Summer is here! It’s time for sweltering heat, grueling hours mowing the yard and doing lawn maintenance, a hike in gas prices, mosquitos, and-Wait just a second. Isn’t summer supposed to be fun?
There’s no way around it, there are a lot of things about summer that are absolutely garbage. The world is getting hotter, things are getting more expensive, doom and gloom and probably a stubbed toe are all on the horizon. But, there’s one part of summer that remains untouched by the inevitable march of things getting a little worse: it’s a great time to relax outside and enjoy some quality time. Patio furniture is a staple of enjoying the great outdoors that is your backyard, and there’s a lot of fun you can have with it. Here are some great patio furniture ideas that will not only help you beat the heat and the terrible bugs, but will actually let you relax in style while you’re at it.
Sit Down for a Spell
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. To start, we’re going to throw out any and all ideas of plastic furniture. You may be tempted to think they’re inexpensive and therefore fantastic. But they’re not inexpensive, they’re cheap! They may cost next to nothing, but they also provide next to no comfort. They break easily, they look garish, and your butt deserves better than that. If you want plastic furniture, go find another article and come back when you’ve grown out of it. Here, the grown-ups are talking.
You’re going to want to lounge, and you’re going to want to do in in style. There are a dozen different materials you can go for, but we recommend either wicker or metal with soft, weather resistant cushions. Great, now that we’ve gotten what the stuff is made of down we can focus on the actually fun part: the style of furniture! The real question you’re going to want to ask is whether you want a table or not, and that will depend on the kind of vibe you’re going for. A full list of different kinds of furniture can be found here.
If you want to host a cookout and have everyone sit down and eat outside, you absolutely can’t go wrong with a table and dining chair setup. We recommend a glass top table for ease of cleaning and a chic visual aesthetic. An absolute must is going to be an umbrella to keep the worst of the sun off of you while you eat. Dining chairs are resilient, usually either made of metal with cushions or metal with a strong fiber mesh for sturdy comfort. You’re not going to go wrong with either option!
Of course, dining isn’t the only reason to sit down outside. You might want to consider a couch or loveseat arrangement, complete with awning to provide ample shade. The advantage of this is that you can simply sit back and relax with you mates. Ottomans for your feet or a small table as the centerpiece will bring the whole thing together. If you’re not too concerned about eating in a traditional way, this is your choice; you can still enjoy a meal or snacks, but more casually. The awnings can also be equipped with bug screens to keep the nasty crawlies from ruining your summer afternoon.
Let’s Relax a Bit More
Here’s where we get to the real fun! Anyone can have a sitting arrangement like what we’ve mentioned before. If you’re looking for something a little more unorthodox and a lot more laid back, there are a few options for you here. For our money, nothing beats a good, classic hammock. As I write this my husband is in our backyard relaxing in our hammock. He went back there with a book and was sound asleep within ten minutes! Take it from someone who knows, hammock napping in the summer is one of the best simple joys you can experience. Compared to other options, they’re usually a little less expensive too!
Of course, hammocks aren’t the only option you’ve got. Consider getting yourself a sitting swing couch or suspended chair! As you can see at https://www.thespruce.com/ultimate-patio-furniture-guide-brands-styles-2736593, they’re a fantastic choice for a more laid back vibe. The former is a standard of casual relaxation on the porch, and are usually self-covering to provide shade. It’s exactly what it says on the tin: a long benchlike seat suspended on a metal frame so it can swing back and forth. We have one, and our cat loves it more than any other spot in the world. A suspended chair is more radical in its design, and we use the word chair liberally here. Most of them are more like cozy little pods suspended on a frame!
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