Most of us tend to care more about how the inside of our home looks and feels and disregard the outside appearance. Well, this seems perfectly reasonable if you are living in a place that doesn’t feature any outdoor living area. Still, for those living in houses and being lucky enough to have an outdoor space as well, it’s just as important to create a pleasing outdoor environment. And decorating to make it both a functional and relaxing place shouldn’t be that hard.
As a matter of fact, there are many ways you can enhance the look of your outdoor living area and one of them is to choose contemporary outdoor furniture. Besides picking a nice dining table and lounge chairs, you may also decide to add other essentials that can make your outdoor living area looks cozier and inviting. Here are the must-have elements for any functional and comfortable outdoor space.
An Outdoor Table to Gather Around
Whether you are dining with your family, entertaining guests, or just want to enjoy your morning coffee and breakfast by yourself, an outdoor table is essential. When it comes to choosing the right type of outdoor table for your patio, you may get confused by the wide range of designs and materials available. Wood, metal, stone, and resin are just some of the most widely used materials for manufacturing outdoor tables. Still, many people opt for a teak table due to the exceptional quality this material possesses.
Teak is considered to be one of the strongest and most durable materials as it is able to withstand different weather conditions. This fact is mostly due to the high content of oil that keeps it from warping, cracking, or becoming brittle over time. As a result, a teak outdoor table doesn’t require a lot of maintenance to keep it in good condition for long years down the road. When bought new, the teak outdoor table has a honey-brownish colour which over time turns into an elegant patina grey that doesn’t extract from its beauty. Therefore, many people choose to add teak furniture as this material can complement any outdoor living area with style.
A Rug for Added Warmth
Now that you’ve chosen your garden table, you may need to start thinking about other aspects of making your outdoor place as cosy as possible. Laying down a rug can transform the whole look of your outdoor living area, making it look homey and inviting for your friends and family to enjoy the space. Besides, summer can make the patio surface uncomfortably hot while in winter it can get incredibly cold which won’t be kind for your feet. For this reason, having an outdoor rug will give permission to walk barefoot, so you don’t need to worry you will get cold especially when the elements are unforgiving outside.
Besides, there are literally thousands of outdoor rug designs you can choose from, made from different kinds of materials including bamboo, sisal, polyester, etc. If you have a small patio and dining table you may want to consider adding a smaller rug that can fit just right and make your place look nice and well put together.
Most outdoor rugs are made from polyester which is a tightly woven synthetic material that is strong, inexpensive, and quick-drying. This is a very important feature as you don’t want the rug to absorb too much moisture that can destroy the quality and its appearance. Bamboo and sisal are great choices of material as well, but they are most often used for covered porches or areas that aren’t exposed to moisture too much.
A Fire Pit to Make It Cosy
If you love spending time outside, you may feel confined and uncomfortable during the cold winter months when most of us prefer to stay inside and hide from the cold weather. However, there is beauty in being able to enjoy the chilly weather in the comfort of your outdoor space without feeling cold. For this reason, many people decide to add fire pits in their outdoor places as a way to beat the cold temperature and create a cozy and enjoyable atmosphere for themselves all year round. A fire pit sets an inviting atmosphere that looks both pleasing to the eyes and creates a sense of intimacy between those who gather around its flames.
String Lights to Bring Ambiance
When the holiday season arrives or they are planning to host a special occasion in their outdoor space, many homeowners decide to add some form of ambient lighting to create a festive and enjoyable atmosphere. Outdoor string lights are the perfect choice for this. However, they are also good for illuminating the space all year round not just around the holiday season and for special occasions. For instance, imagine having a backyard party under glowing string lights on a warm summer evening? You can wrap them around trees, string them along fences, hang them over a children’s playhouse, etc.
There are plenty of outdoor string lights on the market, from battery-operated, solar power models to different types of bulbs that vary in size. Moreover, they are inexpensive which makes them a budget-friendly way to spruce the look of your outdoor space in an instant. For a warm and cozy glow, It’s best to look for those with yellow-orange undertones similar to a candlelight flame.
