Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

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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Tags: accent tables, bistro set, chaise lounges, garden benches, gazebo, gliders, hammock chairs, hammock stand, Hammocks, outdoor chaise lounge, outdoor coffee tables, outdoor decor, outdoor dining table, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture collections, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor rocking chairs, outdoor sofas, patio chairs, picnic tables, porch furniture, porch swings, swing beds

If you’re having a picnic in your backyard, it’s no big deal if you forget something when you’re setting up your picnic table and grill.  In most cases, you’ll either have it in your house, or you’ll simply have to go to a convenience store and get it.  However, when you’re going to a park, or out to the woods, you will have to be extra careful not to leave anything behind.

Just for starters, make sure that you not only have the right containers for transporting everything, but that you have enough of them.  I mean, one picnic basket is rarely sufficient for all of the food that you’ll be taking (and that’s not even counting the stuff that will have to go into coolers).  You can use a couple of baskets for food, and another one (or more) for carrying the dishes, glasses, utensils, and napery.  You should also have coolers of all sizes, whether they’re the regular, old-fashioned kind, or the newer ones that are like combinations of coolers, backpacks, purses, briefcases, and luggage (some of which even have wheels).

The type of tableware that you’ll use will largely depend upon the occasion, and the location of your picnic.  For casual get-togethers, regular paper plates and plastic tablecloths and utensils will do just fine.  If, however, you want to dress things up, you may decide to use one of your better tablecloths; but if you do, bring an old sheet to put under it as a liner to protect it from snags.  You can also find festive-looking, heavy-duty plates and napkins, as well as multi-colored plastic dishes and glasses that look just like the real things.

Now, if it’s going to be really fancy, and you’re bringing the good tableware, pack it in with the blankets, which are also prerequisites for any cookout.  Even if you’re going to be eating at a picnic table, you’ll want to have a place to stretch out and relax afterward; and don’t forget to pack some plastic sheeting to put under the blankets if the ground is moist.  You can also bring along a hammock, and, just in case the trees don’t line up right, a hammock stand.  For extra seating, load up some outdoor folding chairs or steamer chairs as well.

If you’re cooking out at a park, you’ll probably be in a pavilion with a nearby park grill; otherwise, you’ll have to bring a tent, if you want shelter, and a small charcoal grill or a fire ring for cooking.

Leaving the area spotless is a must, too, so pack paper towels or cloths that you can use to clean the picnic tables, and put all of your trash into waste receptacles.  If you’re going to be in the wilderness, where no trash cans are provided, bring some large garbage bags.

Of course, in the latter case, it’s extremely important to make sure that any fires that you have built are put out completely.  In fact, it is, literally, a matter of life and death.  So, since Smokey Bear isn’t here to write this himself (he’s terrible at typing, anyway!), I’ll say it for him: “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires!”

Wow!  I just realized that’s the second blog in a row in which I’ve quoted a bear!  Quoted a bear?!  Even that sounds crazy (well, if the quote fits)!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: charcoal grill, fire ring, hammock, hammock stand, outdoor folding chairs, pavilion, picnic table, steamer chairs, trashcans, waste receptacles