Sometimes, the key to creating an optimal outdoor space is buying the perfect furniture. After all, you don’t sit on the flowerbeds or put your feet up on the rock gardens. It’s the furniture that provides comfort and convenience, making your yard into a supplementary living room.
Far too many homeowners overlook the importance of outdoor furniture when designing their yards, decks, or patios. If you want to really enjoy the space, you’ll need chairs, benches and tables that make you want to spend your time there.
A properly furnished yard will also appeal to your friends and family, making your house the new hotspot for barbecues, bonfires, and other outdoor events. You can make this dream a reality by avoiding these outdoor furniture mistakes.
Prioritizing Aesthetics Over Comfort
Many homeowners get so caught up with making a picturesque yard that they forget to account for comfort. It doesn’t matter if your outdoor space is worthy of a magazine cover if you’re not inclined to sit outside and take advantage of it.
The perfect yard provides an outdoor refuge to homeowners, giving them a place to sit back and relax for hours on end. When buying furniture, make sure you opt for chairs that are actually nice to sit in. A gorgeous throne made of stately granite might look nice in the garden, but it’s hardly functional if it leaves your backside throbbing.
Buying Too Little Seating
Some people forget about the hosting potential of their yards when buying outdoor furniture. They think they’ll be alright with a handful of chairs or one seat for every member of the household. In reality, houseguests usually love to sit outside and take advantage of a beautiful yard.
You should keep this in mind when buying furniture. If you purchase plenty of chairs, then your outdoor space could become the focal point of future gatherings.
Failing To Provide Adequate Cover Or Shade
Lots of folks limit the functionality of their outdoor space by failing to account for the elements. If all your outdoor seating is left out in the open, then the area will be unusable during large portions of the average week. During the summer months, the boiling sun will make it uncomfortably hot to sit outside.
All year round, rain will make it impossible to enjoy your outdoor space. All in all, this will rob you of potential relaxing moments in your yard of patio. By building a canopy or awning, you’ll maximize the space and create many more opportunities for enjoyment.
Sitting in a shady spot can be comfortable even on a hot day, and rainstorms are often pleasant when you’re kept dry by the roof above you.
Failing To Account For Storage Space
When people buy their outdoor furniture, they often forget about storage altogether. Some think they’ll just leave the chairs and tables outside all year round.
This has a serious impact on the life expectancy of your furniture. No matter what materials the chairs and tables are made out of, exposing them to the elements will have serious adverse effects. You might well come out of a winter season just to find your furniture has been irreparably damaged.
You can take care of this situation by making space in your home for storage or buying yourself a shed. That way, you’ll be able to bring your outdoor furniture inside before storms and during the winter. While a shed might seem an unnecessary expense, it will save you money in the long term by protecting your outdoor furniture.