outdoor furniture buying guide - rich's for the home · rich’s outdoor furniture buying...

OUTDOOR FURNITURE BUYING GUIDE

Rich’s Outdoor Furniture Buying Guide- www.richshome.com

If you’re reading this guide, you’re probably

dreaming of a place where you can create

unforgettable memories with family and friends.

At Rich’s that’s our goal for every client.

But before you purchase any furniture, it’s a

good idea to understand all your options.

What type of frames can you choose from?

What style will fit you best?

What about durability?

Will wood survive the northwest weather?

Our goal with this guide is to answer all your

questions … and maybe even a few you didn’t

know to ask.

To your family from our family, may your life be

full of special moments,

Larry & Marianne Chapman

Owners, Rich’s For the Home

What do we mean by frame? The frame of your furniture is what

holds everything together—and determines how durable it will be

and how long it will last.

This is an important decision given the cold, rainy seasons we experi-

ence in the Puget Sound area. There are five basic options that are

excellent choices for our northwest weather: aluminum, cast alumi-

num, wood, wicker or woven, and wrought iron.

These options allow you the freedom to choose a style and design

that fits your home and your tastes.

FRAME MATERIALS

Your first consideration


Aluminum gives outdoor furniture

incredible versatility. It comes in

wrought, cast, and tubular form,

and has a vast range of styles, from

traditional urban to modern

contemporary. Aluminum is solid,

so it gives a great deal of support

and will last for years, yet is light

enough to move easily.

Can anything beat the sheer beauty

of wood? If you believe the answer is

no, you don’t need to worry about

the damp northwest weather. With

little maintenance, outdoor furniture

made from wood can last for many

years.


FRAME MATERIAL OPTIONS

Aluminum

Cast

Aluminum

Wood

Cast aluminum frames begin as

molten aluminum. In that liquid

state, the aluminum is poured into

a mold. This lets designers create

intricate, unique designs not possible

with other frame materials. Another

advantage of cast aluminum is it’s

heavy weight, which works well in

areas where there is a good deal

of wind.

If you’re looking for a frame material

that will stand up to almost anything,

and gives a true, old-word charm,

the choice is wrought iron. Wrought

Iron is nearly indestructible. Heavy.

More than sturdy. And is one of the

most durable products available.

And did we mention it looks

beautiful?


FRAME MATERIAL OPTIONS (Continued)

Wrought

Iron

Woven Outdoor Woven furniture offers a

classic, timeless look. It's nostalgic

charm gives the feeling of antique

craftsmanship from when weaving

was a prized skill. And it comes in a

vast variety of colors and styles.

http://www.richshome.com/patio_wicker.asp


STYLE OPTIONS

Now that you have a feel for the type of frames available, let’s chat a bit

about style.

The style you choose will have an influence on how comfortable the furniture is,

and of course how well it matches the look and feel of your backyard and

house.

The three main style options are:

Cushions

Slings

Straps

Each have their own pros and cons. Let’s take a quick look at each.


STYLE OPTIONS (Continued)

Cushions

Slings

Straps

While not as comfortable as cushions,

slings mold to your body contour and

are extremely durable. They’re per-

fect for a patio or pool area as they

dry quickly, easy to clean, and are

completely weather and weather

resistant.

The advantage of straps is their

strength durability and low

maintenance requirements.

Many homeowners put removable

cushions on top of strap furniture for

comfort. Straps are used most often

around pools and in commercial

applications like hotels and

restaurants.

You want the most comfort possible?

Think cushions. They make outdoor

furniture feel like indoor furniture. Soft

to the touch with the feel of a sofa or

overstuffed chair. But they’re made

to handle whatever kind of weather

the northwest dishes out. The color

and style choices are endless and

the fabric is made from dyed acrylic

so they’ll never fade.


SET OPTIONS

Next? Let’s talk about set options. Patio furniture sets come in myriad shapes,

sizes and number of pieces. In other words, you can customize your set so it will

fit perfectly within the size of your backyard.

Are you the type that always seems to have a gathering of lots of friend and

family?

Or do you prefer a more intimate setting with just a few folks together?

Or maybe you like a little of both.

Whatever the case, it’s simple to choose a set that will fit your home.

On the following pages we’ll take a look at dinning, deep seating, bar, café,

poolside, and chat sets.

Options for dinning set? Almost end-

less. Oval. Square. Rectangle. Round.

Different sizes, materials, finishes … are

all available. Dinning chairs on the

other hand, come in two basic op-

tions: stationary and swivel. And of

course the size of your table will deter-

mine how many chairs (and people)

you can put around it.

If you think being in the backyard

means cookouts, then a bar set

might be the right choice. The high

seating is ideal for entertaining: folks

can stand up or sit and still easily

carry on conversations.


SET OPTIONS (Continued)

Dinning

Sets

Deep

Seating

Bar

Sets

If you’re all about relaxation and

deep conversation with your family

and friends, deep seating can be an

excellent choice for you. Lounge

chairs, sofas, love seats and club

chairs offer a very comfortable place

to gather. Ottomans, coffee tables

and side tables can be the perfect

complements to deep seating sets.

With smaller backyards, café sets will

likely be your best option. They’re

designed to work for two to four

people and allow you to create a

comfortable, relaxing area to gather,

without feeling crowded.

Chat sets are one of the fastest

growing trends in outdoor furniture.

The low seating seem to encourage

great meals and great conversations.

Usually, four chairs form a circle

around a fire pit or large coffee table

which adds a wonderful ambiance.


SET OPTIONS (Continued)

Cafe

Sets

Poolside

Lounge

Chat

Sets

Reclining chairs go hand in hand with

pools! They create that resort feel

and are perfect for laying in the sun.

And, as we already mentioned, sling

style furniture is ideal for pool areas

since they dry so quickly.

QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING

These questions will help narrow down your choices and give you

a good feel for what will work best in your outdoor space

1. How often to you entertain family and friends?

2. What is the average size of the groups that gather?

3. What is your home’s style?

4. What is the total square footage you have?

5. What will you use your outdoor space for most of the time? Dining or lounging?

6. Are you the type of person that wants low maintenance?

7. What kind of maintenance will the furniture you choose require?

8. What kind of warranties are offered on the furniture you’re considering?

9. What is the budget you want to work with?

10. What reputation/reviews does the furniture company have?

11. What frame, style, and fabric combinations do you like the best?

Our hope is we’ve given you the right questions to ask, as well as answering the

questions you had. If not, please use our free consultation service. At Rich’s, we

love helping people find the perfect combination for their home.


outdoor furniture buying guide - rich's for the home · rich’s outdoor furniture buying...

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