Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

Wouldn’t you love to travel to Tuscany this season?  You may not have considered that you could be transported to an elegant and sophisticated Tuscan Garden without the travel time, airline tickets, jet lag, and packing decisions.  One of this year’s hottest trends for outdoor living is recreating Mediterranean gardens and landscapes right in your own backyard.  Combining the graceful elements of the Italian Renaissance with the rustic charm of enchanting Tuscany farms creates spaces that are serene and peaceful; your space will boast refined style, while remaining incredibly accessible.

Define Your Dining Room with a Pergola: Renaissance Italy loved using pergolas to support grape vines, and modern pergolas still invite those same feelings of a glass of fantastic wine in a tranquil Tuscany vineyard.  Whether you plan to vine your pergola with flowers, grapes, or nothing at all; the structure will not only help to set the boarders of your room, it will define its taste immediately.  Red Cedar and Treated Pine pergolas give more of a rustic look for country retreats; while white vinyl pergolas recall ancient Greek or Roman sophistication.  Either will look lovely around your dining set; it just depends on what direction you’re taking!

Use a Natural Teak or Red Cedar Dining Set: Reflect the rustic and simple appearance of Tuscany with a natural wood outdoor dining set.  As the focal point of your outdoor dining room, you will want to use a material that reflects the rich tones of the earth.  A long rectangular  picnic table is best, as it truly gives a sense of large-family gatherings that the Italians are famous for.  Gorgeous teak is the finest choice, as its dense and smooth finish coupled with its wealth of color will echo the natural elegance of the Tuscan landscape.  However, outdoor dining rooms on a budget need not fear; you can reflect the pastoral grace of the country side with simple red cedar tables or treated pine dining sets as well.

Place-set with  Colorful Old World Pottery: Ditch the paper plates, and go for something a little bit more refined.  Using real dishes will not only help the environment by reducing waste, it will truly finish your Tuscan dining room.  Using pottery in rich earth tones, like forest greens, clay reds, and browns might even make the food seem more sophisticated.  Don’t worry about creating the perfect set, mix and match colors, sets, and dishes for a homey experience that will make you feel like several families are always coming together.  Create a dynamic collection by going to second hand stores to splurge on an unmatched variety of imperfectly hand painted pieces; don’t be afraid if it has a bit of a chip (as long as it’s still safe for eating).  Many discount home stores now sell pottery inspired sets that are fairly inexpensive.  With no pressure for perfection, your mix-and-match set will be an instantly interesting topic of conversation… and you won’t have to worry a bit if a plate gets broken—just add another one whether it matches or not!

Accent with Wrought Iron:  Wrought Iron accessories will compliment your natural teak dining set or red cedar picnic table for a more holistic setting.  Using wrought iron trellises and arbors will do the trick, while also providing a place to add wild Italian flora listed in the next step. Or, if your space is expansive, try using a small aluminum patio set (painted black so it looks like wrought iron).  You can use it to set desserts or drinks out on, or even just as another side table for when guests are mingling before the meal starts.

Add Tuscan Shade and Flora: Make your outdoor dining room complete with expert garden design.  An Italian Cypress tree will create privacy while Olive Trees will complete the Italian feel.  Tuscan bushes not only make brilliant shrubs, they will truly bring your whole outdoor living space together.  If you decided not to vine any plants around your pergola, adding wrought iron trellises for berry plants, grape vines, wisteria, and pastel roses will add the softening touch of nature essential for completing your Tuscan façade.  Don’t worry about needing to keep these plants perfectly in line, a bit of wild nature couples perfectly with your rustic façade.

Tuscan Outdoor Dining Rooms are popping up all over the place, and it’s easy to see why.  The pairing of sophistication with rustic simplicity allows an accessible elegance perfect for this season’s retreats. Whether you’re using yours for hot dogs and hamburgers, or home made bruschetta, your family and friends will absolutely flock to your outdoor living space!

See Your in Your Tuscan Outdoor Dining Room!

Hazel

Tags: aluminum patio set, Arbors, outdoor dining set, pergola, Pergolas, picnic table, red cedar picnic table, red cedar tables, teak, teak dining set, treated pine dining sets, wrought iron trellises

It’s no surprise that one of the most popular pieces of outdoor furniture in the nation, the chaise lounge, did not originate in this country.  Well, to be completely accurate, I guess I should say that part of it did; the lounge part.  The correct name of the beloved patio chair upon which we lounge is chaise longue (’shAz-’lo[ng]), which translates, literally, from French, as “long chair” – and, ya gotta admit, that’s a good name for it! Sometimes also referred to as a lounge chair, or a steamer chair, the chaise longue was created in 16^th century France, as an elongated chair with four legs, and a slanted back, for reclining.  Although earlier versions of it (upon which royals, including Cleopatra, relaxed) are known to have existed in ancient Greece and Egypt, the chaise longue was designed differently, so that people could lie on their backs, as well as on their sides.

At first, the chaise longue was often made out of curved wood and woven caning, or rattan.  As it evolved throughout Europe, naturally, there was much experimentation with various designs and materials, as it was adapted for diverse surroundings and uses. The chaise longue is believed to have reached our shores, along with the huge waves of immigrants, sometime during the 1830’s.  Here, it underwent another series of changes, especially because of the many new materials, such as plastic and tubular steel, that became widely available after the turn of the 20^th century.  The large variety of rich upholstery fabrics also allowed endless incarnations of the chaise longue, which was used mainly indoors. Eventually – and inevitably – this country’s love of outdoor living led to the creation of the familiar chaise lounge that graces countless patios, porches, decks, gazebos, and cruise ships, today.  Of course, it still comes in many variations, appearing with arms and without arms, or with a single arm, and may be made from several materials, including cedar, pine, teak, and polywood. By the way, there is one other fascinating aspect of the Americanization of its name.  Besides calling it a “lounge,” people commonly pronounce chaise, as “chase,” so it comes out as, “chase lounge.”  I think that says everything we need to know about this country’s earnest pursuit of leisure.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cedar pine, chaise longue, chaise lounge, Gazebos, lounge chair, Outdoor Furniture, patio chair, polywood, steamer chair, teak

Among the many indoor projects that people are working on at this time of the year, painting is one of the most common.  This is understandable, as it’s a great way to give a room a whole new look, without the expense of remodeling; and virtually anyone can do it.  For first-timers, however, the myriad choices in paints can be rather confusing.  Heck, it’s difficult enough just to pick from the millions of available colors.  Then, after you make that monumental decision, you have to figure out whether flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, or gloss paint, will best suit your purpose.

So, if you’re not familiar with these terms, remember that flat paint has a matte finish, with no sheen, shine, or shimmer.  Because it doesn’t reflect light, it can hide some minor imperfections; but it’s less durable, more porous, and harder to clean, than glossier types.  This makes it more hospitable to mold and mildew growth, so it shouldn’t be used in high-humidity rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens, or in backyard structures that aren’t insulated.

Eggshell has just a slight hint of luster, but can add a bit more depth and warmth to a room.  Easier to clean than flat paint, it still disguises small defects, and is less attractive to mildew.

Smooth and somewhat shiny, satin paint is much more durable than flat and eggshell varieties.  Very easy to clean, and resistant to mold and mildew, it’s great for use in bathrooms and kitchens, as well as high-traffic areas.

With its beautiful, sparkling finish, semi-gloss paint is extremely durable and easy to keep clean.  It’s used mostly for trim, doors, and bathroom and kitchen cabinets; but it’s highly reflective, and will draw attention to even the slightest blemish.

Gleaming, glistening gloss paint is mainly for trim, wainscoting, and cabinets; but it can also make a home look stylish and welcoming when used on the front door.  Because it spotlights every imperfection, however, wherever, whenever, and if ever you use it, be sure that whatever you put it on has no flaws whatsoever.

Once you’re done with the indoors, you can start planning a fresh look for the outdoors.  Adding patio furniture to your porch or lawn is a great way to add an entirely new living space to enjoy.   Of course, with the thousands of patio chairs, porch swings, garden benches, swingbeds, picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, chaise lounges, hammocks, accent tables, gliders, outdoor dining tables, garden structures, and ottomans available, there’s practically as many varieties of outdoor furniture as there are paint colors!

Luckily, though, this will cause you no consternation.  Because materials can be easily split into two categories; cedar, pine, oak, cherry, teak, eucalyptus, and cypress, verses aluminum, synthetic wicker, polywood, and vinyl.  Your decision is simple: either you wood, or wood not.

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, adirondack chairs, aluminum, backyard structures, cedar, chaise lounges, cherry, cypress, eucalyptus, garden benches, garden structures, gliders, Hammocks, oak, ottomans, outdoor dining tables, patio chairs, patio furniture, picnic tables, pine, polywood, porch swings, Swingbeds, synthetic wicker, teak, vinyl

Most people are familiar with using Treated Pine, Red Cedar, Teak, and even Oak for outdoor furniture.  If you’re looking for more information on long-loved patio furniture materials that have stood the test of time, check our Shirley Bovshow’s Eden Makers Blog for tips and advice!

While traditional and time honored garden furniture materials will always be appropriate, beautiful, and well-respected, many designers are starting to use some unlikely candidates to craft their outdoor pieces. Today, I have five reasons to start looking at Eucalyptus Wood for your outdoor furniture!

Growing Eucalyptus Helps the Earth: Unlike a lot of vegetation, an abundance of Eucalyptus trees will offer a helping hand to many surrounding species.  We all know that Koalas love their sweet leaves, but the trees’ rich flowers also provide a large source of food to pollinators such as insects, birds, and bats.  Further, Eucalyptus trees draw a tremendous amount of water from the soil in order to grow, so planting them in places where architecture or human interference has caused damage will lower the water table and reduce soil salination.  This is also a sparkling use of the earth’s water as the tree naturally cleans it of toxins to both release it back into the water cycle and create valuable oxygen.

Growing Eucalyptus Helps People: Eucalyptus trees have become economically important to many groups of people by becoming a cash crop in poor area of Africa, The Andes, and parts of South America.  Not only does this cultivation bring prosperity to poorer communities, it also helps to maintain their health.  The process of transpiration that causes Eucalyptus trees to use an incredible amount of water in their growth has caused many areas to plant Eucalyptus in overgrown swamps.  Swamps that have developed over too large of a region create dangerous and outsized areas for mosquito larvae to foster.  Using Eucalyptus trees to naturally downsize these overgrown swamps significantly reduces outbreaks of malaria.

Eucalyptus is a Sustainable Product: Eucalyptus is incredibly sustainable.  First of all, the tree grows exceptionally fast and can be chopped at the root to grow back again.  Because of its quick growing cycle and ability to re-grow from the roots, many wood production companies use plantation grown and carefully managed Eucalyptus trees instead of logging in native and valuable rain forests.  And, this can continue for many decades, as well-managed plantations produce soil that can sustain endless replanting.  Further, we can use more than just the Eucalyptus wood.  Eucalyptus oil can be steam distilled for sustainable, natural cleaning and deodorizing products, and small quantities can have healing effects in cough drops and decongestants.  The oil even has natural insect repelling properties for commercial mosquito repellants. Eucalyptus nectar is used to make high-quality monofloral honey, and all other parts are employed to make sustainable and natural dyes for fabrics. A plant with several attributes that can be used across industries makes it valuable, efficient, and better for the earth.

Eucalyptus is Durable and Weather-Resistant: With naturally occurring oils that contain insect repelling properties, this wood is perfect for outdoor furniture.  When pre-treated and kiln dried, it is renowned for its excellent resistant to all variations of weather, insect attacks, and decay.  It’s not just the oil though; Eucalyptus hardwood has an incredibly tight gain with a very high density.  These attributes make the timber strong and resilient to all kinds of normally damaging outside factors.  While a weather-resistant and durable wood is good for any product, outdoor furniture benefits from these characteristics more than most.  Using Eucalyptus wood is not only helping the earth, animals, and people in developing countries… it’s helping you make sure you choose a material that is sure to last!

Eucalyptus is Gorgeous and Lustrous: If you checked out Shirley Bovshow’s Blog, you saw that Teak outdoor furniture is absolutely the most revered.  Teak is enormously breathtaking in beauty, and has a density and durability that makes buyers flock.  But, one of the reasons Teak wood boasts such a high price tag is the years and years it takes for the Teak tree to reach the maturity it needs to produce such a high-quality wood.  But, premium grade Eucalyptus has the same resilience and beauty of Teak, with a much faster growing process that drives the prices down.  With Eucalyptus, you can get a lovely natural luster in your wood that will last for decades—without breaking the bank!

Whew!  Now that you know more about Euclyptus than you probably ever imagined you would before reading, you know that when choosing your next outdoor furniture set… Eucalyptus hardwood is a great material not only for you and your family, but the world and its eco-system as well.

See you Outside!

Hazel.

Tags: Eucalyptus Wood, garden furniture, oak, Outdoor Furniture, patio furniture, red cedar, teak, treated pine

This is the time of year when our thoughts are preoccupied with comfort foods, hot beverages, sitting around fires, taking vacations to tropical islands, and anything else that will help us to get warm.

Therefore, it’s no surprise that coffee houses, which are usually pretty lively anyway, are even more crowded now, as they also serve hot cocoa and tons of decadent desserts.  Naturally, in the winter, people also prefer to spend more time in their homes, where their sunrooms are the hot spots.  These two places are so popular, in fact, that many people are actually turning their sunrooms into coffee nooks.

If you want to try this, it’s really easy to do; and you can re-create the tranquil charm of an old-fashioned, mom-and-pop shop, rather than the jam-packed chain establishments that are so prevalent.  To get the atmosphere of a traditional café, furnish it with a wood or aluminum bistro set, accessorized with checkered or floral print placemats and napkins (with napkin rings), sugar bowls, creamers, fresh flowers, candles, and containers with individually-wrapped biscotti.  Make it really authentic by producing colorful menus on your computer, then fold and stand them upright on the table.

Create a lounge area by adding synthetic wicker chairs and sofas with soft cushions in colorful patterns, as well as coffee tables, end tables, and accent tables, topped with magazines.  If the sunroom is big enough, you may want to put in a partition, and have a dining set on the other side, for larger gatherings.  If you prefer a rustic décor, choose cedar or pine furniture; for a more elegant motif, consider a teak or cherry dining set.  Put up shelves and stock them with mugs and cups of different sizes and colors.

Of course, you’ll need the main attraction, too, so get a bunch of brightly-colored containers and fill them with an assortment of specialty coffees and teas.  You won’t even have to worry about being an expert at making coffee, because, with the great coffee, espresso, and cappuccino makers that are available, along with the wide variety of coffees, you’ll soon be whipping up concoctions that are every bit as good as (or even better than) anything you’ll find at even the most popular coffee franchise (not mentioning any names, of course!).

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: accent tables, aluminum, bistro set, cedar, chairs sofas, cherry dining sets, coffee nook, cushions, pine furniture, sunroom, Sunrooms, synthetic wicker, teak, wood

As you may or may not know, today is the Winter Solstice for those residing in the Northern Hemisphere.  Though many believe that the biggest celebration of this week is coming up on the 25^th of December, varied cultures have been celebrating this momentous occasion for several centuries.

The Winter Solstice occurs sometime between December 21 and December 22, depending on the shifting of the calendar, and is commonly known as the shortest day of the year.  No, there’s no need to change your clocks; the sun’s maximum position is at its lowest on the solstice, therefore producing the fewest hours of sunlight.

You may be thinking—Why would so many cultures be celebrating the darkest day of the year?  Well, in truth, most were not celebrating the darkest day… but the return of light.  After the Winter Solstice, the sun slowly starts to increase its arc creating more daylight to each 24 hour period.  World Wide, countless generations have feasted on the Solstice to celebrate the rebirth of the sun and the meaning of hope.  And now, within the Christian age, people celebrate the birth of the Son and a similar sentiment just a few days later!

The importance of the Earth’s phases and astrological cycles have been a central point to a multitude of cultures and societies; making this turning point a vital day across the globe.  Many of the ancient wonders of the world, like Stone Hedge and the Pyramids of Giza, are very intimately connected to astrological happenings. 

Far Eastern traditions see the Solstice and the changing in light as an essential part of their balanced and harmonious Taoist philosophy of the Yin and the Yang.  While Western Slavic cultures saw the Winter Solstice similarly to the way we see Halloween, as a night when evil spirits come out to enjoy the night, but are eventually defeated by the resurrected sun.     From India to Chile, ancient traditions have marked the Winter Solstice as a feast day to celebrate the return of sunlight. 

Now that I have you all excited about the return of lazy summer afternoons where the sun stays out long into the evening… you can start dreaming of outdoor barbeques and quiet mornings with coffee… despite the snowy piles outside your window.  With garden benches available in Western Red Cedar, Synthetic Wicker, and even luxurious Teak, how could you not be ready to pull your whole family outside? 

But, remember, though we’re celebrating the return of the sun… we still have plenty of Winter ahead of us.  But, don’t worry! Cedarstore.com and GazeboCreations.com have Cabanas, Poolhouses, and Sunrooms available with insulation to keep you warm while enjoying outdoor living until the Spring Equinox comes around!

See You Outside!

Hazel

Tags: Cabanas, garden benches, poolhouses, Sunrooms, synthetic wicker, teak, western red cedar

To start, I thought it best to review one of the most asked questions by our customers, “Which wood is best for outdoor furniture use?”  Read all the way through, and there’s a coupon code for you at the bottom! 

Choosing the best wood seems on the surface to be an easy choice, but there are many different answers to this question depending on your taste, budget and your geography.  Cedar, Pine and Teak have many strengths, and differences.  We’ll sort them out here…

Grade A Teak Furniture

The generally accepted most durable wood for outdoor furniture is Grade A Teak. 

Grade A Teak is a very strong wood, which contains natural oils making it resistant to moisture and extreme weathering.  The downside is that Grade A Teak is expensive.  Only a couple countries in the world are able to export Grade A Teak.  Many retailers succumb to temptation and use Grade B or C, which means the tree had not fully matured and the wood contains much less natural oil.  It may look nice, but it’s not remotely comparable to Grade A, which has matured for 30 years. 

To put it into perspective, the Grade A Teak you buy today was planted when leisure suits and disco were cool…There’s a scary thought!  Teak is the most durable outdoor wood, but I never thought it had the character or “pop” of good Western Red Cedar.  If Grade A Teak isn’t your cup of tea, I’d recommend Balau wood which we carry in our Porch Swings outdoor furniture line instead of settling for Grade B or C Teak.

Cedar Furniture

We are the http://www.cedarstore.com/, so as you can imagine, we sell many Cedar products. Western Red Cedar in particular is beautiful, durable and best of all, an affordable choice for outdoor furniture!  The beauty of Cedar is seen in the wood grain, color and smell.  Remember lifting the lid on grandma’s cedar chest, and smelling the aromatic blend of Cedar?  I bet someone in your family still has grandma’s Cedar Chest—another testament to how long Cedar lasts!

Western Red Cedar naturally offers different colors within its grain, which can provide for remarkably beautiful outdoor furniture, chests and even a gazebo.  Cedar, like teak, contains natural oils which balance it with the environment—preserving the wood from harsh weathering.  Cedar will weather to rustic silver, if left unstained, but it will not loose its strength.  In fact, many of our customers prefer a weathered Cedar look! 

Cedar is also good for the environment because for every one Cedar tree cut down, FIVE MORE are planted!   

Pine Furniture

Last on our list is our old friend Pine.  We use Southern Yellow Pine at our shops, while some west coast companies may use Spruce.  The two species are very similar.  Pine is sturdy, dependable and the most affordable outdoor furniture wood.  What it lacks in weathering protection can be artificially added through the pressure treatment process, creating Pressure Treated Pine.  Our pressure treated pine has a 30 year warranty against rot, decay and insect damage.  It may not have the unique beauty of Cedar, but it’s less expensive and stronger!  It’s also much easier to paint than Cedar. 

So, there you have it.  Which wood is best for outdoor furniture?  That’s your decision, but as always the CedarStore.com is available to guide you through the process and help you select the right product, 1-888-293-2339. 

You’ve made it this far, so here’s your coupon code:  BLOG20.  This discount code will entitle you to $20.00 off of your next purchase of $200.00 or more.

Have a great day!

Shari

Tags: cedar, Outdoor Furniture, pine, teak, treated pine