Wicker Furniture for your Patio

The set that gives this hub its picture. Unfortunately the photo from Amazon itself is a bit under-exposed, but you see this set well in the big photo on the right. This set is made from all weather resin wicker and consists of 4 chairs and one table (with integrated storage) that are inter-lockable and stackable for convenient storage. The frame is made from lightweight aluminum and cushions and rain covers are included in the price. Whilst comfortable and spacious when set up, it is also easy and space saving when stored away.

Everyone has owned or enjoyed the warmth of sitting in some type of wicker furniture at some point in their life. The oversized cushions and the texture of the woven cane under your fingers feel good to touch. Although wicker furniture has been dated back to ancient Egyptian furniture, it has now spread first to Europe and then brought to the Americas on the May Flower, or so it is said. Wicker furniture is now used and cherished all over the world, partly thanks to the British colonialists who made it popular in Australia and Asia also. The wonder of hand woven cane or bamboo, how perfect it is, and how long it took to make, is mind-boggling. Some wicker is still hand made, but in the late 1800’s an automated machine was created that could do the job and the story of large scale production of this furniture began. Making it more achievable for a wider range of people.

Traditional bamboo or rattan wicker can be used for both outdoor or indoor furniture. Better for outdoor, patio and garden use is resin wicker furniture, which has taken the industry by storm due to its being all weatherproof. Traditional, natural wicker is available in different colors, natural ones, dyed, lacquered or varnished. Varnishes and lacquers are usually white or black, although there are more and more fun and exciting colors available, especially in the last ten years.

It is sometimes called all weather wicker, but resin wicker furniture is the new age of wicker that many people are choosing as their outdoor furniture material. This furniture is made of fibers of polyethylene resin strands and usually wrapped around bent aluminum or metal frames. The frames are painted with a powder effect instead of a high gloss. It can be left outdoors all year-round regardless where you live which is a strong argument to purchase this kind of wicker.

Traditional wicker furniture comes in different styles, like chairs with an over exaggerated high rounded back, a design woven into it and wide armrests. Couch and love seat also have the signatory high rounded back with decoration. There are ottomans available that can double as a bench seat and storage boxes that can hold all the outdoor necessities, like summer yard games or evening candles.

Black wicker gives it a more sophisticated attitude, and the natural or stained finish has an earthy and warm appeal to people. Actually we should better call them dark wicker furniture sets, as most of them can range in color from warm chocolate and mocha tones to real, deep black. They have the advantage, apart of looking elegant, that you see dirt and dust less on them. That can well be the main reason that black and dark patio furniture is amongst the bestsellers in every garden and outdoor store. Their only disadvantage is that dark colors attract the heat and that this kind of chairs and tables can conserve the heat so well, that they become uncomfortably hot to the touch in bright sunshine. But the solution for this is easy, use an umbrella to shade yourself and your chair!

But outdoor furniture is not only about chairs and tables. There are nowadays a lot of nifty accessories available that help you to enjoy your time in the garden or on the pool even more. The first, and perhaps most important ones, are matching storage boxes. These allow you to store all what you need for a day in the sun in one easy to reach place and keep the sitting area uncluttered. Additionally they can double also as an additional table.

Speaking of tables, in the ideal case you have one big one plus additional small side tables for each chair. Lets be frank, lazing in the sun is great and you don't want to get up from your comfy chair every few minutes to grab something to drink and / or a pick an olive or two from the main table. Especially when you have frequently guests around the pool and in your garden, providing everybody with their own little side table will make them feel even more welcome and comfortable. And last, but not least, chairs are only one possibility where you can rest, wicker furniture comes also in form of settees, sofas, love seats, recliners etc. A real great invention are sectional pieces which you can buy separately and arrange in the form and shape you prefer personally. They are also easier to move around then big settees that consist only out of one piece. Oh, I nearly forgot, CUSHIONS, cushions are great to make your seat even more comfortable and to help to match it with the rest of your design. You can find comfy cushions in all colors and fabrics imaginable, just make sure that they are thick enough and easy to clean.

White wicker gives the furniture a country cottage flair that enhances your garden in the true “English garden style”.

The major drawback why far too few people buy white wicker furniture is that this type requires a bit more cleaning and maintenance work. Your best choice is therefor to buy “artificial”, i.e. all weatherproof resin wicker pieces. This way you can simply wash them down regularly with your garden hose. I have included a video that gives you some tips on how to clean your outdoor furniture correctly, but generally speaking you should only use warm, soapy water and soft cleaning brushes and cloths to avoid damaging the lacquers and / or varnished surface. Make also sure you don't clean in bright sunlight, as every water drop can function as a lens and in the worst of cases concentrate the sunlight in one spot and give your furniture a tiny, little “sun burn”.

But if you are not afraid of a bit of extra cleaning work now and then, or if you somebody that does the cleaning for you, white garden furniture is very stylish and has also the advantage that it doesn't store the heat the same way dark does. White is always cooler to the touch.

Some of the other, different colors that are available are coral, mango, sea mist blue, and kiwi green. Many of the color varieties are pastel in tone and give it a very beach appeal feeling when sitting in them. The other great part of owning wicker is the cushions. The endless choices of cushions you can match with any outdoors motif is fantastic, and you can change them on a whim. For more ideas about how to decorate your living space with wicker furniture, have a look at this Great Selection of Wicker Outdoor and Indoor Furniture.

The classic eggshell chair that can hang from your porch or sit on the ground looks like an egg with a cut out stuffed with pillows. This chair is a great reading chair, it shades you from the overhead glare of the sun and the wicker allows the air to breeze through keeping you cool.