29 Oct 09 All Weather Wicker Furniture Needs little Care, But Are Compatible With Most Themes
Is your patio just an open ground that lies neglected through out the year? Do you want your children to spend more time in the patio, so that they can grow close to nature, deriving much of their mental nourishment from it? Nothing comes out of nothing, nothing ever could… if you want your family to spend every second of their free time in the patio (leaving the house neat and tidy, that will be bonus point) you have to decorate it in such a way that they are automatically attracted towards it.
Buy a Tiki umbrella to start a tropical patio. Add some raffia like umbrella cover on it. That will give it an authentic tropical look. Put some wicker chairs under it. Wicker is generally made of weeds, reed, or cane. They are no doubt eco friendly, but needs to be sheltered from elements of nature. Therefore, it is wiser to buy all weather wicker furniture instead. These furniture look just like authentic cane furniture, but are made of synthetic fiber instead of natural ones and therefore can withstand heat, cold, rain and shine much more than ordinary wicker furniture can.
A tropical patio is quite easy to build. Start with all weather wicker furniture. These furniture look like real cane, but are actually made of synthetic material and so needs less caring. Remember, the patio fixtures lie exposed to rain and shine, dust and dirt all the time and so have to be made of such material that needs least maintenance and at the same time, they must also be esthetically pleasant to look at. All weather patio cushions fit the bill perfectly. They are not only beautiful to look at, but have a tropical ambience and on top of that, they need very little care.
For decoration items, you can add rattan baskets and even rattan pots. Make a centerpiece with fruit bowls and add plastic or real palm trees to really get the whole looking going. To keep yourself warm, apart from patio heaters, you can use cushions and rugs that look tropical to you. In Asian inspired patio decorating, think calm and tranquil as that is the center of Asian deco- to combine the yin and the yang. From colors, to lighting to patio cushions and furniture- use elements that is calm and relaxing. Just like a tropical paradise, adding bamboo furniture can really set the mood for an Asian paradise. As always, no patio is complete without plants, so in an Asian setting, use as many Asian plants as possible such as water bamboos and you can even create a mini Zen garden. The key to Asian patio d?cor is to avoid clutter and make everything clean and fuss free.
Colors to include into Asian d?cor are such as brown, bamboo green and even blue. Water elements for patio decoration are also a good idea and this can be incorporated in the form of a fountain, pond or even aquariums. Asian themes also consists of using patio decorations such as statues and paintings from ornamental dragons, Japanese or Chinese calligraphy and even adding patio umbrellas that resemble Asian paper umbrellas and wall fans. For furniture, opt for all weather wicker furniture with walnut brown finishing and oriental decorative designs.
Water bodies are must for the nautical theme. Try to plant those trees and bushes that grow near the beach in your area. See if you can buy a discarded boat and then turn it into piece d’art. With little imagination, fishing nets can make beautiful wall hangings. Have beach umbrellas instead of patio umbrellas and teak or cedar furniture instead of wicker, though there is no reason why all weather wicker furniture will not gel. Have marine prints on the cushions. In fact, all the accessories should relate to marine life or activities. Driftwood makes beautiful focal point, so does art pieces made with seashells. Look through your attics to find discarded curios and toys and you will be surprised find a lot of the material in there. The dollar stores are there to supply the rest. Do not hurry, but build your patio slowly.
Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using patio umbrellas, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work for outdoor umbrellas and so on are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.
