Outdoor living spaces perfect for warm summer days
Q. We’re seeing so much garden furniture that is big and heavy. We have a patio and a small lawn where we love to sit and entertain. Is there another smaller-scale option other than plastic stackables?
A. There are lots of options for furnishing your outdoor living space.
Your choices will depend on your budget, but also how you use the seating. If you are planning an area that is meant for lounging, then larger chairs with padded seating are comfortable and inviting. Loungers and ottomans can be added if space allows. This roomy furniture comes in the new weaves, and also teak, cedar, wicker and wrought iron.
For smaller spaces, you can find pieces that have a more diminutive demeanor yet still afford comfort. Look for chair sets and tables that fold up.
Outdoor furniture crafted from teak wood is a traditional favorite. The teak can be sealed with oil each season to maintain its signature caramel color, or you can allow the wood to age naturally to a silver-gray patina. Urban Barn’s chairs and small table shown here fold up for easy storage, and the dining table has a butterfly extension leaf.
The Old World charm of the detailing seen in wrought-iron furniture produces a graceful and airy feel that’s just right for afternoon tea on the lawn. The pieces shown in the smaller photograph, also from Urban Barn, including the bench, fold up for easy transport. The powdercoated iron comes in cloud white or teal. Soften the seating with pastel cushions.
We are building a wood deck in our backyard. I want it to be inviting, but not like a furnished living room. I know that outdoor “living rooms” are a trend right now, but I’d like to keep our outside natural. What do you suggest for furniture and accessories?
It sounds like you are looking for a rustic character, so go with natural materials.
Country- and cottage-style seating, such as Adirondack chairs, barn-board plank benches and a wooden picnic table, belong in an outdoor setting.
Don’t shy away from adding some color with natural textiles. A gingham tablecloth and denim cushion covers will enhance the mood.
Plates, cups, glasses and other tableware are available in a plentiful array of colors, nonbreakable and dishwasher proof. Or you can go really basic with metal plates and utensils and other camping supplies.
Lanterns fit the bill for lighting, but you can go modern with solar or battery-operated lights that look just as good.
Container gardening is a perfect, easy-care way to bring flowers close to the house. Plant in wood barrels and metal buckets.
Look for an old hutch at flea markets that you can transform into outdoor storage. A fresh paint job and layers of varnish will keep the hutch waterproof.
I enjoyed reading about your mosaic-tile-table project a few weeks ago. Question: How do you finish the edge of the tiled table?
This tiled garden table is one of my most popular projects.
I have seen tile work that shows the raw edges around the perimeter, and also edges surrounded with a molded lip that the tiles butt up against.
However, for this project, the tiles were placed close to the edge of the table. When the grout was spread into the spaces between the tiles, grout was also spread around the outside edge. Use a damp cloth to smooth the edge before the grout sets.