furnishing your yard with corresponding furniture sets or pieces has lots of advantages.
- It can serve as a place of relaxation and retreat for all the members of the family.
- It’s creating a more natural alternative for an indoor living room.
- It can serve as the substitute receiving area for guests.
- An alternate place to do outdoor dining or picnics.
- And all other purposes imaginable.
Kinds of Outdoor Furniture
There are several options when you are planning to furnish your garden, patio, deck, or yard. Among the best options include the following.
1. Rattan furniture
Rattan or wicker is perhaps the most popular option available in the market. Wicker has that unique natural beauty which never loses its charm whether it is paired with traditional or modern house designs. Rattan is a crafting material primarily sourced from East and South East Asia. It is flexible and very useful enough that it can be converted and woven into several kinds of furniture, displays, holders, household aids, etc. Among the wicker outdoor furniture options include outdoor sofa sets, dining or dinette sets, tables, chairs, sun lounges, hammocks, etc.
2. Wood Furniture
Since the beautifully designed wicker furniture might be costly for some or when alternative building materials are available like wood, then, wooden outdoor furniture is sometimes preferred. There are furniture pieces made out of pine, cedar, mahogany, etc, but the most popular and considered durable ones are the teak outdoor furniture pieces. The most common furniture sets and pieces made out of wood include benches, dining sets, tables, chairs, and others.
3. Outdoor Metal Furniture
Perhaps, the most durable and longer lasting among these furniture and furniture sets are those made out of metal. If the quality of iron used is very pure and good, you shouldn’t be surprised that the furniture can last for decades even for centuries. To protect them from rusting, the furniture pieces are painted. But with its durability, one disadvantage of metal furniture is its heavier weight. Among the garden furniture pieces that can be made out of metal or iron include benches, dining or dinette sets, tables, chairs, etc.
4. Outdoor Plastic Furniture.
If you are on a tight budget but still would want to take advantage of that great yard or outdoor relaxation experience, then the best alternatives are the plastic outdoor furniture. They are durable, lighter, portable, and extremely cheap. Just like the wicker, wood and metal kinds, outdoor furniture covers or cushions are equipped on these furniture pieces to achieve utmost comfort when seating lying down on them.
Styles and Designs Available
If you would try to window shop on your nearest furniture depot or even on the internet, there are several styles and designs available for each furniture type. Most of these are based on the expert or artistic capacities of the manufacturers and their craftsmen. There are furniture pieces themed with the classic or antique look, there are artistic or contemporary designs, and there are also the very clean and minimalist modern outdoor furniture sets and pieces.
Essential Features of Outdoor Furnitures
For you to be able to install or place them outdoors, by the garden, pool, or yard, there are key and essential features that these pieces should have.
Weatherproof. The very first consideration is the furniture’s weatherproof capability. If the furniture has weatherproof properties, it can withstand the degrading or deterioration effects of the sun’s UV rays, extreme winds, rain, and ice. This is not only true for the main furniture but with its complementary cushions and covers as well.
Waterproof. Most of the furniture sets are placed near pools, ponds, or perhaps, fountains. Water combines with heat or the sun’s rays can be detrimental or contributory to the furniture’s premature aging or damage. Therefore, the waterproof feature of the furniture is also important. To achieve this feature, most of the furniture pieces produced are often coated with specially formulated paints which would not only make the outdoor furniture weatherproof but waterproof as well.
The Best Places to Buy Them
There are several places where you can buy your desired outdoor furniture. There are certainly several furniture shops or depots on your locality. A short visit to these stores would be ideal. But if you can’t settle for those that are available locally or would like to search for a unique and beautiful piece. Visiting online furniture dealers like Rattancraft is recommended. Buying online can provide the opportunity of buying direct from the manufacturers, there’s a huge line of products on display and can be opted, and you could also take advantage of a direct/discounted price.
Tips When Shopping
The manner of furniture selection is just similar to how you would meticulously choose any other type of product or goods. You have to:
- Thoroughly check on the physical condition and aspects of the item
- Check whether the essential features of outdoor furniture mentioned above are present
- Ensure that the furniture pieces or sets are durable
- Choose ideal furniture sets fit for the size of your yard, patio, deck, poolside, or garden’s free space
- Check and the inclusions or freebies you can have from a particular furniture set
- And you should take advantage of deals and discounts
