Casual Furniture Options For Your Homes Outdoor Space by: Ulpu Korpikoski

Lets go outside, enjoy the sunshine and relax in a lounge chair or dine outside in your own backyard! Backyards and decks open up many creative design possibilities as an extension of your home. You can create welcoming and practical areas by choosing the right kind of outdoor furniture for your backyard. Today, there is such a great selection of designs and materials that homeowners can buy just about anything from Victorian era wrought iron and wicker furniture to lightweight aluminum and poly-vinyl furniture.

Aluminum
Aluminum is the most popular frame material. There are three basic categories of aluminum furniture tubular, cast and wrought aluminum. Most aluminum furniture is made from hollow tubing and sling or cushion seatings. The frame is strong, non-rusting and lightweight making it easy to move. It retains its good looks with minimal maintenance summer after summer. Tubular aluminum is often the material of choice for contemporary styling. Great color choices for frames and straps, as well as a full selection of great fabrics are available if you choose furniture with cushio ns or slings.

Cast Aluminum
Cast aluminum is distinctive and elegant, it features classic designs with roots in the cast-iron stylings of the 18th century. Like tubular aluminum, it is durable and easy to maintain. This furniture is made by pouring molten aluminum into molds and then allowed to cool. It is very detailed and ornate looking, still classic and elegant.

Wrought Aluminum
Wrought aluminum marries the centuries-old craft of hand-forging, to the high-tech performance of aluminum. You can enjoy the traditional elegance of a wrought-iron look in a material that is lightweight, low maintenance and rust proof.

Iron and Steel
Casual furniture made from iron and steel has been very popular. It is stylish, strong and less expensive than other materials. Designs range from contemporary to traditional looks. Tubular steel resembles furniture made of tubular aluminum, but lift it and you know which one it is. It will always be heavier! It is excellent in windy locations. Classic wrought iron is elegant and very popular with graceful, flowing designs. Protect your investment by touching up nicks and scratches and your furniture will look great season after season.

Resin and Polyvinyl Resin
There are two categories of resin furniture molded resin and tubular resin. Resin furniture can be confusing. Your corner store may have a resin monoblock chair for $3.99, while better quality stores offer what appears to be an identical chair for $49.99. Confusing! With resin, you get what you pay for. Good quality chairs are usually heavier, roomier and resin combinations are longer lasting than the corner store version.
Tubular resin offers a wide choice of styles and strengths. Chairs often come with comfortable cushions. Good quality cushions are designed so the water passes right through. Yet they are as comfortable as any cushions can be. Cushions are covered in a soft, fade resistant vinyl or combination of acrylic and vinyl fabrics that breathe and dry quickly.

Wood
Casual furniture made out of wood is extremely versatile. It may be used with or without cushions. The types of wood frames to select from are almost endless. There is pine, oak, cypress, teak, jarrah, mahogany, cedar, maple, birch and beech, as well as a collection of exotic hardwoods. Wood may be stained, oiled or painted. Some woods like teak can be almost carefree if you allow it to weather to a handsome silver-grey color. You must be willing to re-oil, re-stain or repaint your pieces from time to time.

Free Standing Umbrellas
Basically an umbrella can be used without a table on a sturdy steel or
concrete base. Great 10 x 10 square European Riviera cantilevered umbrellas are like awnings but portable. You can set them up anywhere; if you move to a new home, you can take it with you. They are very easy to operate, and canopies come in a variety of colors.

Wicker and Rattan
Wicker and rattan have everyones attention. Next to cast aluminum, they are the fastest growing segment of the outdoor casual furniture market. Only specially treated or synthetic wicker may be left in unsheltered outdoor locations. Most often, the frames of this furniture are made from aluminum. Good quality wicker and rattan is durable, versatile, classic, perfect as an accent piece or in groupings. Super comfort with plump cushions!

Gazebos
Gazebos made of wood have beautified many backyards and gardens for centuries. The newest addition is The perfect gazebo. Unlike wooden gazebos this one does not need to be sanded, stained or repainted. It is made of aluminum and is available in many sizes and different colors.

Relax!
Buying casual and outdoor furniture should be fun. This is furniture for the fun part of your life: Sunday mornings with the paper, family get-togethers, quiet relaxation at the end of the day, parties, suntanning or catching a fresh breeze on a summer afternoon.

Shopping for this part of your life can be just as enjoyable. Casual and outdoor
furniture are part of the fashion business, and offer the color, style and innovation to make your leisure time as beautiful and effortless as leisure time should be.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER