Garden and Patio Furniture
Garden furniture, also called patio furniture and outdoor furniture, includes a wide array of furnishings specifically designed for the garden, patio, porch, deck, poolside, backyard, and lawn. Made from weather-resistant material for protection year round, these lounging aids will help transform your exterior environment into a relaxing and inviting oasis. Whether you are enjoying nature alone, with family, friends, or guests, outdoor furniture will showcase your greenery, shrubs, and blooms, and show off your sense of style.
And you don't have to spend a fortune either - while the end result is heavenly, high quality patio décor is available at down-to-earth discount prices, or you can be creative and outfit your backyard using furniture and accessories you already own. Finally, consider investing in indoor/outdoor furniture, allowing you to decorate two environments on a single budget.
Outdoor Furniture Materials
There are several materials to choose from when purchasing deck and porch furniture. The most common materials are resin, teak, wood, plastic, aluminum, wrought iron, bamboo, and wicker.
Resin: Resin is considered by some the material of choice when it comes to outdoor furniture. Made from recycled plastic, resin is highly durable and can be molded to appear like wicker or wood. Highly reliable, resin products typically come with 20-year or longer warranties.
Teak: Teak, naturally containing silica and sometimes treated with special oils, is remarkably resistant to the adverse effects of water (such as fungal decay and warping) and is resistant to fire, acid, and alkalis.
Wood: While wooden garden furnishings such as cedar are a beautiful sight to behold, they require a fair amount of maintenance to protect them from the adverse effects of the weather. High exposure to sun can cause wood to crack and splinter, and wood can soak up moisture from soil and grass, causing furniture legs to decay. To preserve the life of your wooden outdoor furnishings, the experts advise soaking furniture legs in cups of preservative at the start of each season and placing them upon flat rocks or bricks. A protective coating of stain, paint or preservative should also be applied every two years. Ideally, outdoor wood furniture should be stored away for the winter, however you can also cover them with a patio furniture cover (regular plastic bags will not do since they actually trap moisture!).
Plastic: Naturally waterproof, plastic patio furniture is safe outside all year long.
Aluminum: Aluminum is long-lasting but can corrode if its protective coating is damaged.
Wicker: Traditional wicker patio furnishings were comprised of one of many species of palm stems, woven tightly into interlocking panels; however, their modern counterparts are made from synthetic resin, significantly reducing the manufacturing costs of wicker furniture and increasing their lifespan.
Types of Garden Furniture
The wide variety of available garden furnishings allow you to create any decorating style you want! You can extend your interior décor to your backyard, follow a theme, or let your landscape guide your décor. Whether you are going for a look that is rustic, rugged, country, elegant, posh, contemporary, English Garden, Italian Garden, French Garden, or modern, you can design an outdoor space that is distinctive, artful, and inviting. Alternatively, you can custom order outdoor furniture for a personalized style choice.
Here are some of the many types of garden furnishings available today:
Patio sets, folding furniture, stackables, loungers, chaises, chairs, rocking chairs, tables, picnic tables, swings, hammocks, gliders, cushions and pillows, furniture covers, benches, bistro sets, bar sets, dining sets, umbrellas, bridges, fountains, party coolers, rugs, lamps, outdoor speakers, outdoor heaters, fire pits, and infrared saunas.