A Rustic Garden Blog

When you spend a lot of time in your yard, you may spend a lot of money on outdoor furniture. While many people may prefer to redecorate their kitchens or bedrooms, outdoor enthusiasts love nothing better than shopping for new yard furniture. But once you invest in a quality set of handmade furniture, you’ll want it to last for a while. It’s important to understand how exposure to the elements can affect your yard furniture.

Here are some things to consider when purchasing your outdoor furniture; is it waterproof? Is it treated with oils (like linseed oil) that will promote fungus growth? Will your furniture be close to a pool (chlorine can damage wood)? And, will the furniture be situated on the grass or cement? Once you have figured out the answers to these questions you can start your shopping.

Outdoor furniture used to just be wooden picnic tables and lawn chairs. But those purely-functional pieces have given way to a more “decorated” look. Many people frequently entertain guests outside, and as such, view it as an extension of the living space. The furniture must be a little higher-quality. When choosing your outdoor furniture, there are some things to keep in mind:

~Will you be serving dinner outside, or just drinks and snacks? The former would require a larger setting with a full table, while the a few chairs and small tables would be appropriate for the later.

~This will dictate how many pieces you can put outside, and what style to use. A bigger space can use substantial, sturdy furniture, while a smaller place would be more suited to dainty pieces.

~A lot of factors go into this question; what sort of climate do you live in? Do you have children? If you live in a wet area, and will have children clambering over it, a durable material is recommended. No matter where you live, wrought iron patio furniture is always a safe bet.