The Many Uses of the Picnic Table

When you think of outdoor furniture, the first thing that probably comes to mind is an outdoor picnic table. This staple in the outdoor furniture world is often overlooked as being too cliché or not unique and interesting enough. However, the picnic table is a classic for a reason. It provides a wonderful atmosphere for you and your family to enjoy the outdoors while you dine, and some full-sized picnic tables can seat up to 10 people! As enjoyable as an outdoor meal can be, a picnic table has many more uses than a simple dining table.One of the best ways to use your picnic table is for arts and crafts. We all know how messy some art projects can get, especially when younger children are participating. Don’t hinder your kid’s creativity by forcing them to be neat, or ruin your fun by constantly worrying about the mess. By using your picnic table to do these crafts, you are providing a solid surface on which your kids can make their masterpieces where you don’t really have to clean up the mess, since it will be dirtying your yard, not your carpet.
Another great alternative use for your picnic table is as a card table. If you have friends over to play poker, or you just want to play a round of Go Fish! with your kids, why not take the fun outside? That way, you can enjoy the outdoors and the game at same time, adding to your fun.
If you use just a little bit of creativity, you can easily imagine many other uses for an outdoor picnic table. Don’t write it off as too basic or boring, because it is really one of the most versatile pieces of outdoor furniture available.

The History of the Porch

Most of us probably take our front porch for granted. We see it as a place to enjoy the beauty of nature and our outdoor porch swing, but we rarely wonder if what the story behind the porch really is.
The first versions of the porch can be seen in prehistoric times, when overhanging rocks were used for shelter. Its name is derived from the Latin, porticus, and the Greek, portico, both of which describe a cathedral’s vestibule, where worshippers would gather to socialize after services.
The porch as we know it first appeared in the Americas in the early 18th century, but was not very widely used. Perhaps this was due to the harshness of life in the 1700s, or maybe it was because porches were not common in Europe. It took another hundred years before they became popular.
By the Victorian era, porches had become standard features on most houses. Technological and industrial advances had created more leisure time, which was largely passed on the front porch. The porch functioned as a type of outdoor family room, and was a great place for discussions, games, stories, and songs. The porch also created a sense of community, by encouraging interaction with neighbors, who would often stop by to visit. As the porch became more popular, furniture designers began to improve outdoor patio furniture drastically, in order to make porches more habitable.

The Origin of the Adirondack Chair

The Adirondack chair is a staple in the outdoor furniture world. This chair has been around for over 100 years, and has become one of the most popular pieces of outdoor furniture. The first Adirondack chairs, called Westport chairs, were named after a small town by the Adirondack Mountains on the edge of Lake Champlain called Westport. In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, the Adirondack Museum proudly preserves the Adirondack chair's interesting history. A man named Thomas Lee used to spend his summers in Westport. His family’s large summer home, named Stony Sides, was for some reason lacking in patio furniture. So to solve this dilemma, Lee decided to design a brand new type of chair. This chair featured a slanted back and seat, and wide, spacious armrests. Today, we call this chair the Adirondack chair. However, when Lee first created the chair in 1903, he named it the Westport Chair, after the town in which he designed it. It is amazing that a chair invented by an everyday citizen became so popular and is so widely enjoyed today. The angled Adirondack chair is not only incredibly comfortable, but is also quite stylish and will add to the visual appeal of any yard or patio. These benefits are probably the reason why the Adirondack chair became so well-liked and is still enjoyed by many people today

Personalize Your Entryway

There is nothing more inviting to your guests than a traditional "Welcome" mat in your doorway. However, just because something is traditional, doesn't mean it has to be boring or uninspired. If you are looking to add that personal touch to your front porch, look no further than a wood door mat.
Wood door mats offer several advantages over the traditional, scratchy door mat. First and foremost, wood is smooth and clean, whereas door mats made from other materials tend to be scratchy and accumulate mud and dirt. Wood door mats are easy to clean, and they also dry much more quickly. Another advantage of choosing wood is that they are specially designed to remove dirt from shoes without soiling the door mat itself. Most wooden door mats have a special compartment beneath the top of the mat in which dirt will fall.
Another great perk of a wood mat is that they are so easy to personalize. Most companies will offer to sand carve whatever words you want onto your mat. They also will also usually offer a gallery from images which you can choose to have carved on the mat. Or, if you are the more creative type, buy a plain wood mat and use a wood-burning kit to add whatever designs you would like to your door mat.

Alternate Uses for a Potting Bench

A cedar potting bench is an outstanding work station for gardeners that also provides them with the perfect space to store their gardening supplies. However, even if you are not a gardener, you can still use this rustic piece of furniture in your backyard. Here are a few ideas for how non-gardeners can enjoy a potting table.
One use for this table is to store your children’s backyard toys and other possessions. All of the drawers and shelves can be used to hide away your kid’s art supplies, toys, flip-flops, towels, bathing suits, and anything else that you want to keep from cluttering your yard.
Another creative possibility is to use the potting bench as an indoor decorating element. You can stain or paint it to match your decor, and place it in your living room. It adds a rustic look to your home, and provides both storage and display space in your living room. Plus, it will set your house apart from your friends’ and families’ by adding uniqueness to your decorating style.
These are just a few suggestions for how to use a potting table in a non-traditional way. The possibilities are endless; just use your imagination, and even as a non-gardener you can enjoy the beauty and versatility of a cedar potting bench.

It's Okay to Use Resin!

Many people have a negative opinion of poly resin furniture. However, this view is mostly unfounded. There is plenty of safe resin furniture that you can use to inexpensively furnish your patio or backyard.
Poly resin one of the forms of resin material that are particularly bendable when heat is applied. This characteristic of poly resin makes it the ideal material to use in any instance where molds are used to create items. Since poly resin dries to a virtually unbreakable substance, many manufacturers choose this blend of polyester resin material to create household goods, art objects, and serving dishes. Outdoor furniture is yet another instance where poly resin is commonly used.
The benefits of poly resin furniture are mainly the cost and the durability. Poly resin furniture is incredibly cost effective, so if you are on a budget, poly resin furniture is a great way to get more furniture for your money. It also is easy to maintain and difficult to break, so your poly resin furniture will last for a very long time.
Although I personally think that wooden patio furniture is more attractive, poly resin is a great alternative if you need to save money on your outdoor furniture.

Get More Out of Your Planter Bench Set

Everyone wants their backyard to have character and beauty. You want to reflect your personality in your yard, and of course, you want it to look good! However, you also need your outdoor furniture to be functional, not just attractive. These items should look good, while still serving a purpose.
A planter bench set is an excellent way to add seating to your backyard while growing beautiful flowers at the same time. A typical planter bench set includes a bench and planter box on each side in which you can plant whatever flowers you want. However, if you want to add even more character to your yard or patio, you should try a planter extension bench.
This extension kit is added on to your existing planter bench to make it larger. It contains one extra seating surface and one extra planter box, which you use to make an angled bench or just one extra long bench, divided into two sections. This way, you can add more seating to your porch without the expense of buying an entire new bench. It is also quite versatile; you can change the seating arrangement to meet the needs of different social events.