Step One: Defining your space. What type of space are you looking for? What will its purpose be? Are you looking for a quiet spa like getaway or a spiritual retreat? Do you want your outdoor space to be an ultra comfortable place with lots of lush patio chair cushions where you can entertain or a location that is designed just for you? Take a moment to decide the purpose of your space.
Now, with the purpose of your outdoor room in mind, step outside and evaluate the amount of space that you have. Does your space meet your needs? For example if you want your outdoor space to be a place that you can entertain but you only have a 10 x 10 patio, you may want to reconsider the purpose of your space.
Do you want a separate area to dine and a separate sitting area? Will you need to pour a patio? The answer may lie in the purpose of your space. There is a large trend to build expansive decks for dining and entertaining. However, this doesn't mean that you have to spend a lot of money. There are a variety of materials you can use to segment your yard including gravel or wood chips. Stepping stones can be placed to create a path to and from the seating area. Keep in mind that you probably don't want you segmented space within your yard to take up more than a third of the space. This means that if you have 300 square feet of yard space, you'll want to designate only 100 square feet of it to a patio, deck or other type of material.
Step Two: Choosing your furniture. Your patio furniture sets the tone for your space. Beginning with materials, you will want to decide how your furniture will help you meet your goals for your outdoor space. Wrought iron furniture is significantly more formal than an earthy and natural teak table set. Wicker is casual and can set the stage for a comfortable cottage feel or a luxurious garden space.
Of course the pieces that you choose are important too. A picnic table and bench may fit the needs of a traditional family focused space while a simple meditation bench might be the perfect addition to a Zen Garden. If you're setting your space up for entertainment, you can look for outdoor sofas or a large dining set ? if you have enough room you can do both! The choices are many and range from Adirondack chairs to chaise lounges, picnic tables, sofas, dining sets, benches and much more. Of course, no seating, even minimalist seating, is complete without a cushion. Let's move onto Step 3 and examine how patio chair cushions and other details set the perfect stage for your outdoor room.
Step Three: The details. Looking back at the purpose of your outdoor space what details will bring it all together? If you're creating a tropical paradise then you'll likely want to do some landscaping to create a lush environment. The tropics is also full of bright colors like fuchsia, deep green, orange, and even vibrant blues. Choose patio chair cushions that give your space a tropical flair. Imagine the stunning effect a bright yellow or fuchsia cushion will have.
Neutral colored patio chair cushions lend themselves to a more Zen-like outdoor retreat. Of course the details don't stop with patio chair cushions. Planters, umbrellas, landscaping, and details like an arbor or trellis will also help you set the stage. Consider water features for quiet retreats, and hot tubs and outdoor grills for a space devoted to entertaining.
Follow these three basic steps when planning your outdoor sanctuary and you'll be on your way to creating your ideal space. Remember that when it comes to creating your ideal space you need to have a purpose for your space, choose furniture that fits the size of your space, the style of your yard, and the purpose of your environment. You also need to really focus on the details from the big stuff like your landscaping all the way down to the type of patio chair cushion that you choose.
Your patio is a place of relaxation. It's a place of fun, family, and social gatherings. For some, it may even operate as an outdoor office. This means that sun, spills, stains, and everyday life cannot take a toll on your cushions. It isn't too much to ask. You do deserve patio chair cushions that can stand up to the harsh elements of weather. You do deserve a patio chair cushion that withstands all that children, pets, and the occasionally clumsy guest can put it through. You deserve a cushion that looks and feels great.
Here are three tips to help you find the perfect cushion to meet your needs.
Tip #1 Look for patio cushions that have durable fabrics and sturdy manufacturing. Durable patio chair cushions don't have to be ugly. There is absolutely no reason why a cushion can't be beautiful and last a long time.
Here's what to look for:
-Durable fabrics are key. No, not plastic. Plastic splits and pinches. Look for cotton canvas. Why? It's soft, durable, and it can be washed. Additionally, cotton comes in just about every color or pattern under the sun. The sky is the limit.
-Strong, reinforced seams supported by durable piping. Seams are often the first thing to go on a cushion. Look for cushions that have reinforced stitching or better yet, reinforced piping to protect the seams.
-Reinforced zippers. To make your cushions look and feel their best, you're going to wash your cushions occasionally. A zipper on the back makes this process significantly easier. All you have to do is unzip, remove the center, and drop them in the wash. However, zippers like seams if manufactured shoddily will be the first thing to give. Reinforced zippers last longer.
Tip #2 Lasting cushion comfort and durability means quality foam centers. Patio chair cushions can have a variety of fillers. You'll find them with lose filler or more often with a foam core. For optimal durability and comfort go with the foam core, more specifically a high density foam core. The difference is that the high density foam core is not only comfortable and supportive; its real strength is that it keeps its shape for years.
How thick your cushions are is up to you. I prefer 2 inches of high density foam because it is thick enough to keep my legs from falling asleep but not so thick that I feel like I'm sitting on a phone book.
Tip #3 Look for a patio chair cushion that stays put. Who wants a cushion that slides off onto the ground or a cushion that only covers half of your chair - that's certainly not comfortable nor a good way to make your cushion last. This is accomplished in two ways. First, make sure that your cushions have the ability to be secured to your chair in the right places. This not only ensures that the wind doesn't zip them into the neighbor's yard but it means that when you sit down to relax, your cushion is where it is supposed to be. Careful, cushion ties can be flimsy. Look for ties that are durable with reinforced stitching.
In addition to being able to secure your cushions to your chairs, look for cushions that are designed for your type of furniture. This means that if you have an Adirondack chair, look for cushions designed for the unique angles of an Adirondack. A finely tuned chaise has three segments, a finely tuned chaise cushion has three segments too: the back, seat, and legs. For an optimal fit, look for a cushion that fits your chairs like well placed puzzle pieces - notches and all. A cushion designed for your specific chair lasts longer.
There's nothing worse than spending a fortune on a patio chair cushion only to have it fall apart before the end of the summer. You now have the tools you need to find gorgeous patio chair cushions that not only meet your design needs, the meet your comfort needs and best of all, they last a good long time.
Roger Hutchison has sinced written about articles on various topics from Room Furniture, Health and Games. Patty Tudor offers elegant choices in , outdoor patio furniture and other accessories at PatioToys.com. Roger Hutchison's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.