Whether you are trying to find inspiration for your outdoor home or you are ready to furnish your patio or porch, choosing modern garden furniture should be at the top of your list. Having comfortable furniture to relax, entertain, and dine on can make your outdoor home enjoyable and more importantly look gorgeous. Garden furniture has come a long way from cheap, plastic, flimsy furniture, and today it is just as influential as your interior sofa and chairs. Here are tips for choosing modern garden furniture, and what to consider before you do.
Blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors: There used to be a time when your interior home had all of the posh looking furniture and decor placed around the fireplace, and today, the same idea holds true, but for your outdoor home. Choose modern garden furniture that can be versatile and withstand the elements, but can be dressed up with cushions and throw pillows for an evening pool party. Decorate an outdoor chiminea or fireplace with decor and treat your outdoor home with interior touches that make your guests have to remember if they’re sitting outside or inside!
Assess your entertaining lifestyle: Do you prefer to have private dinner parties with just a few friends on the weekends, or do you like to invite large groups of people and cook around your barbecue or summer kitchen? Decide what your entertaining style is and create your own ambiance around it. This will help you determine how many seats you need as well as what type of formality will suit your outdoor home. Large couches and sectionals do well on large patios, while individual lounging chairs and dining table chairs will do better for smaller parties and patios.
Get creative and playful: Who says your outdoor furniture has to be conventional? Remember your outdoor home is for fun and leisure too! Consider porch swings; hammocks, and even outdoor daybeds are a beautiful addition to your outdoor home. Garden furniture can hold many purposes: dining, lounging, sleeping, and most importantly relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. If hanging outdoor swings, ensure that there is proper support, and/or structural blocking in the above structure to support the swing. Many pergolas, and arbors can be built to act as support as well as act as a vertical architectural element for your outdoor home.
Mimic the architecture of your home: Your outdoor home should be a direct reflection of your style and architecture of your main home, they shouldn’t be complete opposites of each other. When choosing modern garden furniture, mimic similar colors, materials, and even similar sculptural lines of the exterior of your home. Garden furniture comes in a variety of styles from minimalist to ornate and extravagant. Visit outdoor home retailers and sit down on a few styles, to sit which ones feel great and look even better!
Choosing modern garden furniture should be an exciting experience. There is nothing better than adding an outlet to your home for leisure, and entertaining. Have an idea of what type of budget you can afford when shopping for garden furniture. Remember, outdoor furniture still has to stand up to the elements and conditions of the outdoors. Therefore it can be more expensive than indoor furniture! Keep this in mind when choosing your furniture, as this will be an investment that you, your family and guests will use for years to come.
Freshome readers what type of garden furniture do you have at your home? We’d love to hear your comments.