We love our decks, patios and lawns. The American outdoor furniture market is worth nearly $4.5 billion. As of 2010, Americans were spending about $360 per year on our lawns and gardens. Some of this time is spend cooking outdoors. More than half of us will use our grills 12 months out of the year. Meow than 60% of us grill every month. Nearly 80% of people in American who own smokers, say cooking outdoors is a critically important part of their entertaining activities.
Given our proclivity for entertaining and cooking outdoors, it is really important we decorate our “outdoor rooms” or lawns, patios and decks with just the right look. Our choice of outdoor lawn furniture is as much a reflection of who we are as what we have in the house.
Tips for buying outdoor furniture.
- Know what you really want to use your space for. If you plan to do certain activities a lot, like firing up the grill, you’ll need a table and chairs for your guests to sit and eat at. Start by listing all the things you want to do with your space and order it by how often you plan to do those things. That will give you an idea of what exactly you need.
- Try all furniture in the store before you buy. Things that look nice but are hellish to sit on are not going to make your guests feel welcome in your home. This is not as much as an issue for indoor furniture but for outdoor lawn furniture, it really is. Wicker, for example, can be very comfortable or uncomfortable, depending.
- Remember, you need to clean and care for your outdoor furniture. Do you want to spend your time in your outdoor room cleaning? Well, your patio furniture will be exposed to a lot of the elements. Rain, snow, wind and whatever you have in your yard from plants and dirt from the ground to whatever local animals drop by. Select pieces that are easy to take care of so you can spend your time outdoors enjoying it, not hating it.
- What is your storage situation? Do you live in a climate where that might be needed? If you live somewhere mid, maybe not but if you live in a climate that varies considerably, you will add life to your outdoor lawn furniture by storing it at least sometimes to protect it from the elements.
- Quality matters. The cheapest outdoor lawn furniture you find may not be the best idea for your patio or deck. Sure, it is cheap now but if you have to keep replacing it, well, those costs do add up. Shop around and get a good deal and all but keep in mind how long you want to have this lawn furniture. If you need a short term item, then cheaper is better but if you want it to last, you may have to shell out for a better quality item.
Our decks, lawns and patios add valuable space to our homes and a great new look to our houses. You can even get an outdoor fireplace to complement your “new addition.” The possibilities are endless so have fun with it.