5 Tips For Choosing Your Outdoor Furniture

Now that the weather is warming up, everyone wants to spend more time outside in the sun. What better way to enjoy the great outdoors than in the comfort of your own home? When you design an outdoor living space, you want to recreate the relaxing environment of a family room, so the process of choosing outdoor furniture is similar to that of choosing indoor furniture. However, there are other, different considerations to make when choosing outdoor furniture. Fortunately, at Bistro Patio, we sell a variety of French outdoor furniture from which you can choose. Here are our tips for choosing the right patio furniture for you.

Consider its function

The first thing you should consider when designing your outdoor space is what its function will be. Do you plan on having dinner outside on summer evenings? Then you will want to invest in a dining table. Alternatively, you may want your outdoor space for a peaceful reading nook, in which case, you will want cozy and cushioned outdoor furniture that will allow you to curl up for hours. Once you know the function of your outdoor living space, you know what type of outdoor furniture you need.

Consider your space

Next, you should determine exactly how much space with which you are working. There is nothing worse than purchasing a beautiful piece of patio furniture from Bistro Patio, only to find that it is too large or small for your outdoor space. Measure the dimensions to help inform your outdoor furniture purchase. Consider not only how long or wide it is, but how it is shaped. For example, if you have a narrow deck, you don’t want to place a large table there that is going to consume the entire space and prevent you from easily moving around your furniture; you may need a bar-style table instead.

Consider the material

When choosing furniture, you will also want to determine the best type of material for your patio furniture. To determine what this will be, consider the environment surrounding your outdoor space. Are you placing this furniture on a deck, or will it be directly on grass? Will it be covered by an overhead covering, or will it be exposed to the elements? Does it rain often where you live, or is it a more arid climate? All of this information will help you decide what material to choose. For example, you don’t want to place a softwood like pine in the grass and exposed because it leaves it susceptible to rotting. Moisture can also have a corrosive effect on certain metals. If you are worried about sun exposure, you may invest in some patio umbrellas as well.

Consider the required care

Additionally, when you are choosing patio furniture, think about the amount of care that will be required for maintaining your furniture. Outdoor furniture is specifically designed to withstand the elements, but some materials require more care than others. For example, patio furniture made of wrought iron, teak, aluminum, and resin all require minimal care and may weather moist environments better than wooden patio furniture.

Consider storage

Unless you live in a climate that is warm year round, you will also have to consider how you will store your outdoor furniture during winter months. You don’t want to invest in a full set of bistro patio furniture, only to find that come winter, you have no place to put them. It’s crucial that you protect your patio furniture during the months you are not using it, and the easiest way to do this is by storing it in a dry, cool place. While you can lay tarps over them, it is more likely that the furniture will become dirty and potentially damaged.

When you are looking for French outdoor furniture, shop Bistro Patio. We carry all the latest contemporary styles to furnish the outdoor living space of your dreams.