All Outdoor Patio Furniture

So, last week I did some problem solving for small porch design.  But, I can hear you southern belles of the large, wrap around porches calling out!  After all, decorating an expansive banquet hall is just as, if not more, difficult than creating a functional closet.  Sometimes you just don’t know what to do with all of that space!

Many people give up all together, thinking that they either cannot afford enough patio furniture to do the space justice, or wouldn’t know what to do with it once they got it anyway. Don’t feel overwhelmed or pressured, because some simple tips for outdoor furniture arrangement can help you get the most bang for your buck!

If there’s a section of your porch that has a better view than other parts, you can still use the facing-out technique (for those who missed the last porch post, arrange your outdoor seating to face out toward the view, instead of facing in toward each other like most indoor living rooms).  But, for the widest sections, group your pieces together for a more “interior-room” look. Using outdoor deep seating collections, I would still position your largest piece with its back against the house so it can face out.  Mixing areas with facing out seating and spaces that have seating grouped to face each other will add a dynamic element.

If you’re worried about overspending, look for outdoor furniture that can serve multiple purposes. Double or triple-duty pieces can transition between different kinds of get-togethers, so you don’t have to buy a separate piece for every occasion.  Outdoor ottomans can also serve as side tables, and picnic table benches can be pulled out for additional seating elsewhere.

You likely have enough to room to section off different areas into different uses.  Map out “rooms” where they best fit.  Outdoor furniture designed for sitting and talking can easily be arranged to face outward to survey views during quiet pauses in conversation. While, dining areas will be focused on what is sitting on the table… so views need not play a factor!

Group your seating areas and dining areas together separately to create division; for example, put the backs of your outdoor sofas and loveseats to the dining area.  That way, each section looks like a completely separate space.  Also, try adding outdoor rugs to give each space definition.

But, while defining separate areas is good, you’ll still want to keep color schemes coordinated to bring the entire area together. Three different outdoor spaces on one porch using three completely opposite color schemes might make people think they’re on a movie set with changing scenes.  Each area of your porch may have a different use, but its all part of your home.  Fabrics are the easiest way to coordinate colors.  Table cloths can work with throw pillows and outdoor rugs can certainly complement outdoor furniture cushions.

Don’t forget that you still need a secluded section for your own peace of mind, as well!  When decorating any part of your home, certainly consider your guests, but never forget yourself! A spot for a secret alcove will probably be a bit easier to find on a larger porch instead of a smaller one.  So, be shameless with your private nook! Add a big, deep, swing bed with a plush, comfortable cushion that you can truly stretch out on.  And, of course, make sure you have an outdoor coffee table or patio accent table for newspapers, books, lemonades, and sandwiches!  If you really want this area to be yours and yours alone, try facing it away from the rest of your porch.  That way, it will be difficult for parties to spread themselves out to the space.  Don’t feel guilty; every person needs their own section of outdoor bliss!

So, come on! Go out and make yours!

Have Fun!

Hazel

Tags: outdoor coffee table, outdoor deep seating collections, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor ottomans, outdoor seatings, outdoor sofas, patio accent table, patio furniture, picnic table benches, swing bed

Many people fantasize about having gorgeous yards and gardens like the ones that they see in magazines but making those dreams come true can be difficult.  For some, the challenge may be that they can’t afford to hire professional landscapers; for others, it may be that they don’t have a lot of room.  Truly, if your yard is not huge, it’s easy to start feeling that your options are limited.  However, garden structures, used properly, can work wonders with small spaces.

First, step back and look at the big (or not so big) picture.  Size up the available area, and, rather than thinking of it as being restrictive, assess its possibilities.  Make a list of the elements that you want to add, and decide which ones you can realistically include.  While you’re at it, see if there’s anything that you can get rid of to make more room.  Sometimes, features that have been there forever seem like they’re built-in, when they can actually be removed.

Of course, your plans may not even be that grand; you may simply want to create a nice, cozy, outdoor living area.  If that’s the case, a pergola may be the perfect solution.  Garden pergolas come in such a wide range of sizes that you’re sure to be able to find one to fit into your design.  Get one that’s large enough to cover a few Adirondack chairs and ottomans, or a settee and an outdoor coffee table, and you’ll have a shady little backyard haven; or put a picnic table under it, and make it a charming outdoor dining alcove.

Naturally, you’ll want a pretty garden, too.  Sometimes, in a confined area, people tend to break things up into sections of tiny flower beds; but too many undersized patches can give a yard a disjointed look, and make it seem even more closed in.  Try making garden beds that are longer and wider, even if you have to take out part of your lawn.

If you’re working with a space, such as a side yard, that’s too narrow to hold garden beds on both sides, use planters.  Place several of them on your porch, along its steps, and down the walkway leading to the yard, to create a sense of continuity, and the illusion of a larger area.

If you really don’t have room for a flower bed, add some trellises, and plant flowering vines to cover them.  You can also use trellises and arbors to camouflage any unattractive landscape features that you would like to take out, but can’t, because they really are built-in (such as exposed pipes or old concrete steps leading to nowhere).  Actually, an arbor can be a dreamy little hideaway, all by itself, if you get one with gates and built-in swings or benches.

You don’t need a lot of room to create a focal point, either.  All it takes is a garden bench situated near a small statue or fountain, or a birdfeeder and birdbath; even a planter bench with a lattice back will do the trick.  Use decorative stones to make a pathway leading to the feature, to help to draw the eye in the right direction.

One thing you definitely don’t want to do, when landscaping a small yard, is to clutter it up with a bunch of lawn ornaments.  So, just say “gno” to gnomes.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: adirondack chairs, Arbors, birdfeeders, garden structures, ottomans, outdoor coffee table, pergola, Pergolas, picnic table, planter bench, Planters, trellises

In most areas of the country, this is considered to be the best time of the year for selling homes.  In fact, unless they have urgent reasons for doing so, many people won’t dare to put theirs on the market when the weather is cold.

The general feeling is that houses look a lot friendlier when the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the trees and grass are green, and flowers are in bloom.  Patio furniture is also a factor, because, in the winter, it is either stored away, or hidden under outdoor furniture covers.  Undoubtedly, a porch swing, some comfortable patio chairs, and a pitcher of lemonade on an outdoor coffee table, make a much more inviting tableau.

On the other hand, every season has its drawbacks; and, in summer, one of the biggest is that the fast-growing vegetation can quickly get out of control, making your home look unkempt.  Therefore, it can be a struggle to maintain “curb appeal,” the term that refers to the desirability of a home, when viewed by passersby, especially prospective buyers.

Indeed, this first impression can influence a person’s decision about whether or not to even bother taking a tour of the house.  Moreover, many realtors say that the landscape is so important that, if it looks shabby, some people won’t even get out of their cars.

Of course, even if you’re not selling your home, it’s a good idea to keep it in (or close to) showcase condition at all times.  For starters, practice regular maintenance, and you’ll catch minor problems that can be inexpensively repaired, rather than letting them sneak up on you and become major headaches that you may have to pay professionals to fix.

These things can take us by surprise, because we’re so used to seeing our homes and yards, that slight changes often go unnoticed.  They can be anything, from vines that are trimmed one day, and strangling roses the next, to a minuscule spot of mold that doesn’t draw attention until it destroys an entire wall.

To evaluate your own home’s curb appeal, try looking at it through the eyes of a potential buyer.  Every so often, park across the street, and approach it, as if for the first time, taking in every detail.  Start from the actual curb, and check to see if your parking spots, driveway, and walkways are free of debris.

Look at your mailbox.  If it’s battered or rusty, replace it with a nice, decorative mailbox; and get a new mailbox post, too, if yours is dilapidated or splintered.  Glance around and make sure that the greenery is perfectly manicured, and that your outdoor décor items, such as birdfeeders, planters, porch furniture, and outdoor lamps and lanterns, are clean and attractive.

Whether or not you’re going to be selling it, this exercise is a good way to, at least, get an idea of where your house stands.  I mean, appeal-wise, of course.  Obviously, you know where it stands, or you’d always be getting lost.  Well, you know what I mean!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: birdfeeders, decorative mailbox, outdoor coffee table, outdoor decor, Outdoor Furniture Covers, outdoor lamps, patio chairs, patio furniture, Planters, porch furniture

While we may not be thrilled to find nicks on our wood outdoor furniture, usually, we can be relieved if they’re minor ones, as these are the easiest to handle.  Of course, the amount of damage that a particular piece will suffer, in any situation, will depend upon the kind of wood that it’s made from, and whether or not it is finished (and, if it is, the type of finish can also make a big difference).  Even so, in many cases, it is possible to fix scratches, or, at least, make them less noticeable.

Certainly, there are other things that can mar wooden outdoor furniture, such as the white rings that often appear after someone has set down a glass without a coaster under it.  If you can blot up the moisture right away, it may not leave a trace; but if you don’t get to it in time, a hairdryer may save the day.  Put it on a low setting, and run it over the spot a few times, keeping it at least six inches away, so that the wood will get warm, but not hot.  If that fails, try rubbing the area with some boiled linseed, olive, or vegetable oil, then wiping it clean.

If nail polish gets spilled on your wood outdoor furniture, don’t wipe it up, because it contains solvents that can soften and remove the finish.  Just wait for it to dry, gently scrape it off with something plastic, such as a credit card or a driver’s license, then apply some wax, using superfine steel wool.

Undoubtedly, it’s nice to know that we can restore the good looks of our wood picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, porch swings, and garden benches.  At the same time, however, we must also remember that, like beauty, the damage sometimes runs deep.  A burn, for example, can be quite troublesome; but if it’s not too severe, try rubbing it with a paste made of fine fireplace ash and lemon juice.  Afterward, wipe it clean, and touch it up with the same kind of finish that is already on the wood.

If it’s a deeper burn, surround it with masking or painter’s tape, and scrape out the burned wood with the rounded blade of a craft knife.  If necessary, re-stain the exposed wood, then use a mixture of equal parts of clear nail polish and acetone-based polish remover to fill the hole, one coat at a time, making sure that each layer dries before applying the next.  Finally, use superfine sandpaper to smooth the surface before you remove the tape.

Because such burns are usually caused by cigarettes, you may be able to prevent them by not putting ashtrays on your outdoor coffee table or accent tables.  Ask smokers to light up only on the perimeter of the yard, or in another designated area, and provide large ash urns, or empty coffee cans, filled with a few inches of sand.  Indeed, this is the best way to make sure that people will keep their butts off your outdoor tables.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, ach urns, adirondack chairs, garden benches, outdoor coffee table, outdoor tables, picnic tables, porch swings, wood outdoor furniture, wooden outdoor furniture