Decorating Your Patio With Rattan Furniture
The patio is a space of transition between the inside and outside of your home. While it is definitely a part of your house and home, it lacks the enclosed feel we associate with “indoors”, but is still too close to the house to be “outdoors”. This makes it a particularly tricky space to choose furniture for. Don’t lose heart, though – people have had patios for centuries, and have also furnished them in ways that are highly tasteful as well as cost-effective.
If you are a beginner and trying to choose patio furniture, keep the following things in mind – 1. Is it resistant to rainfall, sunlight and bugs? 2. Does it fit with the d?r of your home? 3. Is it easily movable? The common materials used for furniture are wood, metal, plastics and rattan. Out of these, wood is heavy, expensive and requires regular maintenance. Metal tends to stand out uncomfortably in an outdoor setting, and also grows annoyingly hot in sunlight and cold in winter. Good thermoplastics can be used in the patio, but most have a tendency to brittleness and cracking when placed in sunlight. Rattan, on the other hand, is naturally resistant to sunlight as well as termites and other bugs that affect wooden furniture. With a suitable varnish, it also becomes water-resistant. Rattan also lasts for decades with proper care, making it suitable for long-term use and giving it a high resale value if you move out soon. It is no wonder that rattan is the most popular material for furniture in the tropics, where sun, rain and termites are part and parcel of life throughout the year. Outside the tropics, however, the light look of natural rattan may not always go well with the solid, dark furniture prevalent inside the home. However, this does not prevent you from picking this naturally weather-resistant material for your patio furniture. Rattan takes to varnish and paint exceedingly well, and can also have interesting textures woven into it. If your rooms are full of solid wooden furniture, a loveseat and armchairs made of dark varnished rattan would be the ideal setup for your patio. Conversely, go for grey or white shades if your home is full of light-colored or metal/glass furniture.If you live in an area prone to torrential rain or very strong winds, you may need to move your patio furniture indoors at certain times of the year. Rattan, especially when woven and known as “wicker”, is both light and strong, allowing it to be moved inside and outside at your convenience. Rattan furniture is also extremely comfortable even without upholstery, as the woven material can be contoured into soft curves that mould to your body. Wicker is also extremely versatile, so don’t imagine that every wicker chair will look the same. Whether you want barstools, low stools, round cushioned chairs, round and low chairs without upholstery, armchairs, love seats, swing chairs or rocking chairs, you will definitely find what you want in this material that is tailor-made for outdoor furniture.
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