Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

As members of the outdoor living community, many of us have been eagerly looking forward to this Memorial Day for the unofficial beginning of the picnicking and outdoor living seasons.  And, while we are excited to use our picnic tables and outdoor dining sets, we certainly don’t want to lose sight of the importance of this historic day.

Memorial Day was first celebrated by communities remembering those lost in the American Civil War.  Starting as a small and emotional commemoration, the designated day of respect began to grow as Americans were lost and families were further affected by the following World Wars and other military engagements.

As we, the backyard enthusiasts, prepare for Memorial Day by planning backyard bashes and barbecues, I often take pause.  I wonder if scheduling a party on the day to remember fallen soldiers is the best approach to honor their memory.

But, then I remember that we are Americans.  Americans have always stood up for what is right, and protected the freedom of all.  What better way to celebrate their bravery than honoring the joyful life they fought to save?

So, as you pull out your outdoor furniture, put up those patio umbrellas, and gather your garden furniture into groups… remember how lucky you are to have the freedom to do so.  Take a look around at the friends, family, and neighbors enjoying your backyard, and appreciate their variety of cultures, ethnicities, religion, and beliefs.  In a world that is so often segregated, embrace the equality that the United States enjoys thanks to the brave men and women who have given their lives for our country.

A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 pm, in whichever time zone you find yourself in.  If you’re enjoying a get-together with friends and family, ask everyone to take a bit of silence to give thanks for their freedom, their individuality, and the men and women that made the greatest sacrifice for you.

From all of us at the CedarStore family to every member of yours, enjoy your Memorial Day. Never forget how lucky you are to have it.

Tags: garden furniture, memorial day, outdoor dining sets, Outdoor Furniture, patio umbrellas, picnic tables

Colors play significant roles in our lives; so much so, in fact, that they’ve seeped into the fabric of our language and our culture, and have even saturated our sensibilities.

Each color has its own, special meaning, and many are used universally to represent and convey specific feelings and ideas.  Colors influence our moods, and can be used to warn, welcome, comfort, excite, soothe, and inspire.  They are famously invoked to denote rage (I’m seeing red!), envy (the green-eyed monster has reared its ugly head), sadness (I’m feeling blue), cowardice (yer yella!), good health (I’m feeling in the pink!), and more.  Those that aren’t used in expressions are often turned into names, such as Violet, Sienna, and Pearl (although the term, “pearls of wisdom,” puts that last one into both categories).

In some cases, colors are crucial to orderly societal functions.  For example, when driving, everyone knows that red means stop, green means go, and yellow means step on it!  (Just kidding, of course!)  Likewise, we’re all aware of the indications when we hear “red alert,” or “code blue.”

Colors are commonly associated with pride, strength, and unity, as on a nation’s flag, or a team’s uniform.  They are also integral to some of our major celebrations and holidays; on Independence Day, red, white, and blue prevail, while at Christmas, red and green dominate the scene.  Some monumental affairs, such as weddings, are completely planned around theme colors.

Even the degree of happiness that we feel in our own homes is affected by colors.  When we decorate a room, no matter what style we choose, or which materials and furniture that we use, our satisfaction with the results often depends largely upon the color scheme.  This is equally true of our homes’ exterior areas, including porches, backyards, patios, decks, and gazebos.  Actually, because these have become, for millions of people, the main places for entertaining during the warmer months, outdoor décor is more important than ever.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to bring color to these spaces.  Besides your natural surroundings, which may include a variety of multi-hued vegetation, you can plant some garden beds, and display flowers in window boxes and planters, as well as on trellises, arbors, and pergolas.  Furthermore, because outdoor furniture comes in so many different shades these days, patio chairs, picnic tables, outdoor dining tables, and porch swings, can be just as colorful as the flowers.  Even solid wood outdoor furniture groups can be embellished with outdoor furniture cushions and patio umbrellas, which are available in countless colors and patterns.

So, just as is the case with everything inside your home, your outdoor furniture can reflect your taste, style, and personality; or, perhaps I should say, it can show your true colors.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: Arbors, Gazebos, outdoor decor, outdoor dining tables, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor furniture groups, patio chairs, patio umbrellas, Pergolas, picnic tables, Planters, porch swings, trellises

Right now, millions of people are preparing for summer, and their upcoming backyard parties, by setting up their outdoor furniture, picnic tables, and patio umbrellas, and making their yards, gardens, and outdoor décor look spectacular.  While that may seem like an awful lot of work, in many cases, it’s the easy part.  After all, once porch swings, patio chairs, outdoor sofas, and accent tables are in place, they’re good to go.

Grills, on the other hand, are a different story, because cooking on them – safely and successfully – requires some know-how, and even a degree of finesse.  No matter how fantastic a grill is, or how many wonderful features it has, if the person who is cooking does not know how to use it correctly, the food can still turn out to be, well, disappointing, to say the least.

The first thing to be aware of is that all grills are different; so, if you’re getting a new grill, whether it’s your first, or your fifth, read and heed the manual that comes with it.  Actually, the more experienced you are, the more you realize how important it is to become acquainted with your grill’s specific characteristics, and that it takes some time to do so.  For example, only after using it for awhile will you find out whether it has hot spots, where they are, and how long it takes to heat to proper cooking temperature, especially on windy or chilly days.

Indeed, weather is another factor, as it will affect cooking times, not only on charcoal grills, but on electric and gas grills as well.  While your manual may offer tips for using your particular grill in various climates and conditions, there are some general rules that apply in every situation.

For one thing, even though you should never use the grill indoors, it should be placed where it will be shielded from the wind; otherwise, neither it, nor the food, will stay as hot as necessary.  Food will cook faster on charcoal grills on warm, calm days, than it will on windy and/or cold days, when you will need more coals, which will take longer to heat.  Even gas grills will take a bit more time to heat, and you may have to use higher heat settings.

Like everything else, in order to obtain top performance from it, you must keep your grill clean.  One easy way to do this is to prevent foods from building up on the grill rack, by coating it with a non-stick cooking spray, or brushing it with vegetable oil, before you use it.  After cooking, remove any remaining bits of food from the grill rack with a wire grill brush, or a piece of aluminum foil (unless your manual says otherwise).

Usually, you can clean the racks in electric and gas grills by closing the covers and turning the burners on to a high setting for about 15 minutes.  If you line the bottom of the firebox with heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side up, it will catch any drippings (and, if it’s a charcoal grill, ashes), and act as a heat reflector.  Then, after everything has cooled off, you can just bundle up and discard the foil.

Truly, there are dozens of fine points to learn about outdoor cooking; and I will be touching on many of them in upcoming entries.  So don’t worry; before you know it, you’ll be able to thrill with your grill!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, charcoal grills, gas grills, grill, grills, outdoor decor, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor sofas, patio chairs, patio umbrellas, picnic tables, porch swings

Certainly, style and color will be key issues when you’re shopping for a picnic table, whether you want it to complement the décor of an enclosed porch or gazebo, match your outdoor furniture, or just look good standing in your yard.  Even so, there are many more factors to consider before you make a decision.

For one thing, figure out what size you need, based not only upon the amount of space that you have for it, but the number of people who will be using it regularly.  If you have a large family, or if you do a lot of entertaining, you’ll need a bigger picnic table, or outdoor dining table.  If you don’t have room for a long, rectangular picnic table, a round, oval, square, octagonal, or hexagonal picnic table may fit in nicely.  An outdoor bistro set, or even a bar table with stools, can work well in a tight spot.  Kids’ picnic tables can also solve many seating problems at large get-togethers.

Extra-wide picnic tables are great for entertaining as well, because they offer more space for food and place settings.  They also keep things within easy reach of everyone, and are conducive to conversation, as people can sit on all four sides, in comfortable benches with backs.  Naturally, these styles usually require roomier areas.

Size also comes into play if you’re going to put your picnic table away for the winter.  If you have limited storage space, you might want to get a picnic table with detached benches, which can be put on or under the table, stacked, or stored separately.  If you don’t have a storage shed, a garage, or any other outdoor structure in which to place it, there are some other ways to keep it in good shape during the months of harsh weather.

First of all, outdoor furniture covers can provide wonderful protection, as long as they are of good quality, and can withstand temperature extremes.  This is especially important for wood picnic tables, which should also be coated with a UV-resistant stain/sealer, if they’re going to be left outside in the winter.  Actually, they should be shielded in the summer as well, because the sun’s powerful rays can hasten the fading of the wood; and that’s why patio umbrellas are as good for picnic tables as they are for people.

The material that you choose can also make a big difference in the way that your picnic table fares over the winter.  For example, polywood picnic tables, which look amazingly like natural wood, are maintenance-free, impervious to the elements, and, in fact, virtually indestructible.  The same is pretty much true of high-quality aluminum picnic tables, which can also endure severe conditions, without breaking, bending, chipping, or rusting.  Another advantage that these types of picnic tables offer is that they are available in tons of colors.

Weight may also be a concern in some cases.  If you’re going to be moving your picnic table around, or putting it on a deck, make sure that you don’t get one that is too heavy.

Yep!  That means that you’ll have to worry about weight before you even sit down to eat!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: aluminum picnic tables, extra wide picnic tables, gazebo, outdoor bistro set, outdoor dining table, Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Furniture Covers, outdoor structure, patio umbrellas, picnic table, picnic table with detached benches, picnic tables, polywood picnic tables, rectangular picnic table, storage shed

It is difficult, if not impossible, to name all of the benefits of container gardening.  Even if you pick a single word, to explain just one advantage, you can still take it in a thousand directions.

For example, let’s try the word, choices.  Just for starters, they are endless, when you’re looking for things that can be cultivated in planters.  The list encompasses nearly everything that can be found in a nursery or a garden center, including ferns of all sizes, flowering and non-flowering plants and shrubs, rosebushes, all kinds of vegetables and herbs, and even trees.  Furthermore, if you live in a cooler region, you can grow warm-climate plants in containers, keeping them outdoors in the summer, and bringing them inside when the weather gets cold.

If you’re a novice gardener, you can experiment in a planter, before deciding whether or not to try it on a larger scale.  Because a container garden can be confined to a window box, or cover a great expanse, you have tons of choices, even if you live in an apartment building, or a home with very little yard space.  Not only can you bring your small terrace, deck, balcony, or porch, alive with beautiful, aromatic flowers and herbs, but you can enhance your outdoor décor with colorful planters.

That’s another area in which there are more options than ever, with wood, metal, polywood, vinyl, and plastic-coated steel planters and planter trellises, available in all sizes, styles, and colors.  Scatter them around, group them together, or put them right into your flower beds.

You can create multi-colored or monochromatic gardens, or even choose flowers and planters that match your patio furniture, outdoor furniture cushions, or patio umbrellas.  If you wish to attract butterflies and birds to your yard, use brightly-colored flowers, and hang birdfeeders nearby.  Put plants and flowers that you want to showcase on display, in centrally-placed planter wagons or wheelbarrows planters.

When you’re having an evening party, add candles to your containers, in candleholders or hurricane lanterns, making sure that there’s nothing nearby that can catch fire.  This will give the entire setting a soft, lovely glow; and if you use citronella candles, they will keep mosquitoes away as well.

Containers can also be switched around to new locations and positions whenever you want a fresh look; and they can be moved to places where plants will get more sun, or shade, at different times of the year.

You can also dress up your planters with garden decorations; and there, you’ll have another million choices.  Just be sure to get something tasteful; and not one of those cut-outs of an old lady, bending over, exposing her unmentionables.  That would be perfectly dreadful.  In fact, I’m sorry I mentioned it!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: outdoor decor, outdoor furniture cushions, patio furniture, patio umbrellas, planter trellises, planter wagones, Planters, wheelbarrow planters

One barrier many outdoor livers run into is the problem of using color with their patio furniture sets.  It’s often thought that too many Cedar and Pine pieces will overwhelm any space with a brown, wood tone.  But, adding color to your outdoor living space will spruce up your patio furniture and allow it to be holistically designed and stylish.  Though, take caution, too many colors and patterns will make your porch or gazebo look too busy.

Use Paint: The most obvious choice is to use paint on your patio furniture.  Cedar outdoor furniture won’t take paint well, so it’s best to just stick with a stain sealant.  But all varieties of pine and cypress work well with paint.  If you’re creating both a sitting and outdoor dining area, try painting both sets of patio furniture different colors to create more separation between the two living areas.  Though, if possible, consult with a paint expert at the store to pair colors that have a similar tone or richness to make sure the contrast isn’t too jarring.

Put Up Patio Umbrellas: Though this isn’t the best option for those creating outdoor dining areas under porches or inside gazebos, anyone with patio furniture out in the open should consider a patio umbrella.  Not only does it provide protection from the sun’s harmful rays, it is also a wonderful opportunity to add some corresponding color.  Modern patio umbrellas come in nearly any combination of colors and patterns, so choose carefully.  You want an outdoor umbrella that coordinates with the rest of your decorating scheme, so it’s important to have ideas in mind before you start looking around for one.

Coordinate Outdoor Furniture Cushions and Throw Pillows: Have you read this far and are still thinking, “Well, I have Cedar patio furniture and I’m using it in my gazebo.  Don’t you have anything for me?” Yes, I do!  Outdoor furniture cushions and throw pillows will create instant colored accents to your outdoor seating group.  If you’re worried that your cushions will become ruined sitting outdoors, you can breathe a sigh of relief.  Most modern outdoor furniture cushions use special soft-woven techniques to create incredible durability and mildew resistance without sacrificing style or comfort.  Outdoor throw pillows are a great way to add some exciting patterns to your patio furniture.  Matched with a solid colored outdoor furniture cushion, a striped or patterned throw pillow that coordinates with the surrounding colors works well to add interest. As long as you brush off any dirt and put them away in the winter, your outdoor furniture cushions should serve you well in both comfort and style!

Accent with Table Cloths and Outdoor Dishes: A picnic table or outdoor dining set is a great place to add some soft color.  Something as easy as a table cloth or placemat can be changed easily to mix things up for a special occasion or holiday.  If you already have special dishware for outdoor dining, it can be fun to match one of the colors or designs in your dishes to a new table cloth.  If you haven’t yet invested in picnicking dishware, shop for table clothes, place mats, and outdoor dishes together to make sure to create a well-designed and well-balanced set.  Bringing the entire area together will make it look as refined as your indoor dining room!

Grow or Pot Colorful Flowers: Of course, the most natural way to bring color to your patio furniture group is through flowers.  Whether you choose yellow and white daisies, red tulips, or green foliage… the natural coloring is sure to compliment almost any design scheme.  Plus, living and growing color adds a certain depth that even fabrics cannot match.  Try using windows boxes, planters, or planter tubs and arrange them on the steps of your porch or surrounding your patio furniture.  It can either continue your garden onto your porch, or create a garden if there never was one!

Using color in your outdoor rooms is as important as the porch swings, picnic tables, and other patio furniture that invite everyone to come together.  And, having an outdoor living space that’s as colorful and masterfully decorated as your interiors does not require a lot of maintenance or incredible design expertise.  Outdoor living is about leaving the anxiety of everyday life at the door; don’t let it become drab and certainly don’t let it become stressful!  Relax.  Have fun!

Tags: Gazebos, outdoor dining set, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture cushion, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor umbrela, patio furniture, patio umbrella, patio umbrellas, picnic table, planter tubs, Planters, porch swings

We’ve been to Tuscany, Japan, and Paris.  But, perhaps we should veer our travels to a more exotic climate.  Imagine an outdoor living space in your own backyard that likens itself to the Brazilian or Caribbean Tropics.  Drinking out of the ordinary cocktails and snacking on pineapple and guava, you’re sure to feel complete and total escape from the daily grind of temperate climates.  But, you might be thinking that you just live too far north to feel such equatorial repose.  You’re in luck!  I can show you how to recreate a tropical paradise no matter where you live.

Recreate Tropical Vegetation:  Even if you don’t live in a tropical climate, you can recreate a tropical feel by planting foliage in layers to mirror natural growth patterns.  Mix and match broad-leaf greens of different hues, shapes, and sizes with vines and ferns to create a holistically wild feel.  Then, add tropical-style flowers in vibrant colors.  The kind of flowers will depend on your gardening zone, location, and maintenance time… but hot pinks, purple orchids, fiery reds, and striking yellows will give the warm and close look of the rain forest.  Have fun, and don’t worry too much about everything going together perfectly.  You’re not paying homage to the manicured gardens of English royalty; you’re mirroring the untouched wilds of the rain forest!

Use Wicker Furniture with Teak and Eucalyptus Accents: Allow your outdoor furniture to mirror your tropical garden with inspired furnishings.  The deep and natural coloring of wicker patio furniture is a perfect choice, and the softness creates the rustic ideal of a hidden retreat.  Teak, a material harvested in the rain forest, is also a wonderful pick; whether you accent with a Teak side table, Teak garden bench, or even teak chaise lounges, the durable hardwood will bring out a tropical feel.  Lastly, for an even more exotic look, try FSC Certified Eucalyptus from Brazil.  It has an organically, completely authentic, tropical sense with hints of deep red in the tight-grained wood.  Again, don’t let yourself have a moment of anxiety over some kind of exact ratio of materials.  Use whichever material you like the best, and mix and match it to your liking!  An exotic approach means a relaxed approach, so let your more experimental design instincts run wild!

Having outdoor furniture that reflects the rest of the vegetation will bring your entire outdoor living space together.  Whatever material you use, it’s also very important that your patio furniture reflects your personality and desired use.  Chaise lounges and garden benches are perfect for families looking to lounge and socialize all afternoon; while picnic tables and outdoor dining sets are best for people hoping to eat most of their meals outside.  If you plan to do a lot of entertaining, a bar set or refreshment stand will offer both style and function. Of course, if you have enough space to allow it, you can have both a living area and a dining area for complete versatility!

Use Bright Colored Fabrics: While your garden furniture highlights dark, natural colors… you’ll want to bring out the vibrant shades of your tropical flowers with fabric accents.  Outdoor furniture cushions, patio umbrellas, table cloths, or outdoor pillows are all great ways to add lively hues to your decorating scheme.  Choosing solid colors in the same or similar shades to your most used tropical flowers will bring the whole space together.  Use stripes and patterns carefully, or even sparingly, to keep the more simple and rustic theme in tact.  The best place for busy patterns is on dishware or urns to reflect the rich and brightly decorated pottery often found in tropical climates.

Couple a Fire Ring with a Water Feature: Even if you live in the most temperate climate, you can give the steamy feeling of the rain forest by mixing fire and water. Of course, you can choose to install a swimming pool for the height of luxury and function, or have a small garden or koi pond put in.  But more than having a pond or pool, moving water, like a water fall, is really ideal for a tropical garden.  Whether you have a fountain, or water gently flowing over rocks, the sounds of water through out the garden will be the absolute best for exotic gardens.

Adding a fire pit or fire ring will create wonderful contrast.  Like striking camps set up in the rain forest, a place for a true burning fire will make the entire area seem authentic while creating an inviting appeal.  Plus, having both fire and water work together will lend the steamy appeal without all the humidity!

Create a Hidden Retreat:  For the ultimate in tropical outdoor spaces, create a hidden retreat.  Accessible by a winding garden path away from the rest of the house, the sky and your imagination are the only limits to creating a unique area.  For people interested in large-scale entertainment, a tiki bar gazebo can be a wonderfully conversational garden structure that will have guests flocking.  But, if private repose is your prerogative, a spa shelter for a hot tub will certainly serve you like a fresh hot water spring!  A Red Cedar Cabana or Gazebo also make perfect hide-aways.  Decorated with the same wicker, teak, and eucalyptus outdoor furniture, you can also install an exotic outdoor ceiling fan with palm or tropical leaf blades.  Try setting it up with a small desk with typewriter and leather bound notebooks to give the appearance of an explorer’s outpost.  Or, use chaise lounges and a well placed hammock to make a tropical retreat fit for royalty.  After all, you will be the King or Queen of your retreat!

Traveling and vacationing are wonderful pastimes, but creating brilliant outdoor living spaces with the design and luxury of far away retreats allows both your family and your friends to escape at any time, all year long.  A tropical outdoor living space will allow you to feel like you’ve flown to a resort in the Bahamas at a moment’s notice.  Integrating large-leaf foliage with bright colored flowers along side natural wicker, teak, and eucalyptus furnishings accented with bright, solid fabrics will set a calming and interesting color scheme.  Mixing fire and water features will give the appearance of steamy climates without the humidity, while creating a hidden retreat can be both a hub for entertaining and an escape for true repose!  Experience the versatility of a tropical outdoor living space!

Tags: bar set, cabana, fire pit, fire ring, garden benches, garden furniture, garden structure, Gazebos, hammock, outdoor dining sets, Outdoor Furniture, outdoor furniture cushions, patio furniture, patio umbrellas, picnic tables, refreshment stand, spa shelter, teak chaise lounges, teak garden bench, teak side table, tiki bar gazebo, wicker patio furniture

We’re always looking for ways to put more color into our lives.  Indoors, we carefully choose particular types of paint, wallpaper, furniture, and other home accents, so that we can be surrounded by our favorite shades.

Outside, there are even more possibilities, which include the countless varieties and hues of flowers, plants, and shrubs that are available for our landscaping, as well as those that exist naturally.  We also have scores of color choices for our patio furniture and picnic tables, which we can further embellish with other outdoor décor items, such as outdoor furniture cushions, and patio umbrellas.

Among the things that nature adds to the kaleidoscope, birds are the most enchanting; and bird-watching is one of the country’s most popular pastimes.  This is quite understandable, for many reasons.  For one thing, some birds have spectacular plumage that will absolutely take your breath away.  Then, there are the endless, beautiful tunes that they sing; and even those common little brown sparrows are a delight to watch.  Indeed, birds of all feathers can bring us joy.

While it’s a lot of fun – and great exercise – to go hiking through fields and woods to observe different species, you can bring them in droves to your own backyard, by putting up some birdhouses and birdfeeders.  Believe me, you’ll never regret this move.  In fact, once you start feeding the birds, you’ll be so fascinated, and entertained, that you will never want to stop.  They’re captivating, playful, and downright hilarious; and the more you watch them, the more you’ll want to read and learn about them.

I cannot tell you how much enjoyment these little winged creatures have brought me over the years (and, yes, I’m watching them at my birdfeeders at this very moment).  There are several types of birdfeeders that you can use, including hopper, platform, hanging, tube, and post-mounted.

In future entries, I will have some tips about using these birdfeeders, and information on the kinds of foods that will soon have them brimming with living color.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: birdfeeders, birdhouses, home accents, outdoor decor, outdoor furniture cushions, patio furniture, patio umbrellas, picnic tables