Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

As I’m sure you’ve heard, Pantone has announced the color of 2011.

Pantone describes it as: “Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.”

So, what else is going to be hot in home décor this year? If our colors are making us courageous and confidant, our furnishings are exuding comfort and versatility. Everyone know that, these days, home décor is all about making your dollar go further and your space do more.

As the outdoor living craze shows no signs of slowing, outdoor furniture designers and retailers are on their toes for upcoming trends.  While, pergolas are still on their way to most popular structure and patio deep seating is also topping the charts, we’re abuzz about porch rockers this season.

“Outdoor rocking chairs recall classic porch design of rural America,” said Mark Winkelman, furniture designer. “Blending traditional styles with updated color schemes balances spaces and makes them both fashionable and livable.”

Rocking chairs are fantastic because they can be used both indoors and outdoors.  A painted wood rocking chair can sit on your front porch in the warm season, and make a home in a cozy window-view for the winter.

They’re also lightweight, and can be easily moved around to accommodate guests and family.  More people are staying in and enjoying their backyards, rather than going out and using their credit cards.  And, the relaxed sway of a porch rocker is a great way to drink coffee, watch the sunset and get back into the swing of good friendship.

Many people are updating the classic porch rocker with bright colors, especially the striking honeysuckle hue that is sure to be splashed nearly everywhere this season.  Honeysuckle is especially appropriate for outdoor living.  Leatrice Eiseman, executive dirsctor of the Pantone Color Institute explained, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

Set a trend by using a classic in a way that isn’t expected.  Outdoor living may be more popular than ever, but just ask those that grew up with out air conditioning, and you’ll know it’s no new fad.  Take a cue from the experienced with traditional porch rockers.  Take a cue from the trends with bold and exciting colors.

Have Fun!

Hazel

Tags: Outdoor Furniture, outdoor rockers, outdoor rocking chairs, patio deep seating, Pergolas, porch rockers, rocking chairs

Labor Day has come and gone; and, in its wake, it has left millions of people shaking their heads – as they do every year – and wondering how summer managed to slip away so quickly.  In many regions, there are also those who are mourning the passing of the season, as it means that they’ll soon be moving patio furniture, picnic tables, and grills into their sheds until next spring.

Naturally, these items won’t have to be tucked away under outdoor furniture covers just yet, as there’s still plenty of fair weather left, even in areas where the winters are harsh.  Moreover, those who live where it’s always warm can use their outdoor furniture all year long, as can people who have enclosed porches, patios, gazebos, and sunrooms.  Truly, the latter group is growing larger every year, as folks are becoming increasingly unwilling to give up outdoor living.

Of course, they want to be able to decorate these living spaces as meticulously and fashionably as their other indoor rooms.  That’s why today’s outdoor furniture comes in materials, styles, and colors that will complement any motif; and why it’s also as versatile and comfortable as indoor furniture.  In fact, when you’re furnishing your indoor/outdoor living room – or kitchen, or bedroom – you may even find that patio furniture offers more choices.

Take, for example, the basic chair.  Sure, there was a time when the patio chair bore little resemblance to the one in the living room.  Often made with a flimsy aluminum frame, and stiff, woven plastic strips, it barely had the strength to last for more than one season.  Modern porch chairs, on the other hand, are solidly constructed from a variety of materials, including cedar, pine, oak, cypress, teak, cherry, vinyl, aluminum, cast iron, synthetic wicker, and polywood.  They are also available in dozens of colors and styles, and can be topped with outdoor furniture cushions in scores of colors and patterns.

When you’re trying to find the equivalent of a couch, the outdoor sofa actually comes out ahead of its indoor counterpart.   After all, besides a stationary outdoor sofa, you have the option of selecting a garden bench, porch swing, glider, face-to-face glider, or outdoor settee, which also come in a wide range of materials and colors.  This goes for outdoor loveseats, too.

Certainly, you’ll also want a rocker; inside or out, it’s a universal favorite.  As a matter of fact, most people have rockers that they have cherished for years; and, in many cases, these rocking chairs have been in their families for generations.  Fortunately, contemporary outdoor rocking chairs are not only as comfortable – and comforting – as the old-fashioned ones, but they are durable enough to become heirlooms as well.  What’s more, if you’re not satisfied with an outdoor rocker for one, you can get an outdoor rocking bench.

Of course, no room, of any description, is completely furnished until it has a place where you can rest your feet.  That’s no problem, either, because, these days, you can find ottomans in materials, styles, and colors, to match any piece of outdoor furniture.

Hmm.  I wonder if I’m alone in feeling that the plural of ottoman should be ottomen.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: face-to-face glider, garden bench, Gazebos, grills, orroman, Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Furniture Covers, outdoor furniture cushions, outdoor rocking chairs, outdoor settee, outdoor sofa, patio chair, patio furniture, picnic tables, porch chair, porch glider, porch swing, rockers, rocking chairs, Sunrooms

As I was driving home from a family Christmas with a boyfriend that braved a holiday with my well… interesting… family, I made an observation. I said, “To me… January and February are the absolutely WORST months!” Naturally, he inquired why I thought so. “Because it’s just the dead grayness of winter. In November and December the cold and snow are still new and exciting… and you have Thanksgiving, The Winter Solstice, Hanukah, Christmas, and The New Year to look forward to. But, January and February have almost nothing but cold darkness and dirty snow.”

I thought about the Christmas gifts I bought for my family; mostly the antithesis of the upcoming months. I grabbed The Skyscraper Garden for my green-living urban-gardening sister-in-law, and the Lighthouse Birdfeeder for my backyard bird-watching, retired Naval engineer grandfather. It would seem that I was doing my very best to make sure everyone else got through these months as well. I love to be outside, and these months seem to just trap me indoors.

As I’m sure many gardeners (and those that don’t so much do work outdoors as lounge in Adirondack chairs, hammocks, and gliders) agree, I thought I would do a push for ways to make your spirits bright with tips to bring the outdoors indoors until spring comes around again.

Why not try to grow an orchid this winter? Though widely accepted as incredibly difficult plants to nurture and manage, there are many that are surprising doable for even a novice gardener. There are several varieties that will bloom without greenhouses, sunlamps, sunrooms, or advanced skills. Plus, tending your flowers will keep you happy and ready for the serious gardening sure to come!

The Nun’s Orchid and Tropical Lady Slipper are probably the two least fickle orchids, and are unlikely to be over-watered, as they are almost always thirsty! The Moth Orchid is another good beginner flower, though it is not as water-loving as the formers, and would prefer slightly dryer roots. My personal favorite, however, is the Cymbidium. Why you ask? Well, unlike me, it responds to the short winter days by flowering and expressing colorful blooms to brighten your days.

The Cymbidium

It’s best to purchase your orchid at a plant nursery rather than a supermarket or home improvement store because nursery orchids are more likely to have solid roots and a strong beginning. It will be easier to grow and maintain an orchid that you bring home already strong and healthy. In many orchids, parts of the roots are visible. Make sure you choose a plant with firm roots that aren’t dried up or rotting. Besides the roots, take a good look at the leaves. Leaves with yellowing or black spots indicate disease or insufficient care. Lastly, though an orchid with several blooms may appear the most attractive at the store, it’s better to choose one with several buds that have not yet bloomed. An abundance of blooms indicates that the orchid’s show is almost over— and you wouldn’t buy tickets to a concert after intermission would you?

There’s no reason to abandon the beauty of flowers just because your garden may be covered in snow. Go out and buy three or four orchids, to set on tables, chests, buffets, trunks, and shelves. The sun may be slipping under the horizon before dinner time, but you’ll have gorgeous, exotic blooms around you to keep your chin up!

And, whether you plan to spend your warmer months pulling weeds and planting tomatoes, or gently swaying on porch swings, lazily rocking on rocking chairs (what else could you do on one?), or just enjoying your gazebo, cabana, or pool house… these seemingly difficult orchids will keep you both occupied and flower-filled until you’re out in your garden again!

See You Outside! (or… inside…)

Hazel.

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Tags: adirondack chairs, birdfeeders, buffers, cabana, chests, gazebo, gliders, Hammocks, poolhouse, porch swings, rocking chairs, shelves, skyscraper garden, Sunrooms, tables, trunks

With all of the graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, and summer holidays coming up, nearly everyone will attend – or host – at least one outdoor gathering this season. 

These affairs can be great fun.  I mean, what’s not to love?  We get to spend the day outside, with family and friends, socializing and laughing it up.  There’s always food at the ready, so we can fill up on grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, sausage, shish kebobs, corn on the cob, and so much more, all day long.  And those are just for starters.  Then, there are the sides, like potato and macaroni salads, cole slaw, tortilla chips with taco dip, pumpernickel bread with spinach dip, as well as all of the cakes, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and other delicious desserts.

Now, I’m not saying that there are no healthy foods at picnics, as there’s always some crank who brings regular salad with low-fat dressing, a vegetable plate, or fruit salad.  I just didn’t mention them among the fun stuff, because I eat a mighty healthy diet, including tons of fruits and vegetables, nearly every other day of the year, so when it comes time to party, I pass right over them.

Naturally, there will be plenty of lawn games, too, such as badminton, volleyball, quoits, catch, and croquet, that you can play to work off all of those calories – if you’re so inclined.

On the other hand, if you’re like me, and you work out almost every other day, just like skipping healthy foods, you might want to pass on the physical activity and just relax and catch up with people that you haven’t seen in awhile.

This is majorly easy to do, because there will also be beverages galore, along with plenty of people milling about, so you can just sit in your patio chair, chaise lounge, porch swing, or rocker, saying, “As long as you’re up, can you grab me another beer?”, or “Yeah, I’ll take another one!” without getting up and losing your seat.  That is, of course, until the beer kicks in and you have to get up for the one thing that NOBODY can do for you!        

See what I mean?  There’s a lot to love about picnics, and summer itself, even when you’re just hanging out at home by yourself.  At CedarStore.com, there’s also a lot to love about getting ready for the season, because we’ve got everything you need, from porch chairs to picnic tables, not only for the lazy days, but for the hazy and crazy ones as well.

Really.  I’m not kidding.  Just stop in, browse our unbeatable selection of outdoor furniture, home accents, and outdoor décor, and see for yourself.  The only thing you won’t find here will be guests for your cookouts.  Then, again, well, uh, I’m always up for a party!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy 

Tags: Outdoor Furniture, patio chairs, picnic tables, porch swing, rocking chairs