Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

There was a time when Labor Day heralded the end of summer; and, in much of the country, that also meant the end of picnic table season.  However, as I’ve mentioned before, millions of people are enclosing their porches, patios, decks, and gazebos, to create indoor/outdoor rooms, in which picnic tables can be used year-round.  Furthermore, because these areas are being decorated with the same care and attention given to the other inside rooms, there is a great demand for picnic tables that are beautiful, practical, versatile, durable, and economical – and that’s what AllPicnicTables.com is all about. 

We have an incredibly diverse collection of picnic tables, in styles, colors, shapes, materials, and sizes, to fit every space, budget, décor, and lifestyle.  In fact, we have more choices than many people have ever seen – or, perhaps, have even imagined.  So, if you’re feeling somewhat daunted by the selection, there are certain things that may help you to pick the right one for your needs. 

If you have paneled walls, one of our wood picnic tables, available in cedar, pine, oak, teak, and cherry, will give it a classic look.  You can make it a bit more refined with one of our elegant outdoor dining sets or bistro tables.  If you want to make a bold statement, liven up the atmosphere, complement your existing furniture, or use colors to make a smooth transition between rooms, choose from our huge selection of polywood, vinyl, or aluminum tables, which are available in a range of brilliant colors.  We also have tons of comfortable cushions, in scores of colors, color combinations, and patterns, to go with any motif.        

When figuring on a size, of course, you’ll have to consider how much space you have available for your table, and how many people will be using it regularly.  However, because these indoor/outdoor rooms are combinations of dining and living rooms, you will probably also want to have some outdoor furniture, such as porch chairs, lounges, gliders, rockers, and accent tables, so you’ll have to factor those in as well. 

If you don’t have a lot of room, lengthwise, instead of a long, rectangular table, you may want to try one of our round, oval, square, octagonal, or hexagonal tables, or a couple of smaller tables.  Our extra-wide picnic tables offer more room for food and place settings, but they require bigger spaces.  We also have a selection of picnic tables that are made just for kids, which can solve a lot of seating problems at large get-togethers.      

No matter where you live, or where you will be using it, we have your perfect picnic table; and if you don’t find what you’re looking for on our site, we can even customize one for you.  That’s the great thing about this place – around here, it’s always picnic table season.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Picnic tables everywhere are being heavily used during these long summer days; and there’s nothing new about that, as this has always been their big season.  The difference is that, in the not-too-distant past, after their demanding warm-weather performances, picnic tables would normally go into hibernation for the rest of the year.

These days, however, millions of people, reluctant to relinquish the outdoor living experience for three-quarters of the year, are keeping it alive by enclosing their porches, patios, and gazebos.  Although this is a great way to cheat Mother Nature out of her chance to see us pining away for our picnic tables during the cold-weather months, it opens up a whole new area of concern from the standpoint of outdoor decorating – or is that indoor decorating?

You see?  There’s the rub. Once the line between the indoors and outdoors is blurred, it creates correlating questions about the kinds of furnishings and décor that should be used in these new rooms.  Because they’re meant to capture the essence of the outdoors, it stands to reason that some degree of rusticity would be desirable.  On the other hand, because they’re also, technically, indoor rooms (and, in some cases, under the roofs of the main houses), some people may be inclined to be a bit more elaborate with their motifs.  In fact, many people are quite extravagant, not only with their enclosed rooms, but with their outdoor rooms (i.e., yards) as well.    

Whatever the case, it’s no longer enough just to have a few porch chairs, folding chairs, benches, or weatherworn picnic tables, in these new rooms, which are often used year-round for entertaining.  Because of their heightened purposes, even the ones that are country-themed are being decorated as meticulously as regular indoor rooms, complete with coordinating colors and accessories. 

But that’s okay, because AllPicnicTables.com, which is always ahead of the curve when it comes to new trends, has an awesome assortment of rectangular, oval, round, square, hexagonal, octagonal, and extra-wide picnic tables, in virtually limitless colors, styles, and materials.  Besides the classic cedar, pine, oak, teak, and cherry tables, we also feature aluminum, vinyl, polywood, and thermoplastic-coated steel tables, suitable for residential and commercial uses, along with outdoor dining sets, bar and bistro tables, and a full line of outdoor furniture.

Furthermore, even though all of the furniture is built to last, whether it’s used indoors or out, most of the synthetic and metal pieces are practically indestructible.  Indeed, they will refuse to crack, chip, warp, decay, rust, peel, or break, even if they’re left outside year-round to endure Mother Nature’s full arsenal.

So, contrary to popular belief, it is nice to fool Mother Nature!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: picnic table, picnic tables, table, tables

There are two main types of outdoor cooks with which we will concern ourselves.  First, there are those who have sweated and toiled for years in the heat and humidity to hone their grilling and barbecuing skills.  These are the ones who consistently cook up delectable meats that fairly fall off the bone.  They have earned the right to wear the giant chefs’ hats; and, for them, we can overlook any sayings, no matter how corny, that may be printed on their aprons.   

Then, there are the ones whose culinary skills are on par with those of hot dog vendors.  (Nota bene: No disrespect is meant to hot dog vendors.  I’m sure there are many who can produce gastronomic delights at the grill.)  These misguided, though well-meaning, folks, while aspiring toward greatness, mistakenly spend way more time – and money – accumulating the accouterments of barbecuing than they do the art.  Hiding behind their enormous, ill-deserved aprons, with sayings that, in their cases, are inexcusable, and beneath their oversized hats (and often, egos), they ruin cut after cut of defenseless meat, thinking that all it takes to cook it is to toss it onto the grill or barbecue over a good, strong flame. 

Well, it is up to any of you who know and care about people who suffer from this misconception to intervene and disabuse them of this notion.  Make them understand that it takes time and patience to become proficient at barbecuing/grilling, and that it’s okay to ask for help.  The willingness to learn is what’s important; and, once they become students (the third kind of outdoor cook), we won’t have to be concerned anymore, because they will begin to seek the advice and assistance of those who rightfully don the big hat.

Another way to guide them through their transitions from Barbecue Botchers to Meat Maestros, is to assign them other duties, which are just as important, but much easier to master.  One that leaps to mind is selecting the picnic table, which, while being a huge responsibility, is something that they can’t possibly mess up, as long as you direct them to AllPicnicTables.com. 

If you’re skeptical, check it out for yourself first.  Not only will you find that this site has the largest selection of picnic tables and outdoor dining sets anywhere, but you’ll see that there’s not a bad choice in the lot!  In fact, the endless variety of square, octagonal, rectangular, round, oval, and hexagonal tables, made from cedar, pine, oak, teak, cherry, polywood, vinyl, and aluminum, in walk-in styles, with attached or detached benches, and tons of color choices, will keep them occupied and amused for hours.

Or, you might get really lucky; while browsing the site, they may stumble onto this blog, recognize themselves, and never go near the grill again.  Ri-ight!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy            

Tags: picnic table, picnic tables

Naturally, the fun of summer doesn’t come without complications.  After all, what does? 

No matter what kind of outdoor gathering you’re having, or attending, whether it’s a casual backyard barbecue, a large reunion or celebration, or a formal dinner party, there can be a few problems.  For one thing, even when there a lots of people that you are looking forward to visiting with, there will nearly always be at least one person whom you will be less than thrilled to see.

It may be the uncle who’s notorious for having too many martinis and telling off-color jokes.  Or, it could be the family braggart – you know, the one who sends those dreaded family newsletters at Christmas, telling about all of the kids’ accomplishments and/or awards at school and/or their jobs, as well as his/her (or the spouse’s) huge promotion, obscene salary, magnificent new house, car, or pool, and all of the fantastic strokes of luck the family has had during the year.    

Of course, there are many other things that give people headaches on these occasions.  One common problem is what to do with all of the kids when it comes time to eat.  While it’s traditional to relegate them to a separate table, you can always count on them to complain that they’re sitting on an uncomfortable, wobbly stool, or that they got stuck sitting on a bucket or a wagon or something. 

Well, this one thing that you don’t have to sweat; it’s the easiest problem to solve, because AllPicnicTables.com has a selection of picnic tables made just for kids.  And these aren’t just some flimsy little play tables, either – they’re perfect little replicas of full-size picnic tables, durable enough to withstand the rough treatment that seems to come so naturally from kids. 

Besides the classic wood tables made of decay-resistant cedar and pine, there are aluminum kids’ picnic tables that are nearly indestructible, available in over a dozen bright colors, and designed  so that they won’t tip over, even when the kids are roughhousing (other people’s kids, of course). 

Getting one of these tables is a great way to keep the kids out of your hair – er, uh, I mean, to keep the little darlings content – while you eat and socialize with the grown-ups at the picnic table, outdoor dining set, or bistro table.

See?  No more problems; unless, of course, the drunken uncle decides to try to squeeze in with the kiddies and tell them some funny stories.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: kids picnic table, picnic table, picnic tables

With all of the graduations, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, and spontaneous cookouts coming up this season, for the next few months, many people will be spending more time at their picnic tables than at their kitchen tables. 

However, whether it’s a long-planned-for special occasion, or a spur-of-the-moment picnic, remember that there are countless factors, seen and unseen, that are always conspiring to ruin the fun.  It could be anything, such as a sudden rainstorm, complaining neighbors, a food shortage, a grill that won’t light, feuding relatives or friends, drunken relatives or friends, relatives or friends who weren’t feuding when they arrived, but got drunk and went at it, drunken relatives feuding with friends, friends drinking with feuding relatives, or any combination thereof. 

Then, of course, there are ants.  Among the most hated spoilers of all, an ant can sneak up and be on your plate before you know it’s there, then duck into a crack when you go to swat it, leaving you with a throbbing hand, as it laughs itself silly, without even dropping the crumb it just chomped out of your bun – uh, burger bun, that is (or so one hopes).  

Also amazingly strong, ants, on average, can carry 10 to 20 times their own weight.  They’re very organized, too, so, once one of them finds the goods, the word’s out, and the entire colony will form a sort of assembly line, through which they will, if not checked, systematically carry your entire picnic away, crumb by crumb, to their underground labyrinth, where they’ll whoop it up at your expense.

Luckily, there are some very effective ant bait stations that are made specifically for outdoor use.  Just like those used indoors, they contain a poison that party-crashing ants take back and give to the other ants, including the queen, thus destroying the entire colony.  So, HA! HA! on them!  Just place the outdoor baits, which have anchoring stakes, 15 to 20 feet apart, around the perimeter of your home, or wherever you see ant trails.  You can also use granular or dust products to create 3- to 5-foot barriers around your house. 

That’s one way to save your buns.  Another way is to go to AllPicnicTables.com and choose one of our comfortable, stylish wood, metal, or synthetic picnic tables or outdoor dining sets, which are available in every size, shape, and color imaginable.  Of course, there’s also our famous collection of patio chairs, porch swings, and other outdoor furniture, along with a huge variety of soft, thick, colorful cushions that you can really sink into.

So, put out the baits, get rid of the ants, and just concentrate on having fun this summer!  Incidentally, I’ve also heard that regular table salt will keep ants out of any area.  Supposedly, if you put it out in a line, they won’t cross it; but, since I can’t vouch for the effectiveness of this method, just take this advice with a grain of salt.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: picnic table, picnic tables

While browsing a magazine about outdoor living, I came upon a picture of a beautifully prepared outdoor dining set.  Although it seemed strange that this outside table was set with real china, instead of paper plates, the thing that really struck me was that they were using the good old blue-and-white plates of yesteryear. 

So, I did some research and found that the popularity of blue-and-white ceramic pottery goes back more than three centuries, to the time when Chinese porcelain first arrived in Europe.  Among its earliest admirers was Queen Mary II, in the late 1600’s.  She must have started some kind of trend, because the demand for it became so great that, by the 18th century, blue-and-white china pieces were being shipped to England by the millions.

Even though the craze began with Chinese pieces, it was English potters who were able to mass produce similar items, using a printing technique that was developed around the middle of the 18th century, wherein designs could be transferred, instead of hand-painted, onto the pottery.  This method was so much faster that factories could quickly churn out thousands of blue-and-white “transferware” plates, mugs, tea services, and dinnerware.  

Of course, the blue-and-white tableware became a huge favorite in the United States as well; and, because it’s still popular today, it’s hard to believe that it was actually in its prime between 1815 and 1835. 

Although there were tons of different designs, the Blue Willow pattern, which was introduced in the early 1900’s and sold at stores such as Sears, Roebuck, and Co. and Woolworth’s, was a best-seller.  In fact, the use of this inexpensive tableware became so widespread in restaurants during the Depression, that it led to the term, “blue plate special.”

So, that’s how those familiar blue-and-white plates came to be.  These days, however, there are a lot more color choices available – not just for the plates, but for tables as well.  In fact, if you go to AllPicnicTables.com, you’ll find one of the largest selections of outdoor dining sets and picnic tables available anywhere, in a full spectrum of spectacular colors.              

And what of those transferware plates that were so affordable way back when?  They can now be found in antique stores, running anywhere from $50 for a teacup or saucer of a lighter blue, to $2,000 and above, for larger items, such as pitchers and platters, that have nicer patterns and more intense blues.  That’s one special blue plate!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: dining set, dining sets, picnic table, picnic tables