Comfortable Relaxation in Your Backyard

Posted on September 26, 2010 by admin| Leave a comment

A good house can become great with the right outdoor setup in the backyard.  Relaxing in a chair outdoors is a perfect way to enjoy the warmer months of the year from the safety and comfort of your own backyard.  Most outdoor chairs and other pieces of furniture are built to be durable and reliable so that they can hold up against the tougher elements of the warmer seasons (mostly wind and rain).  Durability is important, but comfort is arguably more important when it comes to actually sitting in the chairs.  Outdoor cushions and chair covers provide a stylish way to lounge comfortably in your backyard, without taking away from the durability of the outdoor furniture.

Every homeowner dreams of spending breezy warm days in their backyard lounging on comfortable chairs, perhaps reading from their favorite novel, or slowly sipping on a refreshing beverage.  Outdoor cushions are a crucial part of this popular fantasy.  If they are overlooked then people can find themselves sitting on durable (but rough and usually uncomfortable) wrought iron or wooden chairs.  Anyone who has ever spent any amount of time in a solid chair without a cushion or chair cover can tell you that it is not the most enjoyable or relaxing experience.  Outdoor cushions and chair covers are not only instrumental parts of the comfort experience, but they can also be very fashionable and can add to the stylistic value of any backyard outdoor furniture set.

Most outdoor furniture sets usually come in very bland styles without much flair or creative design.  This can be changed with the right set of cushions and chair covers.  As long as these cushions and chair covers are not left outside where they are vulnerable to increased exposure to sunlight then they can be maintained and used for years without losing any of their original luster.  A backyard without an outdoor furniture set is truly a waste, but it is not enough just to have a few chairs and a table set up amongst a calm and relaxing setting.  If the chairs are not properly equipped then they will likely never be used.  Even outdoors on beautiful sunny days, no one wants to sit on a stiff unforgiving chair.  Cushions and chair covers are undeniably necessary to any complete backyard furniture set because of the comfort they provide as well as their aesthetically pleasing appearance that can enhance the overall look of any backyard.

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There Is Nothing Better Than Wicker Chairs

Posted on September 23, 2010 by admin| Leave a comment

Anyone can tell you that wicker furniture can make any room or patio look very nice.  Wicker chairs are comfortable but at the same time have a look that is very unique and will stand out amongst everything in a room.  When it comes to buying wicker chairs, there are several places to go and there are several things you need to take into account before going and buying a chair or chairs.  Still, in the end you find that there is nothing better than wicker chairs.

Wicker furniture can be found at just about any major furniture store or department store.  The good thing about them is that they are really not all that expensive.  While there are some types of wicker furniture that is very well down and worth some money, there others that are relatively cheap but at the same time are of good quality.  The good thing about buying them from a store is that they will be unused and will be in brand new shape.

Yard sales and thrift shops are another excellent place to go to find wicker.  If you decide to go to one of these establishments the most important thing that you need to keep in mind is to make sure the chair is in good shape.  If it has been used, be assured that it is sturdy.

Finally, you need to make sure that the wicker chair that you are going to buy is going to look good in the room that you want it sit in.  You want to make sure that it will serve a purpose.  Do you want to use the chair for people to sit in or just as a decoration.  Once you get those little things out of the way, you can go ahead and get a wicker chair and find out first hand just how nice a wicker chair is.

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Starting Out and Ending Up in the Rocking Chair

Posted on September 22, 2010 by admin| Leave a comment

I was born in a rocking chair and I will die in a rocking chair.  Well, not really but, as an infant, my mother would rock me to sleep every single night.  She would gently rock, sitting in the antique walnut rocker that belonged to her great-grandmother.  Her great-grandfather built it for his wife as a gift when they were expecting their first child.  That seat has held many mothers, grandmothers and babies and there are no signs of her giving up her created purpose anytime soon.

There is something remarkable about the rocking chair.  She is no respecter of persons.  Old and young alike have been overcome by her power, unable to resist the temptation to be lulled to sleep in her arms.  Even more amazing is the fact so few items in existence have been able to maintain their popularity for so long, which dates back into the 1700’s.  For years, it was rumored the chair was an invention of Benjamin Franklin, created in 1787.  However, an earlier piece of evidence arose dating back to 1774 and attributing William Savery, a furniture maker, as the first documented American rocker maker.  It did not take very long for the trend to catch on and the rocking chair became an iconic piece of Americana.

Before America can take the credit, though, even earlier evidences if its creation exist.  In approximately 1710, a set of curved wooden blades were added to a Yorkshire chair, converting it to a rocker.  The chair itself dates even earlier to about 1630.  In the 1740’s, others surfaced around Europe, in places such as Sweden and England.  It was actually the Windsor style (named after Windsor Castle) that became the popular American icon.  From there, it did not take long for different artisans among the American colonies to start altering the chair’s design.  Some of the other popular designs that emerged were the high-backed Boston rocker, which ended up being the first one mass-produced.  There was also the Salem rocker, which was similar to the Boston model, only the back was not as high and the top rail was different in design.  The Shaker rocker also came about in the 1820’s.  The Shakers were known for making furniture that was simple, unembellished and highly practical.  With its ladder-back design, it made for a long lasting and functional piece of furniture.  As the decades came and went, the rocking chair was molded, shaped, carved and fabricated in every shape and style imaginable.  Ironically, as many designs that have been created, one of the most popular styles is still the traditional American rocking chair, found on the front porch of a popular restaurant chain nationwide.

Yes, rocking chairs may not be the hottest topic in the world, but they are gifted at breaking generational boundaries.  When I am 90 years old, I plan on sitting in my great-great grandmother’s walnut rocking chair, enjoying the sunset while sipping on a glass of Southern sweet tea.  That is, of course, if my granddaughter is not using it to rock her little one to sleep.

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Rattan Outdoor Furniture

Posted on November 6, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

If you have been searching for some new garden furniture then one style that will keep coming up is rattan.  Rattan outdoor furniture is a type of furniture that is made from one of the hundreds of different types of palm tree in certain regions of Africa and Asia. While in most cases the rattan outdoor furniture that you buy won’t actually be made from these palm trees but is instead synthetic it is based on the style of this furniture.

The reason that most rattan furniture that you can buy for your garden is synthetic is that ordinary rattan furniture would not be able to survive being left outside in harsh weather for a long period of time. By being synthetic, rattan furniture can have the same style as that of the traditional rattan furniture while at the same time being practical for use in our gardens.

When you are buying rattan furniture you should make sure that it has been designed to be used outside. It will need to have been treated correctly if you are going to leave it outside otherwise it probably won’t last that long!

The reason that rattan outdoor furniture has become so popular is that it provides a different and unique look compared with other kinds of modern furniture. It is also generally easy to clean and will last a long time even in harsh weather conditions making it perfect for outdoor use.

One thing to look out for is that many people seem to use the terms rattan and wicker as if they mean the same thing. This is actually not correct – rattan is a type of material used when making furniture and wicker is a method of making furniture. That means that it is quite possible to have rattan wick furniture as they refer to different aspects of the furniture creation process. The reasons that this mistake is made is that often rattan furniture will be created by using the wicker method and hence they have started to mean the same thing.

When buying rattan outdoor furniture you need to think about the same things as buying any other kind of furniture. Mainly whether your budget can afford it and whether it is the right style for your garden. Rattan is a very versatile material meaning that will go well with most styles of garden but there are always exceptions so make sure it is the right choice for your garden before buying.

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Outdoor furniture guide

Posted on November 6, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

Buying outdoor furniture is important if you want to be able to use your garden comfortably, but you also need to make sure that the furniture fits in with the overall style of the garden. If you buy the right outdoor furniture for your garden then not only will you have a comfy place to sit and admire but you’ll also have an accessory that can add to the overall style and decor.

When you are buying furniture you need to think about what layout of your garden. You don’t want the furniture to crowd an important area or focal point for example, also think about where you want to put it and hence how big it needs to be.

Next you need to think about the material you are going to buy. Wood is the best choice for garden furniture if you have a more traditional looking style but a piece of rustic wrought iron furniture can fit in nicely too. This is assuming that you have enough money for these options as wood can be quite expensive.

You also need to consider what kind of furniture you want to buy. While the standard garden furniture set hat people buy is several chairs, a table and parasol there are so many other options that you can choose. For example a wooden garden bench can add contrast in style to an area of the garden as well as providing you for a tool to grow some of your plants on. If you want to have a relaxing area then you could get a swing chair or a hammock, or a set of rattan furniture. Don’t feel that you have to buy the same type of furniture as everyone else but instead try and decide on which type of furniture would benefit you and your garden the most.

When you are buying garden furniture one thing to keep in mind is that the prices are not constant throughout the year. If you buy during the summer time you are likely to pay a premium and equally if you buy during the winter you will probably find better deals. Buying off peak is definitely a good idea if you aren’t quite sure whether you can afford some of the more expensive furniture materials such as teak. The other good thing about buying off peak is that you aren’t rushed into buying the first thing that you see to try and get it in your garden before summer is over.

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Benefits of Rattan Furniture

Posted on November 6, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

If you are thinking of buying rattan outdoor furniture then it is a good idea to know what the advantages are. There are plenty of other kinds of material you can go for such as wood or aluminium and the decision will come down to your budget as well as the style that you prefer. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of owning rattan garden furniture over some of the other options.

  1. First of all something that you need to consider when you are buying outdoor furniture is the durability of the material. There is no point buying garden furniture that can’t stand up to all round weather conditions and this is one great thing about rattan. Rattan furniture that is properly constructed and treated to avoid mould building up will last a long time and will look great the whole time you use it. You don’t have to worry about problems such as rust either which is a problem with steel furniture.
  2. While rattan does need some maintenance – you need to clean it every so often to make sure it is kept in good shape – in general it requires very little work compared to other kinds of outdoor furniture materials.
  3. If you want your garden to look a bit different then rattan furniture can really add a new dimension. There are different styles of rattan furniture and they won’t all look good on all type of garden though so make sure that you think about the style that you need for your garden.
  4. Unlike hardwood furniture rattan tends to be very light so you can move it around easily. While this might not seem like a big thing, if you are going to be regularly moving your furniture around to accommodate different groups of people or so that you can relax in different parts of the garden then it is essential to ensure the furniture is easily portable. It also means that if you have any particularly extreme weather conditions the furniture won’t be hard to get undercover.

There is no such thing as the best kind of garden furniture as which one is right for you depends on many different factors. However rattan furniture is often a good choice for many different styles of garden and has so many other benefits that you should always consider it when buying yourself new outdoor furniture.

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Caring for rattan furniture

Posted on November 6, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

There is no doubt that rattan furniture can be a great way to add something a bit different to your garden, but once you’ve bought it how do you care for it? Lets have a look at some of the things that you need to do to make sure your rattan furniture stays looking its best for a long time to come. The good news is that because rattan furniture is so durable in general you won’t have to do much to it to keep it looking good.

The basic maintenance that you do on the rattan furniture should be to regularly clean the surface. This should be done at least once a month which a small amount of fairy liquid or similar product mixed with water on a soft sponge or cloth. Make sure you don’t get the wood wet though!

Remember when buying your rattan furniture to check whether it has been UV treated. If it hasn’t, then you won’t be able to keep it outside unfortunately and should bring it in whenever you aren’t using it. Ordinary rattan furniture is not mean t be kept outside so keep this in mind if you have bought some and aren’t sure whether it has been UV treated.

While a small amount of cleaning each month will definitely be enough to keep the wood form getting too damaged you should also make sure you do a much more extensive clean at least once a year. This will help to stop any dirt that is building up. For this you need to use a bit more water than you would have done before but it is vital that as soon as you are finished cleaning that you dry the wood with a hair dryer to avoid water damage. If you aren’t comfortable doing this yourself then it is probably a good idea to take it to a furniture specialist who will have don it many times in the past. Once you have done the major clean then put a coat of lacquer on that will keep the wood sealed for the next year.

These are the basics you should do to keep any rattan furniture looking its best, but you should ask the manufacturer of the furniture if there is anything you need to do specifically for their product. Always make sure you know exactly which conditions are suitable for the furniture you have bought so that you can avoid any unnecessary damage.

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What is rattan?

Posted on November 6, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to rattan furniture, probably because when manufacturers have talked about their rattan or wicker in the past they haven’t been very strict about using the correct terms. There is a difference between rattan and wicker though – rattan is the type of material whereas wicker refers to the way the furniture is made. In this article I’ll talk about what rattan furniture actually is so you can choose whether it is right for your garden.

Rattan starts its life as a tropical palm tree that is found in Africa and parts of Asia. There are actually around 600 different types of bamboo plants that can be referred to as rattan so it doesn’t refer to just one species. The rattan bamboo plants originally grow upwards and then start to bend and grow back towards the ground. Usually they are left to grow for a while until they reach a certain length and then are taken away to be dried.

The reason that rattan is often used for furniture is that it is one of the strongest types of wood around. Because it grows vertically upwards unlike other forms of wood which grow in rings it is extremely strong making it perfect for chairs and tables. Also, once the rattan has dried into the shape that the furniture manufacturer wants it will never change shape.

When people talk about wicker what they really mean is the way that the rattan material is woven into the shape of a chair or table. Most rattan furniture is made in a way that makes it wicker but the two words don’t mean the same thing.

When you are buying rattan outdoor furniture you should make sure that it has been treated to be UV resistant. That means that you’ll be able to leave it outside all year around in the sun and rain and it won’t be damaged. All high quality rattan furniture will be UV treated but you shouldn’t assume that the furniture that you buy will be. Also, the best kind of rattan furniture will be made by weaving the rattan around a solid metal frame to make it stronger. If you get a piece of rattan furniture that isn’t made like this then you may find that it isn’t strong enough to bear weight over a long period of time. You should always ask the manufacturer about this before you buy.

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Other uses for rattan

Posted on November 5, 2009 by rattan| Leave a comment

Rattan makes a great piece of furniture, and can be used both indoors and outdoors. As we have discussed, the benefits of rattan for furniture are that it is durable, dense, easily worked, and attractive. Of course these qualities lend themselves to a range of other uses around the home, both inside and outside!

Rattan is traditionally used to weave baskets and hampers. These can be a great addition to a home in which you are going for a earthy, natural vibe. Try decorating your patio with some tall woven baskets, containing interesting dried branches or other found objects – this will complement your rattan furniture too!

Another interesting use of rattan is in musical instruments, particularly rhythm instruments – as rattan is a form of bamboo, the hollow stems can be dried and tuned by cutting them to different lengths.

Because of its strength, rattan makes excellent matting and flooring. Woven rattan mats are another attractive way to add interest to a room. As rattan takes paint and dye quite well, these mats can be colored to suit your own décor. Don’t be limited by natural colors if you are more interested in a contemporary look – think outside the box and try a bright primary color to act as the centerpiece of a room.

Finally, rattan can be used as a strong flooring option. Rattan flooring is laminated, and formed into panels which can interlock – just like regular floating flooring. As with any bamboo flooring, rattan flooring can be made of panels set lengthways so the texture is quite a broad stripe, or on edge so that the texture is stippled and finer grained.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg – see what other creative applications you can find to add a tribal and creative touch to your outdoor area!

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