Outdoor Patio Furniture Designs: Do You Prefer Modern or Timeless?

by rbright on August 22, 2010

Your choice in patio furniture says a lot more about you than you may think it does.  The design in comfort from the start tells your guests if you care more about their comfort or about your outdoor aesthetics, so no matter what design you choose it’s always a good idea to be sure it can be enjoyed comfortably.  You should also make sure you either purchase plenty of it to begin with to accommodate large parties or choose a design that is neutral so that it can be paired with other designs later if needed without looking out of place.

Modern Outdoor Patio Furniture

Modern outdoor patio furniture tells people you are with the times and don’t mind taking chances.  Modern designs will allow you a great deal of flexibility in terms of style, colors, and patterns, but it does carry the risk of becoming gaudy or distasteful if you aren’t careful.  You do have a little more freedom to experiment with outdoor furniture than you do inside, but you don’t want your patio to look like a second rate hotel patio, either.

Modern can mean chic and sophisticated or unusual construction materials.  Bamboo chairs, for example, provide a very modern look while still remaining tasteful and functional.  Wrought iron chairs designed to look like a stiletto shoe, not so much.  If you’re going to do modern, do it well and invest in high quality outdoor patio furniture that will last several years.

Timeless Outdoor Patio Furniture

This outdoor design tells people that you a traditional and tasteful.  You want a look that will go with anything and is elegant.  Timeless outdoor patio furniture is designed to be functional and look good doing it.  Timeless design can be somewhat rigid and uncomfortable, however, so be careful to not become too steeped in tradition if you want you and your guests to actually enjoy using the furniture.

It is always important to select high quality outdoor patio furniture, especially if your patio isn’t covered and the furniture will be exposed to the elements, but a timeless design requires this more than modern.  After all, what is modern now won’t necessarily be modern in 5 or 10 years and but timeless is, well, timeless.  Part of the point of choosing a timeless design is to avoid replacing your patio furniture often, so invest in something that will withstand the abuse it is likely to receive.

Ultimately, your choice in outdoor patio furniture design will depend on what your personal preferences are and the amount of time you expect to spend using it.  If you aren’t in the habit of entertaining guests and just need something to create a look, you can pretty much do anything you want.  If, on the other hand, you expect your furniture to see a great deal of use, be considerate of those who will be using it.  There’s nothing like a back breaking chair to keep a guest from coming to visit again.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • MisterWong
  • Y!GG
  • Webnews
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit

Previous post:

Next post: