T.H.E. Blog

Sitting outside and enjoying the weather is rejuvenating. It’s a great time to trade urban grays for sunny days, to watch the new growth of plants and animal life, to be amazed at all the new little lives learning how to use their wings and take flight. My head fills with pulling together outdoor spaces and making them more inviting, adding touches that refresh. And how do I enhance my outdoor living space? I start with the perfect outdoor furniture.

Here are 4 design tips for the perfect outdoor furniture:

Tip 1: Quality pays off
Select outdoor furniture that’s made with quality. Most of the manufacturers we sell have some craftsmen and trade secrets that you’ll want to take note of. Quality also matters because we’re filling our landfills daily with quick items that only last for a season. There are important steps in the manufacturing process to make outdoor living pieces that stand the test of time.

Tip 2: A lasting finish
Metal frames should be pre-finished with a nanoceramic ceramic pre-wash to increase paint adhesion. Each casting is hand polished to provide a smooth, finished surface for painting. After a multi-step cleaning process, the furniture receives a baked-on powder paint coat, much thicker and harder than conventional wet paint, followed by a hand applied antique finish. 

Tip 3: Durability in design
When you design your outdoor living space, look for cast aluminum with a superior grade molten aluminum hand-poured into molds made from exceptionally detailed woodcarvings; wrought aluminum features with heavy tubing, strengthened at stress points with interior wall supports and galvanized steel inserts, triple polished 360-degree welds and high-solids polyester, powder-coated finish.

Tip 4: Materials matter
Maximize your outdoor living space by choosing pieces that last. Stainless steel can offer both strength and corrosion-resistance for a long life if it has a high-grade content of chromium and nickel. Stainless steel with 360-degree welds that are hand polished offer maximum durability and a finished look.

The right fabrics boost outdoor performance when made with the finest materials and technology for longevity outdoors. Choose UV-resistant resin, vinyl and polyethylene wicker that is memory tested to 50,000 compressions and is hand-woven over the frames—natural teak that’s plantation-harvested with frames with mortise and tenon construction. 

When designing your outdoor space remember less is often better, and that quality over quantity lends a simpler look and feel. And don’t forget the accessories to add pops of character. The industry has stepped it up with outdoor rugs, trays and succulents that weather anything the weather has to offer—in every season.  

Sweetly yours,

Jeanette

Cover Photo by Arcwind