Summer Style

Monday is Memorial Day and the official start of the outdoor living season. Although we are fortunate enough to live in a climate where you can spend time in your yard practically year-round, the holiday is when we truly begin to think about our outdoor furnishings and style.

According to new research conducted by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, homeowners are assessing their 2013 purchase priorities in terms of functionality and price rather than size and style.

When selecting pieces to enhance their backyards and gardens, people indicated the most desired new furnishings include a chair or chaise lounge, umbrella, dining table, outdoor lighting, fire pit, pillows, outdoor rug and hammock, said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of public relations and marketing for the alliance.

“The promise of spring has Americans anticipating time spent on their patios, decks and porches,” she said.

But just because the furniture will be used outdoors doesn’t mean it can’t be functional and look good, too.

Marissa Brown, vice president and design director for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, said her team has noticed more people treating their outdoor spaces like the interiors of their homes.

“That’s how we at Martha Stewart Living look at it. The outdoors of your house is an extension of your living space.”

In those spaces, she is finding people using deep and casual seating collections along with accessories traditionally found indoors, such as rugs and curtains.

Brown adds one caveat: Be sure those items are suitable for outdoor use and can stand up to harsh sun and weather conditions.

Like the mail carriers’ unofficial motto that neither snow, nor rain, nor heat will stop them from their appointed rounds, when selecting outdoor furnishings you must be sure they will hold up in a variety of situations.

When buying outdoor furniture, look for “practicality, function, design and will it stand up to the weather — the climate I will use it in,” said Ross Manning, senior vice president for Tuesday Morning. “For outdoor furnishings selecting practical, sensible materials is important to ensure one gets more than a season’s use out of the piece of furniture or cushion.”

He recommends teak wood for dining and seating or outdoor “wicker,” which is a woven resin material that mimics the natural fiber. The material is usually wrapped on a powered steel or aluminum frame.

“You can’t see the difference it’s so well made now,” Brown said. “There are flat weaves and rounded weaves — all types of extrusions. And it’s durable, too. That’s what so great about it.”

The man-made wicker also is easier to maintain and clean.

Brown said there has been a “huge surge in the woven story.”

From contemporary to traditional designs, people are favoring the wicker look for their outdoor furnishings.

“It’s lightweight, easily movable and comes in various shades to coordinate with one’s existing furnishings and color scheme,” Manning said.

Martha Stewart Living’s new Charlottetown collection for The Home Depot features woven, white synthetic wicker.

Another example is Tommy Bahama’s new Island Estate Lanai collection. The all-weather synthetic wicker is handwoven into complex patterns to give the collection a refined look and island style. It is the largest of Tommy Bahama’s outdoor living collections with an assortment of dining tables, bars and bar stools, deep seating, fire pits and occasional tables.

In addition to resin wicker, outdoor furnishings are offered in a faux wood, Hirschhaut said.

Brown said there are cushion fabrics that are specific for outdoor use that are treated to prevent fading and resist water.

“Advances in technology make outdoor furnishings easier to care for,” she said.

In addition to a change in the material outdoor furnishings are made from, there has been an increase in the types of pieces offered. Today you will find choices that include double chaise lounges, storage ottomans and sectionals, which have become very popular.

Brad Bonham, president of Walker Edison, which offers ready-to-assemble indoor and outdoor furnishings, said the company’s new Sundowner group is a prime example of why sectionals are being found in people’s yards more often.

The group, made of acacia wood with weather-resistant hardware and cushions in a red fabric made to withstand 2,000-plus hours of exposure to ultraviolet rays, can be configured in a variety of ways to suit one’s space. It includes two corner chairs, two armless chairs and an ottoman that can double as a coffee table. A bench is sold separately.

With so many choices available, you must carefully consider how you plan to use your outdoor space when deciding whether to get a seating group or a dining table with chairs.

“Be sensible and realistic when shopping for outdoor furnishings,” Manning said. “What do I need and what is the practical yet fun solution to that need? One does not have to break the bank to find the furnishings that are right for your backyard, your lifestyle.

“For the avid home chef and barbecue guru it probably makes sense to have a dining table, it’s just more practical,” he said.

And be sure the pieces you select will fit in the space you have available, Brown said.

“Small outdoor rooms can get crowded with too many people. With a larger area, break it up with multiple seating areas or add a dining area. It just depends on if you prefer more casual entertaining or if your family likes to eat together,” she said.

Manning said it is a good idea to measure your space before heading to the store. “And take along a tape measure to verify everything you like is going to work.”