Long before we considered white pine outdoor furniture a style, we used thick conglomerations of earthy wood to make everything from patio chairs and picnic tables to garden benches and planters. Nowadays, with plenty of manmade options attempting to conquer the market, we’re seeing the about-face towards whole log outdoor furniture as the most natural way to achieve rustic beauty in natural, high quality materials that can play easily with colorful cushions to create a comfortable deck or yard design.

Blend Wood Furniture Into its Natural Environment:  The best part about using rustic white pine or cedar patio furniture is that the stage has already been set. No need to match colors, patterns, or infuse textures into your patio design – with whole log furnishings, you automatically mirror the beauty of the trees and plants that surround your yard. Open up your back door and enjoy the seamless beauty of the planet earth as a functional patio seating arrangement or cozy garden bench.

White Cedar and White Pine Furniture Understand Nature:  If you’re concerned about weathering materials, the logical solution is to infuse hearty woods that understand what it is to reside outdoors in their natural state. With pine log and white cedar log furnishings, you obtain some of the highest levels of resiliency in wood. Each piece – rain or shine – will look bright and new year after year, with proper care and maintenance.

Add Comfort With a Cushioned Effect:  Since we speak so highly of its durability, wood is naturally not going to be the softest material to sit on while reading or laying out while the kids play for hours on end. For this reason, the easy addition of colorful outdoor furniture cushions is a great way to bring in the soft, comfortable qualities that don’t take away from your ability to breathe in the fresh air for extended periods of time. Look into cushions that blend in with mellow, neutral tones or stand out with bright, solid colors or patterns.

The unison of nature and patio furniture comfort blends together perfectly with rustic outdoor furniture built to last.

On a picturesque summer morning, we grab our cup of coffee and the daily newspaper before stepping outside to enjoy the start of a new day. From here, the many almost perfect options might feel a bit cumbersome. Garden benches, picnic tables, a few steps down, or perhaps a swimming pool chaise lounge – nothing feels quite right for the intimate morning air until you find an outdoor bistro table or patio bar set.

Similar to an outdoor dining table, an outdoor bistro table offers an alternate, cozy solution to the expansive tabletop and bench seating of a picnic table. A bistro table comes in a lower height and with a round- or square- shaped, elegant design that is paired with matching dining chairs. Perfect virtually anywhere due to its small stature, the patio bar sets and bistro tables resemble European restaurant seating. Use it on a balcony overlooking your property, on a roof or backyard deck, or even in the midst of a blooming garden.

If a higher table setting with barstools is more your cup of tea, consider a corner deck placement or in a nook on your terrace somewhere. Based on your personal preference, a stylish patio bar can be outfitted with two or four higher barstools that can be accompanied by outdoor furniture cushions for an extended stay adding both charm and comfort to the mix. If you opt to add more zest to your outdoor bistro tables or patio sets, consider the inclusion of a colorful patio umbrella that can both block direct sunlight and cover you from raindrops.

Whether you’re out to sip a coffee or have a chat over a glass of wine with friends, the addition of a cozy, outdoor bistro table or patio bar set on your porch can liven up your backyard design.

If you’d like to add some stylish, comfortable seating to your outdoor space, a wooden garden bench is the ideal solution.  A garden bench made of wood will add a touch of craftsmanship and charm to any patio, garden or yard.  It’s the perfect accent for the natural beauty of the outdoors.

What are the best materials to look for when shopping for a wooden garden bench?  Strong, lightweight woods that have weather-resistant qualities are the best choices.  Cedar is one of the best woods for garden benches.  Because it absorbs and loses moisture slowly, a cedar garden bench is less likely than many other woods to splinter, crack or swell over time.  Cedar is also more resistant to decay and insect damage (the odor of fresh cedar is a natural insect repellant).  It can be stained or painted to slow the effects of weather.  When left untreated, a cedar garden bench will take on a rustic appearance and a silvery patina over time.

A pine garden bench has many of the same advantages as cedar.  Although pine is technically a soft wood, its strength and durability make it popular choice for outdoor furniture.  Pine is often pressure-treated, painted, stained or varnished to preserve it.    Because pine is in high demand for furniture, flooring and all types of carpentry, it’s harvested from tree plantations that follow sustainable practices.  If you’re concerned about the environment, a pine garden bench is an eco-friendly alternative for outdoor furniture.

Teak is another excellent choice for a wooden garden bench.  This wood has a natural oil content that acts as a preservative.  A teak garden bench will have a smooth, dense surface that is resistant to warping, shrinkage, rot and swelling.  It is less rustic looking than cedar, but it will take on the same type of silver gray patina when left untreated.  Like pine, teak is grown on tree plantations and is an eco-friendly choice.  Although teak is a bit more expensive than cedar or pine, its durability makes it a good investment.

Once you’ve decided on the type of wood you’d like for your garden bench, you’ll find a wide variety of styles available.  Garden benches are available with or without backs and arms, with built-in planters and with as assortment of decorative features.  After you’ve chosen a style that suits your taste, you’ll find yourself spending more time outdoors enjoying your new garden bench.

Have you ever been to a backyard soiree – whether it’s a grad party, neighborhood barbeque or a simply garden tour – only to realize there’s no place to sit? Although a decorated gazebo is a great way to offer semi-enclosed seating, it demands a bit of creativity to design whereas a garden bench is the easiest way to offer guests, and yourself once they’ve gone home, the perfect perch to relax.

Including a patio bench on your lawn that accompanies your garden or a beautiful little bird bath, makes your coddled outdoor space a more livable one. Your family and guests alike feel more welcome knowing they can sit down comfortably within the arms of a wooden or metal seating unit. Getting to survey the grass, much,  and garden is much more appealing when you’re not forced to remain standing or soil your clothes.

Speaking generally here, garden benches are made of durable materials that can withstand harsh climates and daily changes in precipitation. They’re made knowing of these fluctuations, and have been treated accordingly. That said, if you have already have wooden patio furniture, one option is matching their stain to your Red Cedar bench, Pine bench, or Cypress bench.

Another great idea is to add a vibrant color or a design to the bench by painting it a deep shade of purple or marigold. By changing it from the wood’s natural state, you spark creativity in both your garden scene and into the conversations of those who enjoy it. Take it even one step further and plant your annuals accordingly by drawing in the shade you’ve chosen for your garden bench with the flowers and bushes situated nearby.

Aside from its ability to enlighten your backyard space and those who enjoy its presence, you’ve got to adore it too. After all, it is a bench to others, but might end up being your favorite place to read, enjoy your morning coffee, and the solace you’ll take mid-day to escape from the hustle of your daily routine.

Instead of throwing together a room in our homes with random items, we typically spend days considering the options. From there, we analyze, debate, ask opinions, and finally, come up with what we think best represents us. The same amount of thought should go into designing the interior of our outdoor gazebo. Often times with outdoor spaces however, it’s hard to know where to start.

In most cases, there are a few ideas to try on for size in order to best direct your attention. The first begins with the type of space you’d like to create based on the size of your backyard gazebo.

To get the feel of an austere, rustic style of a gazebo, you may want to outfit it in light, natural wood tones that appear untreated. An example of this might be opting for whole log White Pine or White Cedar outdoor furniture collections. Typically, you’ll find these styles in matching patio chairs, garden benches, and porch  swings that can be purchased individually, based on the size of your gazebo.

If you value the old-fashioned feel of a log cabin with a slightly polished finish, the Red Cedar Adirondack chair or Cypress Adirondack chairs and garden benches offer a traditional approach. Their vertical, slatted backrests come in a variety of finishes from light and natural to shades as dark as night. A quintessential choice for gazebo and patio arrangements, Red Cedar and Cypress Adirondack designs are as recognizable to the world of outdoor seating as Abe Lincoln is to American history.

For a less rustic or traditional spin on wood furnishings, set your sights on a modern set of Teak wood chairs or an Outdoor Dining Set. Each of these lend themselves to a more luxurious feel while still retaining the forest vernacular. Since Teak is known for being hearty and self-reliant, complete your modern gazebo with a deep seating collection and coordinating cushions. Maybe even finish it with set of outdoor lamps to perfect the ambiance. Besides using Teak, the other way to create a modern outdoor gazebo is by creating a dining room. The use of an outdoor dining set or cedar picnic table in various shapes and sizes is another way to make your normal meal a beautiful, outdoor experience.

Gazebos should be designed the way you feel most comfortable enjoying the great outdoors. With that, live vicariously through the rustic or traditional designs inspired by the past, or bring the present into your outdoor space with modern comforts and dining.

Certainly, the more you investigate the assortment of outdoor furniture that is available, the more you realize just how many options you have for decorating your outdoor (or indoor/ outdoor) living spaces.  When you get right down to it, you probably have just about as many as you do when you’re selecting indoor furniture.

Yesterday, in comparing the two types of furniture, I mentioned the huge variety of patio chairs, outdoor sofas, loveseats, settees, porch swings and gliders, garden benches, and outdoor rocking chairs, which can be used to create spectacular outdoor living rooms.  Of course, there are also millions of outdoor kitchens and bedrooms to be furnished as well; and, luckily, porch furniture, once again, stacks up favorably against its indoor counterparts.

Naturally, there are several pieces that can cross over from room to room, just as daybeds, pull-out sofas, and chaise lounges do in our homes.  In fact, the outdoor chaise lounge is a good example, as it can be used for sitting, reclining, or sleeping.  Undoubtedly, lounge chairs are as important to outdoor furniture collections as they are to living room suites; and they are just as comfortable, as they have adjustable backs, wide armrests, and seats that are raised in the middle, to keep knees elevated.

When it’s time to lie down and take a snooze, truly, hammocks rival the comfort of even the softest beds.  Among the most popular pieces of outdoor furniture, they come in all colors, and can be made of canvas, rope, or mesh; and many of them have attached pillows.  They can be used anywhere, because, if you don’t have a place to hang one, you can always get a hammock stand; and the same goes for hammock chairs.  Swingbeds are also great for sitting, swinging, or napping.

As in indoor rooms, end tables are integral to the décor of all outdoor rooms; and they’re available in choices that are nearly, well, endless.  You’ll find an array of accent tables, such as outdoor coffee tables, terrace tables, and conversation tables, in cedar, pine, oak, cherry, teak, and polywood, in all colors and styles.

As for the eating arrangements, there’s no denying that, in most homes, picnic tables have always ranked right up there with kitchen tables.  Furthermore, because they have undergone such impressive changes over the past several years, they feature more styles, sizes, colors, and shapes than ever.  Along with the traditional rectangular picnic tables with attached benches, you’ll find hexagonal, octagonal, trestle, and extra-wide picnic tables with backed benches.  If you want something a bit more contemporary, you can get an outdoor dining table or a bistro set.

Indeed, whether in an open area, or an enclosed porch, patio, or gazebo, you can create any motif imaginable, as today’s patio furniture comes in such a wide range of materials, styles, and colors.  Moreover, the countless colors, color combinations, and patterns available for outdoor furniture cushions, patio umbrellas, and outdoor throw pillows, give you even more artistic opportunities for your outdoor décor.

It’s no wonder that we’re so crazy about outdoor living!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

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The end of August beckons pencils, notebooks, school buses, and that fated end of summer.  As children and teachers prepare to head back to school, it’s hard to not assume your endless afternoons of family outdoor living are headed toward a close. But, rather than bidding farewell to your outdoor furniture, why not plan a party to bring everyone together to celebrate one last “hurrah!” Encourage your children to invite friends that will soon be classmates and their families.  That way, you can meet any neighborhood parents that you have not yet had a chance to get to know.

This is always the time that it feels like the Summer season got away from us.  And as many parents have a tinge of sadness as the Autumn season puts our children out of reach for nearly 8 hours a day, this is a wonderful time to bring everyone together.  Lounging in outdoor rocking chairs and porch swings will give the parents a no-stress occasion to talk about the upcoming year and perhaps solutions for car pooling to athletic practices or play rehearsals. Meeting the families of your kids’ classmates is an important part of getting involved with their overall education, so let this be a time to celebrate the end of summer and prepare for the upcoming school year through good food and meaningful introductions.

Especially if you’ve missed opportunities for outdoor entertaining, crafting a dinner party for a time other than Labor Day weekend is a grand idea.  That way, guests that have already committed to family reunions or other engagements will still be able to attend your event.

Try to strike a balance between Summer and Autumn.  This gathering will be your opportunity to start to bring in Autumn decorating influences, while still celebrating summer.  Decorate picnic tables with vases or planters that mix daisies and hydrangea with mums and asters.  It’s not time for pine cones and pumpkins yet, but past due for Fourth of July décor.  Have fun mixing and matching your more subdued summer and autumn outdoor décor for an End of August celebration that hits the nail right on the head.

Give the kids, and yourself, a grand opportunity to enjoy that casual summer fare.  Keep it simple with hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and potato salad. This is also a great opportunity to use a lot of the vegetables and herbs that your garden is producing too fast for you to use!  Tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans will all do terrifically in a big salad created from your homegrown lettuce.  Share the bounty of your garden with guests to celebrate what an amazing summer we’ve enjoyed this season.

If the weather is right, it might even be a chance pull your outdoor dining sets out from under your porches or gazebos, and out further into your garden.  Try setting up a few outdoor bistro sets or your picnic table as deep into the greenery as possible.  If you’re worried about the state of the food, you can always keep the eating under your pergola or other usual spot, and simply move your patio chairs or garden benches out into the yard.  Desserts and conversations can move seamlessly out into your late summer blooms as the longer summer day turns to dusk.

Give everyone something to take away with them to remember the experience.  If you have any seeds that your flowers have begun to produce, make little bags for guests to plant for next summer.  If you still have vegetables or herbs left over from your garden, this is a wonderful opportunity to give them as gifts.  Encourage new acquaintances with classmate-children to exchange contact information.  The end of August is the perfect time to allow families to spend some last quality time together before the start of school, as well as meet and greet the parents you’ll be sure to see throughout the school year!

Have Fun!

Hazel.

Naturally, wood outdoor furniture has different care requirements than those of polywood, vinyl, aluminum, or plastic.  There are many types of wood from which it may be constructed, and each has specific characteristics that give it a beauty all its own.  While these traits also affect a wood’s durability, there are other factors that will determine how long it will actually last.

One of the variables is the way that people decide to treat (or not treat) it from the start.  Of course, the best way to ensure that your outdoor wood furniture will hold onto its good looks and structural integrity is to know something about the individual kinds of wood.

Western Red Cedar, for example, is one of the most popular woods, as it is gorgeous, and exceptionally durable.  With its rich texture, inherent radiance, and deep, warm tones, which range from light amber to honey brown, it makes spectacular porch swings, outdoor dining sets, and garden benches.  Cedar has innate oils that repel insects, and make it highly resistant to decay, as well as dimensionally stable properties that help to keep it from warping.

If you wish to maintain its original hues, use a sealer on your cedar outdoor furniture when it’s new; otherwise, leave it unfinished, and it will eventually turn to a rustic gray.  If you want it somewhere in between, wait until it reaches the tone you desire, and then seal it.  You can also change the shade of the wood by staining it.

Treated Southern Yellow Pine also makes stunning, sturdy outdoor chairs, chaise lounges, and picnic tables, that will withstand years of heavy use and harsh weather.  Treated pine undergoes a process of kiln-drying, before and after a special pressure treatment, which helps to prevent decay, and minimize warping, checking, and twisting.

As with cedar, you can seal and/or stain treated pine outdoor furniture to retain its yellow hue, or allow it to weather to a yellow-tinted gray.  Applying a stain/sealer once a year will preserve the wood’s luster, and protect it from the elements; and it’s best to use one that offers UV protection, and is resistant to mildew.

Teak is one of the best of all hardwoods for making outdoor furniture.  It grows in rich soil that infuses the wood with a high concentration of mineral deposits, which make it heavy, dense, waxy, thermally stable, water-repellent, and resistant to decay, insects, and warping.  You can sustain its resplendence with a stain/sealer, or let it turn to a silvery-gray.

You’ll find quality stain/sealers at any hardware store, in many color options, including clear, honey, cedar, and redwood.  Darker stains are better for maintaining the natural look, as they provide more protection from UV rays and body oils.  Applying a couple of coats every few years may be sufficient; but a lot depends upon your region’s climate, and how much your wood outdoor furniture groups are exposed to the elements.  If you leave them out all year long, unprotected by outdoor furniture covers, you may have to treat them annually.

The good news is that virtually every kind of wood patio furniture, when properly treated and maintained, will stay attractive and solid for quite a long time.  Knock on wood.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

classic Pasisian balconies

If you have a small porch, you may be confronted with the issue of choosing and arranging outdoor furniture that will make the most of this outdoor space.  But, before you start fretting, take a moment to give thanks!  Even a small Parisian balcony is something to be thankful for, as an outdoor space attached to your home is a wonderful gift.

But, now that you’re thoroughly thankful for your porch, it’s time to figure out how to make the most of it.

For you dwellers of the small porch, don’t shy away from adding patio furniture.  I find Adirondack chairs and outdoor rocking chairs the most versatile pieces for smaller porches.  They’re easily transportable, fun to re arrange, and can be grouped or separated as needed.  Try facing all of your patio chairs outward to face the view.  You might be thinking, “My view is of a busy road and a neighbor that frequently mows the lawn in his underwear.” You could look into planting trees or trellis sections along the edge of your yard to block that view entirely with green.  But, we’re focusing this post on porches! So, why not try hanging a multitude of hanging flowers and plants around your porch?  Or, if the situation is serious, see if you can hang durable indoor-outdoor curtains or sheers to help camouflage the view. But, also don’t discount the fun of people watching.  While you may have tired of your exhibitionist neighbor-landscaper, your guests might find it thrilling!

Using a mix of outdoor rocking chairs, Adirondack chairs, patio chairs, and other outdoor furniture, you can arrange them to all face out but cluster them to still encourage conversation.  If you feel comfortable, by all means go for larger porch gliders or garden benches, but don’t over-crowd your porch if the space just isn’t available.

Also, evaluate how you’ll use your porch carefully.  Are you looking for a space to relax or to relax… and eat? Or both?  Your porch might not fit a picnic table, but there are plenty of outdoor bistro sets and trestle picnic tables that are perfect for small outdoor spaces.  Plus, you can pull the chairs or benches from that bistro set over to your other outdoor chairs if you have a few extra people over to sit a spell.

If outdoor dining is really your preferred method of enjoying your porch, by all means go for it!  Survey your options for patio dining sets and outdoor bistro sets until you find something that fits your space, your style, and your budget.  And, don’t be afraid to ask for customized options!

If you have the room, make sure to still craft a little secluded corner for yourself.  Even if you use an outdoor rocking chair you plan to pull over to the larger group when guests arrive, have a home base for it.  Add an outdoor accent table for piling books and setting your drink on, and know that that little corner of the porch will be your special spot.  If you prefer afternoon naps to afternoon snacks… string a hammock in the corner of your porch.  It will give you a retreat, while adding a hint of relaxing whimsy to your over-all design scheme.

No matter the size of your porch though, porch swings will work anywhere!  In fact, you might want to use one  to craft that personal retreat I mentioned earlier.  Find an outdoor furniture retailer that provides customizable lengths, measure the widest part of your porch, and ask them what size they recommend to get the most use from the area.  Don’t forget to also get plush outdoor furniture cushions and throw pillows to make your porch swing a destination!

So, no matter the size, shape, or view from your porch… remember that it’s a blessing! Use your space wisely with expert outdoor furniture arrangement, and you’ll enjoy it for longer!

Have Fun!

Hazel

Of the millions of Independence Day celebrations that will be taking place this weekend, a large percentage will be pool parties.  If you’re going to host one, don’t skimp on the red, white, and blue decorations, when it comes to your pool house or cabana.

Of course, outdoor décor, although key, is not your first consideration; nor, for that matter, is the food.  If you own a pool, you know that ensuring the safety of all those who will be using it takes precedence over everything.  After all, you want everyone who goes swimming to have fun, and emerge feeling refreshed and, perhaps, hungry for another burger hot off the grill.

Obviously, the first, and most crucial, precaution is to never allow kids to go into the water unsupervised.  Even those who know how to swim, or are using flotation devices, can develop cramps underwater, or hit their heads, before anyone knows what’s happening.  Moreover, no child under four years old should be in the pool at all, unless accompanied by an adult.

So, make sure that there are enough patio chairs, lounge chairs, or steamer chairs around the pool, positioned too much to drink.  Anyone overseeing children must be fully alert, and able to keep track of them; and that’s hard enough as it is, because, as I’ve noticed many times, while watching kids at pools, they all seem to look alike when they’re wet!

It’s also a good idea to set rules – in writing – and post them prominently, poolside, along with emergency numbers.  Make sure that everyone reads them before going into the pool, and knows that they will be strictly enforced.  Keep rescue equipment, such as a shepherd’s hook, or a life preserver, nearby; and, if you don’t already know it, learn CPR.  Don’t hesitate to yell at your kids if they violate any regulations; and, if necessary, do it loudly enough to scare their friends straight, too.

All pools should be enclosed with fences, at least four feet high, which have gates that can be locked, and no nooks or crevices that can be used as footholds.  Keep outdoor furniture, such as garden benches and picnic tables, away from the outsides of the fences, so that kids can’t use them as aids in climbing.

When they’re not in use, pools should be covered; otherwise, open them completely.  Never leave a cover on partway, because kids may get trapped beneath it.  When an above-ground pool is not in use, remove its ladder.  Don’t leave toys near the pool, especially moving things, such as tricycles and wagons.

Never let anyone dive into an above-ground pool, or from the sides of an in-ground pool; and don’t let anyone go down a slide head-first.

It’s also important to remember that even small amounts of water, such as can be held in wading pools, hot tubs, fountains, barrels, and even buckets, can pose perils to small children.

The point is to (please!) just be safe and happy, and have a wonderful time celebrating this, the

234^th birthday of our nation; and (please!) be kind to each other while you’re at it (aw, heck, I know you will!).

Happy, Happy, Safe, Safe Fourth of July!

Kathy