All Outdoor Patio Furniture

Among the many indoor projects that people are working on at this time of the year, painting is one of the most common.  This is understandable, as it’s a great way to give a room a whole new look, without the expense of remodeling; and virtually anyone can do it.  For first-timers, however, the myriad choices in paints can be rather confusing.  Heck, it’s difficult enough just to pick from the millions of available colors.  Then, after you make that monumental decision, you have to figure out whether flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, or gloss paint, will best suit your purpose.

So, if you’re not familiar with these terms, remember that flat paint has a matte finish, with no sheen, shine, or shimmer.  Because it doesn’t reflect light, it can hide some minor imperfections; but it’s less durable, more porous, and harder to clean, than glossier types.  This makes it more hospitable to mold and mildew growth, so it shouldn’t be used in high-humidity rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens, or in backyard structures that aren’t insulated.

Eggshell has just a slight hint of luster, but can add a bit more depth and warmth to a room.  Easier to clean than flat paint, it still disguises small defects, and is less attractive to mildew.

Smooth and somewhat shiny, satin paint is much more durable than flat and eggshell varieties.  Very easy to clean, and resistant to mold and mildew, it’s great for use in bathrooms and kitchens, as well as high-traffic areas.

With its beautiful, sparkling finish, semi-gloss paint is extremely durable and easy to keep clean.  It’s used mostly for trim, doors, and bathroom and kitchen cabinets; but it’s highly reflective, and will draw attention to even the slightest blemish.

Gleaming, glistening gloss paint is mainly for trim, wainscoting, and cabinets; but it can also make a home look stylish and welcoming when used on the front door.  Because it spotlights every imperfection, however, wherever, whenever, and if ever you use it, be sure that whatever you put it on has no flaws whatsoever.

Once you’re done with the indoors, you can start planning a fresh look for the outdoors.  Adding patio furniture to your porch or lawn is a great way to add an entirely new living space to enjoy.   Of course, with the thousands of patio chairs, porch swings, garden benches, swingbeds, picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, chaise lounges, hammocks, accent tables, gliders, outdoor dining tables, garden structures, and ottomans available, there’s practically as many varieties of outdoor furniture as there are paint colors!

Luckily, though, this will cause you no consternation.  Because materials can be easily split into two categories; cedar, pine, oak, cherry, teak, eucalyptus, and cypress, verses aluminum, synthetic wicker, polywood, and vinyl.  Your decision is simple: either you wood, or wood not.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, adirondack chairs, aluminum, backyard structures, cedar, chaise lounges, cherry, cypress, eucalyptus, garden benches, garden structures, gliders, Hammocks, oak, ottomans, outdoor dining tables, patio chairs, patio furniture, picnic tables, pine, polywood, porch swings, Swingbeds, synthetic wicker, teak, vinyl

I hope I’m not pigeon holing our readers too much… but as I spent much of my weekend glued to the weather channel, it seems that the majority of our fine nation was dumped on with snow recently. Here in Pittsburgh, we’re still in a state of snow emergency… with the national guard and over a hundred out-of-state workers trying to dig us out.

But, enough about us… I’m sure you’re much more concerned about your gardens and lawns than the city with six superbowl rings (congratulations Saints)

So, when looking out your windows how, exactly, will you deal with all of that snow and ice covering your garden and landscaping?

Determine Snow-Type: Natural coverings of snow, from falling and drifting, are actually not damaging your flowers and vegetables. In fact, it serves as an insulating layer, and slow melting will provide a lot of much-needed moisture to winter’s dry vegetation. The problem comes when snow plows, snow blowers, and even shuffles pile dense and heavy snow that are slow to melt and too heavy for most trees or shrubs. If your snow removal is within your control, do your best to keep it away from any kind of growth.

Evaluate Trees and Shrubs: Even natural snow in large amounts can be too much for tender branches. To avoid damage to your tress or shrubs, take steps to protect the branches from drooping, bending, or even snapping. Leave you shovel on the driveway and pick up a broom, car brush, or just your gloves to gently sweep the snow from the branches. Remember, a broken branch is like a broken bone, so be careful! Don’t ever shake the plant as the brittle and stressed branches may snap. And, brush in an upward motion to avoid using force to further bend or break a branch. You’ll find best results if you do this before too many inches of snow accumulate… the more often you clean off your trees, the better off you’ll be. A word to the wise: these are great steps to take with snow… but ice is a different story. If the branches are already covered or incased in ice, no matter what you do, any sort of interference will cause more damage. Just let them be to melt naturally.

Protect Structures and Furniture: Though the snow piling up on the arms of your adirondack chairs or atop your accent table look comical and help to really define exactly how much snow has fallen… it’s best to remove the accumulation as quickly as possible. If you can do so safely, sweep snow from the roofs of gazebos, cabanas, and sunrooms. So much weight isn’t good for even heavy structures. If you have any arbors or lattice, you would be surprised at the immense weight piles of snow can boast, and should protect these more delicate garden enhancements. Sweeping the snow from your patio groups, dining sets, and picnic tables should be much less work and require less attention to safety measures… so don’t avoid cleaning them off. While the most durable of woods may not show damage from days under snow piles and ice…such heavy levels of moisture aren’t good for any material. Protect your outdoor furniture so it will serve you best in the spring!

After braving what many newscasters have called, “snow-magedden,” make sure to hang all wet and snowy clothes to dry fully without collecting mildew or mold from being stuffed back into closets or drawers, and make a hot cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. No matter how intelligent our weather-predictors get, you know (perhaps from years of trying to manipulate your garden to produce prize-winning flowers) that nature will always win over human strength. Shovel as you can and don’t let yourself be overworked. In fact, make sure to pull your family and snow-friendly pets out from under their beds’ blankets to make snow angels, snow men, and maybe even adventurous snow tunnels. Protect your lawn from the snow… but don’t forget to enjoy it as well!

now that’s a way to warm up!

See you Outside!

Hazel

Tags: accent tables, adirondack chairs, Arbors, Cabanas, dining sets, garden enhancements, Gazebos, lattics, patio groups, picnic tables, snow removal, Sunrooms

On Tuesday, Punxsutawney Phil came out of hibernation, saw his shadow, and predicted six more weeks of winter.  No surprise there, especially since spring officially begins on March 20^th, which is just over six weeks away; so it’s pretty much the same, shadow or not.

Sure, Groundhog Day is just for fun; but it certainly is strange.  I mean, what started this whole idea of a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, or a whistle pig, being able to predict the weather?  Naturally, it began ages ago, and, like all other holidays (although it’s not actually a holiday), it’s so wrapped up in obscure traditions and folklore, that it’s difficult to pinpoint its exact origin.

As usual, when it comes to the unusual, the ancient Celts are somewhere in the mix.  In the 5^th century, they believed that, on certain days, halfway between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox, animals possessed supernatural powers that enabled them to predict the weather.  In some parts of Europe, such as Germany and France, people thought that animals coming out of their dens too early would be frightened by their own shadows, and go back inside for another four to six weeks.  Often, these animals were badgers and bears.

Some also suppose Groundhog Day, which falls on Candlemas Day, to be inspired by the old Scottish couplet, “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there’ll be two winters in the year.”

It is widely believed that the Pennsylvania Dutch brought the old tradition to this country in the 18^th century.  The first written American reference to Groundhog Day was found in the diary of James Morris, a storekeeper in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  Dated February 5, 1841, it reads:

“Last Tuesday, the 2^nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.”

So it seems that, during the winter, people have always looked anxiously for indications of spring.  Here at CedarStore.com, the signs are unmistakable.  Instead of a rodent popping out of a hole, we have a whole bunch of eye-popping new products coming out.

Yes, we already offer thousands of patio chairs, porch swings, gliders, picnic tables, accent tables, hammocks, garden benches, chaise lounges, and teak screens.  But with these fantastic additions, we’ll have the most extensive collection of outdoor furniture available anywhere, beyond the shadow of a doubt!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, chaise lounges, garden benches, gliders, Hammocks, Outdoor Furniture, patio chairs, picnic tables, porch swings, teak screens

So, where were we?  Oh, yeah – talking about gazebos, of course.  This is a subject about which one can never say enough (and I oughta know!).  They originated as rooftop structures that would offer sweeping views of the surrounding landscape; and, apparently, they did that job well.

However, their more noteworthy accomplishment came years later, when people began building them on the ground.  While others may have been washed-up after such a letdown, for gazebos, the curtain then rose on a spectacular second act.  Performing under stage names that have commonly included summerhouses, screen houses, kiosks, pavilions, arbors, grottos, pergolas,  and pagodas, they have played continuously for centuries, to thrilled audiences around the world.

To say that gazebos have enjoyed a long run would be an understatement.  Although no one is certain of the precise date on which they made their debut, 5,000 years ago, they are known to have been playing the gardens of Egyptian royalty.  There, they were so highly prized that many people had their gazebos depicted in their tombs, along with the other possessions that they wished to take with them to the next world.

Also crowd-pleasers in ancient Rome and Pompeii, gazebos were built along the Mediterranean, as summerhouses for the affluent and aristocratic, who furnished them richly.  I guess that means that they had solid gold lounge chairs, porch swings, dining tables, accent tables, and  sofas.

In the East, the gazebo was such a smash hit that it had to add a second floor.  Indeed, in tenth-century Persian gardens, gazebos were elaborate, two-story structures, with cupolas, marble columns, and golden seats.  Often, they were built across pools or streams, in order to be cooled by the water running beneath their marble floors (I guess they didn’t have ceiling fans back then).

China’s gazebos were quite ornate as well, while those in Japan were frequently called teahouses, and used for the sacred Tea Ceremonies.

Everywhere they went, gazebos were getting rave reviews; and they hadn’t even come to America yet (because it was still undiscovered, of course).

Perhaps we’ll have to explore this further in the future.  I’m dying to see how they got their big break, and finally began playing in “The States.”

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, Arbors, ceiling fans, cupolas, dining tables, Gazebos, lounge chairs, pavilions, Pergolas, porch swings, sofas

This is the time of year when our thoughts are preoccupied with comfort foods, hot beverages, sitting around fires, taking vacations to tropical islands, and anything else that will help us to get warm.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that coffee houses, which are usually pretty lively anyway, are even more crowded now, as they also serve hot cocoa and tons of decadent desserts.  Naturally, in the winter, people also prefer to spend more time in their homes, where their sunrooms are the hot spots.  These two places are so popular, in fact, that many people are actually turning their sunrooms into coffee nooks.

If you want to try this, it’s really easy to do; and you can re-create the tranquil charm of an old-fashioned, mom-and-pop shop, rather than the jam-packed chain establishments that are so prevalent.  To get the atmosphere of a traditional café, furnish it with a wood or aluminum bistro set, accessorized with checkered or floral print placemats and napkins (with napkin rings), sugar bowls, creamers, fresh flowers, candles, and containers with individually-wrapped biscotti.  Make it really authentic by producing colorful menus on your computer, then fold and stand them upright on the table.

Create a lounge area by adding synthetic wicker chairs and sofas with soft cushions in colorful patterns, as well as coffee tables, end tables, and accent tables, topped with magazines.  If the sunroom is big enough, you may want to put in a partition, and have a dining set on the other side, for larger gatherings.  If you prefer a rustic décor, choose cedar or pine furniture; for a more elegant motif, consider a teak or cherry dining set.  Put up shelves and stock them with mugs and cups of different sizes and colors.

Of course, you’ll need the main attraction, too, so get a bunch of brightly-colored containers and fill them with an assortment of specialty coffees and teas.  You won’t even have to worry about being an expert at making coffee, because, with the great coffee, espresso, and cappuccino makers that are available, along with the wide variety of coffees, you’ll soon be whipping up concoctions that are every bit as good as (or even better than) anything you’ll find at even the most popular coffee franchise (not mentioning any names, of course!).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, aluminum, bistro set, cedar, chairs sofas, cherry dining sets, coffee nook, cushions, pine furniture, sunroom, Sunrooms, synthetic wicker, teak, wood

As I pore over books and magazines, looking for holiday decorating ideas, all I see, naturally, are the picture-perfect houses and rooms that everyone wants, but few of us have. I’m sure you get the same feelings from these photographs; it’s just like the one you get when you see clothing models. You think, “Wow! That’s such a great outfit! But will it look that way on me? Heck, no!” Aahhh!!!! Why must they torture us like that?

(A-hem!) Anyway, one advantage that we have now is that holiday decorations can cover up many imperfections. Oh, and remember, as is the case with our personal appearances, we’re likely to be the worst critics of how our homes look (it’s those durned magazines that make us think that way!).

So, what’s the trick to making your home look spectacular when your guests come a-callin’? Well, it’s a lot like pulling off a fantastic illusion by using smoke and mirrors, except that you’ll be using candles and mirrors; and, of course, Christmas lights, ornaments, and other glistening decorations. Word to the wise, they’re your best allies, to dazzle, disguise, and distract the eyes.

Along with the strings of lights that you’re sure to have decorating your rooms and your tree, use candles, placed on mirrors, to create a veritable festival of lights in your home. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, because you can use plain mirrors that you already have hanging around the house, mirrored vanity trays with gilded edges, or even polished silver platters. Set them on end tables, accent tables, cedar chests, buffets, bars, and other wood furniture.

Dim the main lamps, and the overheads, and let the reflective glow conjure a festive, old-fashioned, and very merry, atmosphere. Oil lamps with colored-glass bases, and vases filled with shiny ornaments or clear, multi-colored, decorative stones, will also help to make everything sparkle.

Whether your home is already magazine-worthy, or has that comfortable, lived-in look, these few, inexpensive touches will make it absolutely radiant, and instantly brighten everyone’s spirits.

By the way, another bonus that you’ll get from this will be the undying appreciation of your guests. After all, the candlelight can hide many of their flaws, too.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, bars, buffets, cedar chests, end tables, wood furniture

As is the case with every holiday, Christmas has many traditions that are shrouded in myth and mystery.  For example, there are many different ideas about where the Christmas tree got its roots (yes, I know, and I apologize!); but, not surprisingly, they all originated in ancient times.  Evidently, a lot of cultures worshipped evergreens, because they continued to thrive in the winter.  Many celebrations that evolved from this apparent phenomenon were held around the time of the winter solstice, and involved bringing some greenery indoors.      

 The Egyptians, for instance, brought green date palm leaves into their homes, to symbolize life’s triumph over death.  During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, named in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture, people would decorate their homes with greens and lights, and exchange gifts.  The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and put evergreen branches over their doors to ward off evil spirits.       

 There are tons more examples of similar festivities, from all around the world.  I don’t know about you, but this information means a lot to me; it means that the trend toward bringing the outdoors inside started a lot longer ago than I realized!  Heck, I thought that it came about when people began enclosing their porches, patios, and gazebos, and decorating them with outdoor furniture!  Wow!  Who knew?      

 Oh, well, so CedarStore.com wasn’t exactly in on the beginning of the trend.  That’s okay, because we caught up so quickly that we’re now on the leading edge of it.  In fact, we’re the premier site for outdoor furniture that’s gorgeous enough to use indoors.  We have one of the largest selections of wood, metal, and synthetic patio chairs, porch swings, gliders, garden benches, picnic tables, outdoor dining sets, sofas, loveseats, and accent tables available anywhere, in styles and colors to complement any décor. 

 Furthermore, if you want to give someone a really spectacular gift this Christmas, outdoor furniture can be the perfect choice.  It’s beautiful, useful, enduring, and quite a welcome change from the same, stale old things that they’re used to getting.  It will also be in accord with the tradition of bringing the outdoors inside, because it will really be a breath of fresh air! 

 Yours Outdoors,

 Kathy

Tags: accent tables, garden bench, loveseats, metal gliders, outdoor dining sets, Outdoor Furniture, patio chairs, picnic table, porch swing, sofas, wood