Tips for Selecting Outdoor Modern Furniture

Homeowners’ views of outdoor furniture has changed a lot in recent years. In the past, putting up a few mismatched chairs and an old table was considered good enough for items that were often left to the elements once the seasons changed. However today, more and more homeowners are seeing outdoor modern furniture as an extension of their indoor living rooms and are opting for only the best when it comes to aesthetically pleasing layouts.

Outdoor furniture today is all about modern design, comfort and style. Designing an outdoor area takes just as much planning and prowess as designing any interior space. If you are trying to decide which pieces would work best outdoors, there are a number of factors that you need to take into account that you wouldn't necessarily have to consider if designing a room indoors.

The Space

The first and most important item to consider is what elements of the outdoor space there is that you can not change. This means not only do you have to consider how much space you have for decorating. But you should also consider the natural elements that are featured in your space.

Decorating a pool-side patio is a world away from decorating a patio that faces the woods. Decorating an outdoor space is all about making sure that your furniture blends comfortably with its surroundings. Your modern outdoor space should not contrast too sharply with the contrasting landscape lest it appear out of place and uninviting. After all the main purpose of modern outdoor furniture is solely for relaxation.

If your patio has a wooded area as a background, try incorporating furniture items that feature a lot of earth deep tones such as greens, reds and natural wood colors. Look to the color of the trees, your flowers, or stonework featured in your outdoor area for inspirations for your color palette. If you are designing a pool side area, whites, blues and oranges might be great options.

For a pool area, you might also want to consider blending your color palette for the furniture with the stone work featured around the pool or selecting a color palette based upon the color of your deck. Pool areas can be somewhat devoid of color so do not hesitate to introduce additional colors into the color palette for added contrast.

The Shade

Unless you want to be extremely uncomfortable while sitting outside, your space should incorporate furniture items that can easily be placed under sun umbrellas or an awning. Not only will this allow you to protect yourself and your guests from the elements, but this will also prolong the life of your furniture.

If you live in an area that is frequent subject to precipitation or extremely hot dry air, make sure that you check the materials of your furniture so that you can see the best practices for care. Woods and metals are especially fragile to changing weather conditions and in certain cases it may be best to take these items indoors until the conditions again permit them to be returned to the outdoor area.

Comfort Level

If you plan to spend entire days out enjoying your outdoor space, you should consider adding items should as lounge beds and end tables. You can also add the same accents that you might add indoors to increase your comfort level such as throw pillows and candles. This way you can be just as comfortable outside as you would be sitting inside!

Textures

When it comes to deciding upon textures for your outdoor furniture, there are a variety of options. Wood and wicker are ever popular for the outdoors, however your decision should be based on just how traditional you would like the space to look. Naturally finished materials tend to skew the design toward a traditional feel. However if you are looking for something more modern, consider contrasting these textures with painted or colored surfaces. If you are looking for something a bit edgier, consider selecting furniture that has odd shapes or is made from other materials.

How do you use your outdoor space? Let us know how you have designed your outdoor patio and what outdoor modern furniture items you have selected to incorporate.