Outdoor furniture must withstand the elements and stand up to constant use, including natural wicker and synthetic materials such as resin woven polyethylene. Metals like aluminum and stainless steel offer durability, strength, UV ray resistance, moisture resistance and resistance against mold growth.
Color plays an integral part in creating an outdoor space, as evidenced by bright blue patio furniture standing out against greenery and yellow pavers.
History
Outdoor furniture’s history is both fascinating and remarkable, from ancient materials used for comfort to contemporary designs featuring cutting-edge technology. This history serves as a reflection of shifting styles, social trends and environmental concerns; today there are an abundance of styles available that provide endless choices when updating existing patio pieces or furnishing new ones in your backyard.
Ancient Greece provided evidence of outdoor furniture as far back as 200 BCE. A bronze seat discovered buried in a grave indicates that humans valued comfort and convenience even then. Meanwhile, woodworking tools and pottery shards indicate that Greeks crafted wooden chairs, ottomans and benches that incorporated both style and functionality – with thick legs designed to support weights while curving arms providing support for backs.
Middle Ages and Renaissance outdoor furniture was notable for its intricate designs and lavish ornamentation, featuring chairs with twisting cabriole legs and intricately carved tables. Though modern designers still capture its opulence, its practical applications were also considerable: benches with attached tables provided places for sitting and dining outdoors while chairs featuring taller back rests provided additional personal space for lounging or reclining.
After the 19th century, outdoor furniture began to change as people sought greater practicality and durability in their outdoor furniture designs. Due to industrialization’s influence on design, more functional pieces were produced using materials such as wrought iron and cast iron which provided durable pieces with long-term wearability; additionally sand casting iron allowed mass production at reduced costs for high-end garden furnishings.
With the rise of modernism came clean lines and minimal forms popular in outdoor furniture design. Aluminum and vinyl wicker helped reduce costs while providing comfort, durability and weather resistance; these innovations set the foundation for contemporary outdoor furniture that combines form with function like RODA’s extendable table, which showcases how technology can complement natural materials such as teak.
Materials
Material choice of outdoor furniture can have a dramatic impact on its overall aesthetic. Different materials offer different styles, colors, and textures. Teak wood provides a natural and classic aesthetic while metal choices like aluminum and wrought iron add sleek modernity; synthetic resin wicker and polyethylene materials offer versatility and design options too.
Understanding the climate and weather conditions of their location is crucial when selecting outdoor furniture materials, with warm temperatures often leading to warping and rot of wood surfaces, while humidity can cause mildew growth that damages moisture damage in lightweight furniture pieces. Rain, snow and strong winds can further exacerbate any possible challenges associated with their outdoor space, making it important for homeowners to take into account any particular challenges associated with their location when making this choice.
Brick patio floors are an increasingly popular choice, as their classic Old World aesthetic matches many landscape and architectural styles. Brick can be used alone or combined with other materials in hardscape designs; often it is arranged into patterns like herringbone, running bond and jack-on-jack designs. Other popular patio materials include stone, concrete and pavers.
Natural wood furniture can make an elegant choice for outdoor seating, but requires regular upkeep in order to retain its beauty and sturdiness. Teak, eucalyptus and acacia hardwoods are natural insect and weather repellants and should last well in most weather conditions compared with cheaper wood types. Although more costly than others, such pieces tend to fare better against harsh elements than their competitors.
Synthetic wicker and rattan furniture pieces make elegant additions to outdoor settings, but require special protection from intense sun exposure. Homeowners can protect wicker from direct sunlight using furniture covers or by moving the set into shaded areas when not being used. To prevent it from unraveling or becoming brittle over time, homeowners can treat it with wood preservatives such as marine varnish or tung oil to prolong its longevity and prevent further brittleness or unraveling.
Powder-coated steel patio furniture is another innovative material that has grown increasingly popular over time. This coating provides additional protection from scratches, rusting and UV rays while remaining light enough for easy transport or rearrangement as needed.
Styles
No matter the style of your backyard, expert landscape professionals can assist in selecting outdoor furniture to complement its design. For instance, modern spaces should use minimal and sleek pieces while cottage-style brick patios may benefit from more decorative details and curving lines in their furniture pieces. When it comes to selecting colors for furniture pieces – some can be too bold for some designs while others blend too seamlessly and leave you with an uninspiring back garden! – professional landscape professionals have your patio’s appearance covered.
Lighter colors such as beige and gray are great choices for backyards with lots of plants, from purple irises to orange calendula and red tropical blooms. Plus, lighter furniture colors tend to cover up dirt more easily than dark furniture options which tend to attract stains!
If you want to add color, try to select furniture with earth tones and natural hues for your backyard furniture. These shades will blend in seamlessly with the foliage in your garden and can easily match walls of your home or brickwork garden walls. While selecting vibrant hues such as pink or blue may tempt you, be mindful to balance its use against your landscape design.
BRICK is an extendable teak table that draws upon the concept of building blocks to inspire its design, and earned honor mention at the 2016 Compasso d’Oro competition. Boasting generous dimensions and an innovative butterfly opening system that conceals functional extensions under its surface, BRICK creates space for conviviality.
Technology
As technology evolves, new styles of outdoor furniture have emerged to complement our lifestyles. Modular and multi-functional pieces have become increasingly popular because they enable homeowners to customize their space according to individual needs and lifestyle preferences. Brick patios make an ideal environment for these pieces as they can be moved around easily to suit changing seating arrangements or accommodate changing requirements easily.
Outdoor trends include furniture with monochromatic colors and natural elements that bring nature indoors, such as rope or natural shades that create an organic vibe in a backyard living space. This trend also pairs well with other features like wood-burning fireplaces or glass-walled dining rooms.
The 20th century witnessed many transformations to outdoor furniture, from shifting from traditional motifs to cleaner lines and simpler shapes, due to industrialization and availability of new materials such as metal and wicker.
Today’s outdoor furniture is designed to be comfortable, durable, and stylish. Modern materials can withstand even the harshest weather conditions while manufacturers employ various techniques to extend product lifespan. Some designers are even exploring recycled plastic materials as durable solutions while being friendlier to the environment.
RODA collections capture this spirit of seamless indoor/outdoor spaces through furniture with designs that break traditional assumptions of form and function. One such piece, the extendable table BRICK, was awarded with honourable mention at XXIV Premio Compasso d’Oro 2016 thanks to its generous dimensions that create space for conviviality while its innovative butterfly opening system reveals practical extensions under its top surface.
Destination spaces, which aim to evoke feelings of adventure and relaxation in outdoor living areas, have become another trend in outdoor furniture design. Built like miniature vacation resorts or faraway destinations, destination spaces provide ideal settings for enjoying an afternoon wine while watching the sunset or just unwinding with some quiet reading time.
Other eco-friendly options for outdoor furniture include using native species wood that grows easily without chemicals; this choice supports local communities while reducing carbon emissions from transportation. Also consider plant fences made of bamboo or fast-growing plants as they create privacy barriers while simultaneously serving as wildlife habitats.