Summertime is here! Get ready for lots of time spent outdoors enjoying the sunshine and warmth with friends and family. Keep reading to discover six outdoor design tips for summer to help enhance your outdoor space and make it a comfortable place for you and your guests.

Lounge Furniture

Chances are, you probably already have some patio furniture in your outdoor space. Patio furniture is great for entertaining and eating meals but is not necessarily meant for lounging. To make your outdoor space more comfortable, try some lounge furniture! 

Imagine tanning on a sunbed, reading a book on an outdoor couch, taking an afternoon nap in a hammock, or watching the sunset from a porch swing with your sweetheart. Adding some cozy touches to your porch, deck, or patio helps make it a space your and your family will want to spend time in. 

Additionally, you may want to consider some outdoor throw pillows. In addition to providing comfort, they can add visual interest. Look for bold, fun patterns to freshen up furniture that may have seen better days and give it new life.

Define the Space

If you have a patio or porch space that needs some cohesion, consider an outdoor rug! Just like with indoor spaces, rugs can be used to set visual boundaries and define the space. Plus, a rug can help protect your deck from food and drink spills when entertaining outdoors. 

When determining the right rug for your outdoor space, look for one that is durable and washable. It needs to be able to stand up to whatever weather conditions may arise, from summer thunderstorms to intense sunshine. 

Add Some Greenery

You likely already have some plants near your patio or porch in the form of a yard, trees, bushes, or shrubs. Bring the greenery into your lounging or entertainment space with some potted plants! Nothing livens up a space like fresh flora. 

Maybe you’re not great at remembering to water your plants. Succulents and cactuses require very little attention and do well in direct sunlight, so they’re perfect elements in any summery outdoor design. 

You can also try some faux plants! They don’t require any maintenance and stay beautiful year-round. There are plenty of options out there for premade floral arrangements, but you can also buy individual stems from a craft store and customize your own. 

Provide Shade

You can rely on summer to be hot and sunny most days, especially in Utah. To make sure you can enjoy your outdoor space on even the most sweltering days, consider a patio cover or pergola. Outdoor design companies such as Kool Breeze can help you design and install outdoor shade solutions for any space.

If patio covers and pergolas aren’t quite your style, try a large umbrella or parasol. These accessories are adjustable and moveable, so you can make sure you’re protected from the elements no matter where you are. Look for umbrellas in bold colors or fresh prints to add a summery feel to your outdoor designs.

Foldable Furniture

If your patio or deck doesn’t have a lot of room, but you would still like to have the option of entertaining or eating meals outside, consider foldable furniture. It’s easy to set up and take down, and doesn’t take up a lot of storage space, so you can slip it into your shed or garage when not in use. 

To dress up your foldable furniture, use a tablecloth. Gingham prints are perfect for summer and invoke images of picnics in the sun. You can also put a centerpiece on the table for extra classiness.

Cozy Lighting

To create a magical feeling on those summer nights spent outdoors, try some unconventional lighting! Lighting goes a long way in setting the mood and creating ambiance. Drape string lights between some trees or the posts of your patio cover or pergola. You can also get some battery-powered lanterns and place them on your table or window sills. 

Outdoor Designs by Kool Breeze

If you’re looking to improve your outdoor space this summer, Kool Breeze can help! We offer a variety of outdoor solutions, including patio covers, carports, enclosed rooms, solar shades, patio furniture and accessories, grills, and windows. We’re proud to use quality materials and top brands to ensure our products last a lifetime. Contact us today or come visit us in Ogden, Utah, to discover what we can do to meet your outdoor design needs!

Come the winter months, you may wonder what you need to do to keep your patio furniture in good condition. Can you leave it out? Do you need to cover your patio furniture in the winter? Or is it best to put it into storage?

The fact of the matter is that it depends on the type of furniture you have and what it’s made out of. Some patio furniture will definitely need to be put in storage or covered in the winter months, but there are other ways you can winterize your furniture too.

Here’s what you need to know about what can happen to the various types of furniture materials if left out in the cold and the wet and whether or not you will need to cover your patio furniture in the winter. Let’s dive into it!

How Different Materials Fare If Left Uncovered

In order to determine what to do with your patio furniture in the winter, it helps to know what could happen to it if you do nothing at all.

Wood

Wooden furniture is timeless, classy, and expensive. However, it’s highly susceptible to moisture damage, even if it’s been treated. Protective coatings can peel off and your wood furniture can begin to rot. 

Wicker

A popular choice for patio furniture material, wicker is wood-based. It’s quite a thin material, and, like wood, can rot and mold if left out. This is especially true due to the fact that wicker is thinner than other materials.

Iron

If you don’t cover your patio furniture made of iron or store it away, it can rust. This can cause damage and significantly impact the furniture’s lifespan and aesthetic appeal.

Fabric

Fabric furniture brings with it the high likelihood of mold and mildew if you leave it out during the winter. It can also end up getting stained. To prevent your fabric furniture from being ruined, you’ll want to be careful to dry it off properly and then store it somewhere secured.

Plastic

Plastic furniture won’t rot the way that wood can, but winter weather can still take its toll on it. If left outside, plastic furniture can become brittle and fragile, as well as have its color ruined.

Aluminum

While there are other types of patio furniture materials, this is the last type that we will cover in this article. Aluminum is free of the troubles of rust and rot, but it can still be weakened and water damaged if left in the snow.

Should You Cover Your Patio Furniture Or Store It?

This depends on the material. For fabrics, you always want to store these, somewhere nice and dry. Generally speaking, if you can store your patio furniture, this would be the ideal option to preserve its condition. However, not everyone has the space in order to do this and not everyone has the finances available to rent out a storage space for the winter.

In this case, you can cover your furniture. As previously mentioned, be sure to remove any fabric cushions and store those indoors. You can get special winterized furniture covers to protect your furniture with. In a pinch, a heavy-duty tarp provides some protection as well. Be sure that you wrap the sides and that the bottom is covered too, so that as much of the furniture is covered as possible. 

Some patio furniture should be put in storage, such as glass and wood. If it is stone or aluminum, it can be left outside, but be sure to cover it.

How Else Can You Prepare Your Outdoor Furniture For Winter?

Besides covering it or putting it in storage, there are other ways you can winterize your outdoor furniture. 

• Clean it before covering it or storing it. Ensure that it dries all the way before putting a cover on so as to prevent mold or rot.
• Remove any rust and debris, as this can worsen in the winter.
• Give your furniture a protective coating.
• Refresh the paint and finish.
• Apply moisture repellent.
• Stack the furniture to save space.

It’s important to do what you can to protect your furniture. Patio furniture is an investment, and the last thing you want is to drastically decrease its lifespan because you left it out uncovered all winter long. In order to ensure that you can get the most out of your furniture and that it stays in good condition for as long as possible, take the appropriate measures to cover or store it this winter. 

Kool Breeze is here to help you with your patio furniture needs. Another way we can help you protect your patio furniture is with a patio cover. To learn more about the services we can provide for you, please do not hesitate to contact us today.