7 Tips for Choosing the Best Outdoor Furniture

best outdoor furniture

Whether you’re giving your outdoor area a long overdue upgrade, or furnishing the patio at your first home, buying outdoor furniture can be loads of fun.

With so many choices available, you’ll surely find items that blend well with your lifestyle and suit your design taste. You can tailor your outdoor space and create something so beautiful you won’t want to go inside!

But what sort of patio furniture do you need? Well, you should consider a few things like your design preferences, personal lifestyle, and patio size before you can pick the best outdoor furniture for your needs.

To guide you through the buying process, follow our tips to ensure you cover all your bases when choosing the best patio furniture for your needs.

Function and Purpose

Why buy a huge, 14-seat dining set when you only spend your time with five closet pals? Why invest in a fire pit when you’ll never make a fire?

It’s vital to take into account how you’ll use your outdoor space before you decide what type of furniture will be perfect for you.

Love entertaining? Then a lounge or dining set would provide adequate seating for your visitors and a great area to relax with friends and serve food. If you plan on using your patio as a personal sanctuary where you can chill out and unwind alone, a chaise lounge and simple bistro set might be perfect.

Your own lifestyle will determine the kind of furniture will best suit your space. Think about how you’ll be using your patio and you’ll avoid buying unnecessary pieces that will ultimately not be used. The last thing you want to do is invest in furniture that doesn’t support how you actually enjoy your backyard.

What’s Your Weather Like?

Do you live on the coast, or is your weather dry and hot? Does it rain frequently? All these are vital questions to answer when choosing your home patio furniture.

For example, dry, hot conditions might make wood crack and splinter. Or, wick won’t withstand repeated exposure to moisture and strong winds could send aluminum pieces flying.

Picking furniture for your climate seems obvious, but when shopping online it can be easy to forget where you live in the midst of wonderfully-staged product photos!

Measure Your Space to Determine Your Best Outdoor Furniture

“Your eyes are larger than your stomach” is a common saying. Well, it’s likely that your eyes may be larger than your backyard as well.

First of all, you must determine the amount of space available to comfortably and properly place your outdoor lounge furniture.

If you have a small balcony, you might be able to fit a lovely bistro set, but not a whole 8-seat dining set. You might need to make certain sacrifices because of space. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t have a beautiful patio all to yourself during the summer days.

We mentioned that you need to ensure your space can properly and comfortably fit your outdoor furniture. Comfort is very important here.

Yes, your backyard might be able to accommodate a lounge set and dining set, but are items cramped together? Can you comfortably walk from one piece to another? Or do you need to jump over the couch to reach the dining table?

While it seems like a no-brainer, be sure to buy furniture that fits comfortably on your patio and is accessible to everyone.

Where Will You Place Your Furniture?

Do you have any overhead covering or is your outdoor space or patio exposed to the weather? Will your furniture sit on the grass or a hard surface like a paved patio or wooden deck?

These questions will help you pick materials that are perfect for your surroundings and environment.

Don’t put soft woods like pine in an exposed area and on a grass surface. The moisture on the ground can make the wood rot. It can also make some metals corrode. If you receive too much sun, consider umbrellas for shade.

Decide on Material

What sort of materials would you prefer for your patio furniture? Three things can help you choose a material: how it looks, how much care is required, and the weather.

As mentioned earlier, your weather has a huge impact on the material you choose. You obviously shouldn’t go for a material that will not resist your weather conditions.

Another thing to consider is the amount of care a material needs. Some outdoor materials like resin, teak, or aluminum don’t require too much maintenance. Wrought-iron can handle moisture and heat, and can last for a very long time.

Comfort and Style

Relaxation is the main point in an outdoor space, so comfort is vital. It’s best to try out the furniture you plan to buy by sitting in it, for example.

You won’t know how a seat fits you by simply looking at a photo. While there are plenty of great deals online, you’ll not be happy with your buy if sitting is uncomfortable.

Visit a local furniture dealer and try out a few items. What’s on display is usually available in a variety of colors you can choose from.

As for style, are you looking for something contemporary or want a rustic vibe? Whatever your preference, your furniture should match the theme you’re pursuing. You should consider how long you plan to use the furniture when choosing your style and colors.

Today’s trendy colors will make way for new design styles over time, so pick something eternally classic or stock up on our cushion covers to keep your style fresh year after year!

Consider Storage

You can make your outdoor furniture last much longer by keeping it in a secure location, like a basement or garage, when not in use. Even the toughest items, like a wrought-iron sofa or teak chairs, will last longer if they’re stored during the off-season.

If you have limited storage space, go for outdoor furniture that’s easily taken apart or folds easily for compact storage.

Get the Perfect Outdoor Furniture Today

If you take all these pointers into consideration, you’ll definitely find the best outdoor furniture for your backyard.

At Fig Leaf Cushion Covers, there’s a wide variety of slipcovers for your patio furniture cushions.

Our slipcovers allow you to change your decor easily or hide your burned, faded, or mildewed cushions, making them seem new.

Contact us today for more information!