The sizzling hot summer weather is gone replaced by the cool autumn temperature. Most of the pesky pests have disappeared. This is the best time of the year to stay outside to enjoy the natural cool air and entertain friends.
However, transforming your backyard into something like what you see in magazines or HGTV can be very expensive unless you go for the low quality products that are sold at your local hardware stores, discount stores or even supermarkets. You may need to replace these low budget products after one or two seasons of use.
Today patio furniture is not just a bench on your porch or patio, it is a lifestyle statement. If you do not have a large budget but want the lifestyle statement, here are some tips to help you plan for your outdoor space without a large outlay of funds immediately.
- Decide what material you like. There are wood (includes teak, mahogany, balau, eucalyptus, cedar, pine), metal (includes cast aluminum, steel, iron), resin (includes synthetic wood or polyethylene), stone (includes natural and synthetic), wicker (includes natural and synthetic) and others. There are pros and cons for each type of material. Your decision should also depend on where you live (coastal or mountain) and if you have small children. Make sure you do your research first or ask a retailer.
- Identify the furniture style you want that would match with your overall decor. Is it modern, traditional or in between?
- Look at some collections available and decide which design fits your taste. Make sure the collection you have chosen has all the pieces you want and not to be discontinued soon.
- Start off with just one set of furniture first then build it up. Identify the activity that you want to do most outdoor. Is it dining, or entertaining friends, or just for you and your family to laze around? If you like to eat outdoor and it is your highest priority, then obviously get your outdoor dining set first. When more funds are available, you can obtain other items in the collection.
- Some patio furniture comes with cushions or with the option to purchase cushions. Normally you can do without seat pads for your dining chairs unless comfort is a requirement, but for deep seating and chaise lounges, cushions are important to provide comfort.
- If you need cushions for your furniture, choose them as according to your taste. Most ready-made cushions that come with the furniture are made of polyester, have limited color selection and may last for only a couple of years. Customized cushions may be more expensive but well worth it as they can last for more than a decade. The color choices are large from various manufacturers, mostly based in the USA. The most notable ones are Sunbrella, Outdura, David Rothschild and a few others.
- Add an outdoor rug and some throw pillows for your deep seating set, or an umbrella for your dining set, your outdoor living room is complete.
Many of our customers choose a collection they like most, then build up the furniture items over the years. Contact us if you need help in choosing your furniture.