You have no doubt been seeing lots of articles and beautiful pictures in shelter magazines and on Pinterest and Instagram about the home decor and design trends for your outdoor spaces. After spending much time indoors over the past few months and now with the arrival (to stay we hope!) of sunny warm weather, I know you are anxious to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
One of key words for design and decor trends in 2020 is function; you not only want your spaces to look beautiful you want them to work hard. When planning a new outdoor space or considering updates to an existing one, view the area(s) as ‘rooms’. Think about who will use the spaces, when and how often. This is important especially when it comes to selecting furnishings, materials and finishes to ensure the ‘rooms’ are easy care and low maintenance so you can maximize the most of your time spent in them.
Outdoor spaces should be low maintenance so you can maximize your time spent in them (Photo Credite: Tanny Do)
This week and in the following few weeks, I am going to share ideas for creating that perfect outdoor oasis.
Furnishings
Let’s start with furnishings – the foundation of any space. Outdoor furnishings are available in a wide variety of materials that range from man made such as plastics through to natural materials such as a wood and wicker. Personal preference and style are important considerations but you want your investment to look good and remain comfortable so ease of maintenance is important too. Following are some pros and cons of the various materials available to assist you when determining how best to furnish your space.
Plastic
Pros - affordable, withstands the elements, light weight so that rearranging is easy, available in a variety of colours
Cons - easily bleach in the sunlight , does not have the strength and integrity of other materials, will break or warp when the rated weight limit is exceeded, light weight structure makes it prone to blowing around in high winds
Wicker
Pros - has a natural ‘give’ to it that makes it more comfortable, very durable , not susceptible to bleaching or fading from the sun
Cons - less expensive, lower quality products available but they will show wear and tear over time, not completely water and moisture-proof, can feel ‘sticky’ on humid days
Wicker furniture is durable and comfortable (Photo Credit: Francesca Tosolini)
Wood
Pros - durable, does not hold heat, stronger (more integrity, can hold more weight), long life if care for and sealed properly
Cons - heavy, more expensive than other options, can splinter, not low maintenance, requires indoor storage space during inclement weather
Wooden patio furniture is durable and strong. (Photo Credit: Randy Faith)
Metal
Pros - available in a variety of finishes and colours (look for colour applied using a powder coating), resistant to chipping, scratching and fading, sturdy and able to withstand weather and heavy weight
Cons - absorbs heat quickly and holds it so can burn the skin
I hope this ‘cheat sheet’ of the pros and cons of patio furniture materials is a helpful reference when you are planning for or updating your outdoor ‘rooms’. Stay tuned for next week’s blog post where I’ll share ideas, tips and tricks for outdoor rugs.
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