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Unusual And Unique Materials For Outdoor Furniture

Category: SL Blog.

Screen shot 2013-03-07 at 3.06.51 PMWhen the topic is outdoor furniture, what image first comes to mind?  Is it of hard plastic stackable chairs? Perhaps you remember those recliners with the plastic webbing that left strange designs on your skin?  For many of us this is the picture we see when we imagine decorating the outdoor living space.

While it might be difficult to imagine an outdoor space as inviting as the indoor living area, it really is possible with today’s unusual and unique materials which are being used to create furniture that can add beauty and function to the space.  This can be a space that people really enjoying sharing with their family and friends.

Let’s explore some examples of some newer designs incorporating these modern, yet classic, materials:

THE DURABILITY OF STONE
When it comes to beauty and durability, there is no match for natural stone.  It can stand up to Mother Nature like only a few other materials on the planet.  Sun, rain, wind or snow cannot change it’s shape or appearance.  One stone can exhibit certain traits not found in any other piece of stone and therefore, each piece is unique.  It can be carved, molded, smoothed,

Light weight concrete - Great for in or outdoor use

chiseled and polished and the result is a one-of-a-kind piece of art.  Stone furniture and decorations can become an heirloom that is passed on through the generations.  Check out Seasonal Living’s Perpetual Collection of light weight polished concrete….Looks amazing outdoors but dazzles indoors.  In fact, we sell more for indoor use than outdoor use.

 

NOTHING LIKE TRUE AND TESTED WOOD
When trying to create a warm and comfortable environment, wood is an excellent choice.  Many woods, such as Teak or Cedar will be naturally protected from the elements due to the high level of oil in the wood.  With so many types and colors of wood, it is easy to find one that will blend flawlessly with the natural environment surrounding the outdoor space. Pine and Oak are some of the more common choices with Teak on the more exotic side.  Once again, each creation of nature is as unique as the furniture will be.SPIRALS COLLECTION - TEAK - Dining-Table-&-Benches-perspective-web  Seasonal Living® has recently introduced a new collection in Teak wood – The Spirals Collection.

 

JEWEL CERAMIC TONES
Ceramic has been used in outdoor furniture designs for centuries.  Tables, benches, stools and beautiful artistic accessories can be found in any design or color you can imagine.  The glazing that results in a glossy or matte, soft and visually delightful appearance lends itself to either an indoor or outdoor setting equally.  The glaze also helps to protect the material from the elements without any color fading.  You will always find ceramic elements in the Asian gardens and they fit perfectly with the tranquil surroundings of most homes in North America.  We love the fact that ceramic furniture is relatively care free, just use a soft cloth and wipe over your furniture and it looks as good as the day you purchased it.BABY CARONESS ROUND - AG

 

THE LONGEVITY OF SYNTHETIC MATERIALS

The traditional woven seating that we see most often today is made from a material known as High Density Polyethylene (Commonly referred to as HDPE or PE)The result is a versatile material used in many different forms.  The material can be molded into different thicknesses and shapes and is available in various colors and textures as well.  The options to today’s savvy customer go beyond mass market plastic look PE.  Now your options include seating and other decorative accents (carpets, lamps etc) that can look amazing in wheat and real rattan textures.  Seasonal Living’s® Plato Collection is made to look like aged and distressed rattan.  Our customers often want reassurance that it isn’t real rattan.  It can also be found in more unusual forms such as strap or belt styles.  SL Nest is Plato Collection Outdoor _03_Smallanother synthetic product which is made from recycled water bottles that are melted down and then hand loomed into fine fiber.  The resulting product is a soft, fully waterproof fiber which holds up extraordinarily well when exposed to the elements.

 

What are your preferences in materials for outdoor seating?