Furniture for Outdoor Use Reviews and Guides

Furniture in a Variety of Materials Suitable for Outdoor Use.

It’s never been easier to give your outdoor space the flair you would expect of an interior living room.

Creating an inviting outdoor living space is easy with the right furniture, and with today’s offerings available in a plethora of styles, modern fabrics and amazing colours and patterns, finding the right pieces for your alfresco area, be it big or small, couldn’t be easier.

Wood and wicker. Wood furniture for outdoor use.

For a warm and natural look, you can’t go past timber. This traditional material is available in many varieties, with popular choices including teak, eucalyptus, cedar and pine. The natural oils found in some types of wood, such as teak, protect it against rot and harsh weather, such as extreme temperatures and high humidity. For an Eco-friendly choice, look for furniture made from timber approved by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Wicker furniture for outdoor use.

If you prefer a cosy feel or tropical look, consider wicker for your outdoor furniture. Wicker is not an actual material; the word refers to furniture that is woven. A variety of materials can be woven into wicker, including rattan, cane, and fiberglass resin. Versatile and lightweight, wicker can be used for all kinds of furniture and while previously only available in neutral colours, it now comes in many shades.

Modem metal

For a more contemporary, streamlined look, aluminum furniture is a suitable choice. There are many designs and styles available in this material. Aluminum Is sturdy and lightweight, and easy to move from one spot to another.

which makes it a perfect material for outdoor furniture. It is also easy to clean, resists corrosion, and can hold its own even when left outside for long periods.

Wrought iron is an ideal material if you’re after a formal, classic outdoor living space.

It is strong and hardy and comes in a range of styles, from contemporary to traditional. Wrought Iron also lends a look of luxury and given its weight, won’t tip easily – making it ideal for windy environments.

Stainless steel also makes an appearance in modern outdoor furniture, typically combined with timber and used in contemporary styles.

Plastic and resin

There is a vast choice of Molded polyethylene and resin outdoor furniture. Molded furniture is often very contemporary and sculptural and typically Includes seating and tables (dining and occasional). The colour range is vast -from arctic white and steely grey to bright vivid tones that add splashes of color to outdoor entertaining or pool areas. Resin furniture comes in a variety of looks, from cafe-style to family-size settings.

Other advantages of polypropylene and resin are their durability and lack of metallic or sharp edges, which can be an advantage if you have children. These materials also need little maintenance, which is appealing to those with busy lives – and they’re waterproof and UV resistant so are especially well suited to poolsides and areas open to the elements.

Mix and match

For those with an eclectic style, you don’t have to settle for just one material for your outdoor furniture. If you like, you can mix different types of material to get the look you want and you can also mix different design styles. For example, a teak table can be accompanied with wrought-iron chairs, or perhaps you might prefer to opt for a chair built using more than one material, such as wood and metal. When it comes to mixed materials, the possibilities are endless.

Matter of scale

When furnishing your outdoor area, there are a few design principles that you should take into account to ensure you make the most of the space and the furniture you choose. Keeping a sense of scale is an important consideration when it comes to selecting your furniture. Bulky furniture in a small area will make a space look crowded, while small pieces of furniture in a large outdoor area will make a space look incomplete.

To ensure your furniture is the right fit for your space, measure the area and choose furniture pieces that fit nicely, while still leaving plenty of room for moving around. There’s a plethora of furniture pieces available today to suit any type of outdoor setting, so if you remember to fit the scale of your furniture to the scale of your outdoor space, you can’t go wrong Coordinated look For a cohesive result, ensure the style of your outdoor furniture is compatible with the look of your outdoor space. Manufacturers today are creating outdoor furniture in all styles -including traditional, contemporary, casual, formal and rustic – so no matter what the look and feel of your outdoor area, you’re sure to find matching furniture pieces.

Trends come and go. but one enduring trend is to bring the indoors out – this seamlessly blends the style of your home’s interior with the exterior and creates a well integrated indoor outdoor area. To make this easier to achieve, many manufacturers produce indoor outdoor ranges or outdoor ranges modelled on the look of indoor furniture. This makes creating a coordinated look a breeze.