Take a Deep Dive into Your Long Island Patio Furniture Guide
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Take a Deep Dive into Your Long Island Patio Furniture Guide
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of this article, give us a moment to ignite your imagination.
Think about spring, summer, and even autumn days and nights in your backyard.
Maybe the kids (if you’re a parent or guardian) are running around laughing. You’re enjoying conversations with friends and loved ones, taking in the fresh air, probably eating (and smelling) delicious food, and drinking refreshing beverages.
Take a Deep Dive into Your Long Island Patio Furniture Guide
Before getting into the nitty-gritty of this article, give us a moment to ignite your imagination.
Think about spring, summer, and even autumn days and nights in your backyard.
Maybe the kids (if you’re a parent or guardian) are running around laughing. You’re enjoying conversations with friends and loved ones, taking in the fresh air, probably eating (and smelling) delicious food, and drinking refreshing beverages.
We’re willing to guarantee that the above paragraph painted a picture in your mind. A special one, in fact. You feel that time and place, which likely holds some of your most cherished memories.
Most who’ve spent time on a patio and experienced the joyful times that come with it are aware of the magic these spaces foster. There’s a reason that the home with the best patio set up in the neighborhood typically turns into a central hub for all its residents. The relaxing, cheerful atmosphere brought forth by these setups creates a type of invisible magnet that attracts people in droves.
Even if you’re more private and don’t want the whole neighborhood eating your hotdogs and hamburgers, a patio (balcony, porch, or deck) makes for an ideal sanctuary.
Think about the intimacy of a cup of coffee and a good book, feeling the warmth of the sun on your wonderfully comfortable patio chair, seated at your beautifully elegant patio table. The whole layout perfectly reflects your aesthetic tastes. And it’s an extension of your personality, for that matter. In many ways, your patio elicits a strong sense of pride and happiness.
Patio Furniture is the Foundation of Your Outdoor Setup
While the people inhabiting your patio often make some of our best memories, the patio furniture is the very framework on which it’s all built.
Look–we’re not saying drab patio furniture is the end of the world. But ask yourself, would you be willing to spend as much time as possible in an area that doesn’t really suit your tastes? Remember, this is your space, and you deserve to enjoy it to its fullest. Sure, you can keep your budget in mind, but that can’t come entirely at the cost of your enjoyment and quality of life.
Thus, you need to put a high degree of thought into how you purchase your patio furniture. You must balance a budget with product quality, and that’s no simple task.
The Value of a Patio Furniture Guide
Even if we don’t consider your budget and assume you’re willing to break the bank on your patio furniture, the decisions are no less challenging.
At the end of the day, you’re making an investment into furniture and decor you’ll ideally use for–at least–several years. You want to be 100% sure you’re making the correct choice so that you’ll get the most value for your dollar, whether you decide to spend more or less.
Herein lies the motivation for our patio furniture store to provide you with this patio furniture guide.
We want to ensure you–our fellow community member–ends up with the patio furniture set of their dreams. This way, you’ll make a buying decision that builds the foundation to cherished memories and good times with friends, family, and even all by yourself.
So, read on, and harness the wisdom provided by our patio furniture guide into designing the patio you’ve always dreamed of:
What Are Some Initial Considerations For Your Patio Furniture?
The Patio Furniture Should Be Scaled to the Size of Your Backyard
Imagine you were six-feet-five, two-hundred-fifty pounds, and you had a back as wide as a New York Jets offensive lineman. Would you buy an extra-small jacket? We’re willing to guess not. Of course, you’d burst through the seams, but it’d also look exceptionally awkward and ill-fitting.
Those exact sentiments apply to your patio furniture setup. You need to scale your choices in decor to the size of the outdoor setting in question. Avoid clunking up a small deck or tiny backyard with groupings of enormous furniture pieces.
And–on the other end of the spectrum–vast decks and patios require more sizeable groupings to fill the negative space.
Be Mindful of Seating Space
As we broached in this guide’s introduction, patio-owners have various wants and needs with their outdoor setup.
Some people might merely want their patio to be a personal sanctuary or a more intimate setting for a smaller number of guests. Alternatively, you might wish your deck or patio to be a hub for lively conversation and large, group-based dining scenarios.
Either way, you need to contemplate who’ll be using your eventual patio furniture before making a purchase decision.
One choice to be mindful of here is stackable metal/resin chairs. These are easily stored in more compact spaces, offering a more versatile solution. Whether you want to cultivate a more private area or a livelier partying area, the type of furniture mentioned here could fit the bill.
Think About Harmony With Your Home
Patios aren’t individual entities that exist in vacuums, separate from your home. Instead, they are an extension of the rest of your home and the decor within its confines.
So, you must be conscious of the styles and colors already prevalent inside your dwelling when purchasing patio furniture. The two must blend together harmoniously, just like any other room in your humble abode.
In other words, your patio bears similarities to your bedrooms, living rooms, dens, and so forth. Look to emulate the energies of those rooms so that your patio furniture acts as another complementary piece to the entire puzzle.
Such as coastal and modern, there are abundantly available styles for patio furniture. Moreover, consider if you want to go with more vivid or muted colors.
Patio’s Drive Profits When Selling Your Home
We’ve got one final point to make in this section, just to drive home how valuable patio furniture can be.
Research suggests that well-designed patios can generate a return on investment of 80%, increasing a home’s value by 8% to 10%.
Of course, a lot of that value can be attributed to the bare bones of a deck or patio. After all, the person potentially buying your home might have their own furniture-based ideas in mind.
However, by following the suggestions provided in this guide, you’ll furnish your patio in a manner that helps eventual potential buyers see its fullest potential. And, in turn, they’ll be inclined to offer you more money for your home.
Without further adieu, let’s get into some specifics
Frame Construction is A Top Priority
The frame you purchase will dictate the durability and shelf-life of your patio furniture. There’s also an aesthetic and design element to your frame selection. We’ll explore these factors further below:
Shelf-life Matters
Let’s say you don’t plan on selling your home in the near or distant future. Even then, what kind of return on investment are you getting from patio furniture frames that wither away after a couple of seasons?
Resale value isn’t all that matters with ROI. It’s about the value you obtain from a purchase. And needing to replace overly-rusted frames on a frequent (or semi-frequent) basis isn’t cost-efficient for someone even with the deepest pockets.
Therefore, aluminum is an outstanding choice for your frame construction.
First and foremost, aluminum is rust-resistant. It’s also generally tough and long-lasting, enduring through high levels of wear and tear. What’s more, finishes adhere to aluminum better than many other materials, proving valuable when your patio furniture gets exposed to harsh weather and excess moisture.
Additionally, aluminum isn’t a one-trick pony. It’s versatile and flexible, available with many finish options and colors.
There’s More Than Just Aluminum
While aluminum is an excellent option, you might be looking for something even more durable and substantial. In which case, you might be interested in steel, which–while not as heavy as iron–is stronger and heavier than aluminum.
It might also interest you to know that steel is recyclable, won’t end up thrown into a landfill, and doesn’t use up too much space.
Let’s Take the Durability One Step Further with Iron Frames.
Chicago might be known as the Windy City, but it gets pretty windy in Long Island, too. And it’d be perfectly reasonable to worry over your furniture being blown away.
As such, it might interest you to know that iron is the heaviest–and strongest–out of the available metal patio furniture. There’s basically zero chance any iron-framed patio furniture gets blown away.
One factor to note with iron-framed patio furniture is that it’s tough and rigid. For the sake of comfort, you’ll need to add cushions to iron chairs. You’ll also need to shell out some money for the odd paint touch-up since wrought iron isn’t rust-free but is instead rust-resistant.
Is it Time to Get Rustic with Wicker Frames?
Provided you’re looking for a natural, earthy feel for your patio furniture and outdoor decor, wicker is your best aesthetic choice.
With wicker frames, you’re giving your patio a “Secret Garden” vibe, adding to those feelings of serenity and sanctuary.
Wicker is also highly versatile since you can transition the furniture to your indoor decor between seasons. Such pieces add a touch of earthy elegance to sunrooms as well as porches, patios, and decks. Furthermore, wicker frames come in various colors to suit your overall aesthetic instead of only coming in brown.
While wicker frames aren’t quite as durable as metal, they’ve still got some lasting power. Materials such as bamboo and reed are naturally robust, growing tougher once built into a frame.
Note that outdoor wicker is optimized by equipping it with cushions.
Understanding Your Choices of Furniture Sets
While some people might be stoked about the idea of buying individual pieces of patio furniture, one at a time, that’s a daunting task for most consumers. Fortunately, you can consolidate much of your style choices by purchasing entire furniture sets all at once, vastly streamlining the process.
So, what do these sets contain? That’s a loaded question, to say the least. Because there are multiple set-types, starting with patio tables and chair sets. Also, there are couch and loveseat sets (pro tip: these are conducive to lively outdoor conversations).
Let’s take a deeper look into patio furniture sets:
Are You Designing a Smaller Outdoor Eating Area?
Bistro furniture sets will likely fit the bill for those looking to adorn an apartment balcony, small patio, or an outdoor breakfast nook with patio furniture.
These sets heighten the sense of elegance, sophistication, and quaintness of this smaller outdoor gathering space. And a wrought-iron set will provide a timeless aesthetic. Furthermore, adding more cushions will provide optimal comfort.
Note that bistro patio furniture sets typically come in balcony height or standard options. Plus, like most good patio sets, they’re versatile and can be bolstered by any number of stylish seat cushions.
What About A Full-On Patio Dining Experience?
To some patio owners, a small breakfast nook won’t do. Even functionally, it doesn’t always make sense to minimize the space when you have a lot of square footage to work with.
Here’s where full-on patio furniture dining sets shine most. These patio furniture groupings set the stage for any outdoor meal, available in packages of 5 to 11 pieces.
Fortunately, you don’t need to plan some grand gala and invite the entire neighborhood to get the most value from a dining set. Provided you’re only hosting a large group of guests on rare occasions, there are plenty of dining sets with extendable tables.
Going back to harnessing the same aesthetic design energy from the rest of your home, consider wooden or cushioned chairs for your dining set. This way, your patio will possess the same levels of warmth, intimacy, and comfort as your inside dining room.
Setting the Stage for Lively Conversations
We’ve brought up how lively conversations are essential to many people’s version of an ideal patio experience.
You’ll notice that encouraging such discussions–filled with laughter and good cheer–often comes down to the setting. Enthusiastic chatter won’t follow when patios lack relaxing communal sitting areas.
Alternatively, by purchasing a conversation set, you’ll establish the chat-inducing comfort typically reserved for living rooms. What pieces do these sets include? Usually, they come with conversation chairs with an accent table and ottomans. Together, these pieces of warm decor encourage sitting and talking on any back or front porch.
Larger families will benefit from a couch and coffee table combination, allowing every member enough space to stretch out their legs.
And like most of the options that we’re suggesting, conversation sets are versatile in their own right. These patio furniture groupings can be organized into different configurations based on the specifics of a given occasion.
Choosing the Correct Chairs and Seating for Your Patio Furniture Collection
Chairs–especially well-made ones–are conducive to optimal comfort, meaning they’re at the root of conversational intimacy.
The only way that chairs shouldn’t be a top priority for your patio is when designing a space for dancing and movement. But many patio owners are seeking a space for relaxation, so chairs and seating tend to grab most of their attention.
Two popular choices are cushioned patio chairs and swivel rockers, primarily due to their–you guessed it–versatility. These pieces of patio furniture double as seats for dining. It also wouldn’t hurt to look into hammocks, patio egg chairs, and outdoor recliners.
Do you not want your seating options to depend on using cushions? Then caned and woven seats are ideal. They work aesthetically and functionally with or without additional cushioning. And they pair best with smaller-sized accent tables.
Note that patio furniture chairs have low, mid, or high backs. Consider cushions if you want a little bit more color and decoration or require some extra seated support.
Other seating options that extend beyond chairs are:
- Benches
- Gliders
- Swings
- Garden stools
- Daybeds
On a parting note, packaged collections of patio furniture often match your chairs with ottomans, outdoor sofas, and loveseats, offering indoor-level comfort.
Setting the Table for a Patio That You Love Using
Think about how a table functions in any setting. Then apply that level of importance to your choice of a patio table.
Visually, a table is an automatic centerpiece, setting the overall aesthetic tone for a whole living area.
This integral piece of decor captures a space’s entire persona. And, ideally, your choice in table blends functionality and utility. A quality table is sizeable enough to decorate with other materials (and seat many people) while occupying relatively little floor space.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with buying tables in a complete patio set. But since this piece of patio furniture is such a statement maker, you’ll likely wish to purchase one separately from the rest of your outdoor decor. Of course, have cohesion in mind. Still, a table is so unique that it only makes sense to be more specific about your choice so that it’s truly customized and bespoke to your tastes.
Metal, glass, wood, and tile options are all available for table tops, providing you many surface-based choices to tickle your fancy.
We’ll then point out your table options don’t begin and end with dining. You can also decorate your patio with bar-height tables (these are standalone structures), end tables, and coffee tables.
Don’t forget the need for shade during those BBQs in the summer heat. Ensure your patio table comes equipped with an umbrella hole. Umbrellas also offer some protection from the rain, so you don’t have to run inside whenever there’s a little bit of drizzle.
Lastly, a fire table will allow you to enjoy more seasons on your patio, increasing the heat (and your comfort) during brisker fall and spring evenings.
The Benefits of a Comfy, Well-Made Cushion
Design hacks and tricks are a must in the patio furniture (and overall decor) approach or philosophy.
When the appearance of a given space is important to you, it’s equally crucial that you seek out frugal ways to make improvements. Otherwise, your home’s aesthetic design will turn into a financial sinkhole–which plainly isn’t necessary or sustainable.
Here’s where cushions come into play. You can transform the entire aesthetic of your patio furniture without needing to perform a full-on overhaul.
And here comes the magic word once more: versatility.
You could have varying cushion sets for different moods you wish to establish with your patio furniture–and it won’t cost an arm and a leg. Patio chair cushions can be matched with chaise lounge cushions, bench cushions, and loveseat cushions. There are also throw pillows that diversify your color scheme and add comfort.
Waterproof cushions and pillows are a must, too. You’ll also want them to be washable and resistant to mildew and fade.
Don’t forget to consider size–cushions must be big enough or small enough to fit the style of the rest of your patio furniture.
Last But Not Least: Accessorize with Umbrellas, Pergolas, and More…
Accessories always bring additional flourishes to any dynamic.
With additions to your patio furniture layout such as umbrellas, canopies, gazebos, and pergolas, you’ll really make a statement. Even more important, you’ll have areas of your patio to escape the scorching summer heat while enjoying a few afternoon beverages or indulging in a delicious outdoor meal.
One of the best ways to tie together your overall patio furniture ensemble is by coordinating your tables and umbrellas.
Conveniently, side tables and dining tables are available in multiple materials (e.g., wood, metal, glass, tile). Meaning, you have plenty of choices to decide what best suits your home.
There are also fire pits, rugs, and several other options for outdoor heating.
Looking for Your Dream Patio Furniture Setup? Then Contact Our Patio Furniture Store in Long Island
Our patio furniture store in Long Island has served surrounding communities for years. It’s always been our aim to give residents–such as yourself–their outdoor dream setting.
You deserve patio furniture offering you years upon years of happiness, good cheer, and incredible memories. And we want to help you find that type of value.
Follow our guide, and you’ll be on the correct path to curating and designing the outdoor patio of your dreams, no matter its size or location.