Outdoor furniture, what happens, what is made of and how to care for it

Who thought about what forms the beauty of cities, settlements, as well as landscape gardens of private estates? Of course, first of all, the beauty of cities depends on architectural structures ─ monuments, buildings. Outdoor furniture refers to small architectural forms (MAF), which are in harmony with landscape design. These include benches, benches, street sofas that make people stay on city streets, squares, parks comfortable. MAFs are used not only for cities, but also for the improvement of country houses, cottages, recreation areas.

Where can i use

At all times, man strove for a comfortable life. This is what prompted people to work on grandiose transformations. Today, no one wants to sit on uncomfortable and ugly benches. Modern street furniture is widely used not only in the improvement of city, suburban parks, squares, train stations, airports, playgrounds, but also for private areas:

Streets ─ With the help of MAFs, huge city squares are being transformed, as well as visiting banquets, weddings and other outdoor events;
Park ─ the most popular furniture design in the park has always been a bench with a back, armrests or without them;
The suburban area ─ comfortable and functional furniture and garden areas. For a comfortable stay, the garden area can be filled with benches, swings, tables of various configurations, both with drawers and without them. From standard items you can create a comfortable set of outdoor furniture.

In addition, outdoor furniture is used in cafes and restaurants with open areas, some shops and other institutions.

Material requirements

Urban furniture designs are divided into wooden, metal, composite, concrete or stone. Compound MAFs are rarely seen on city streets. Their price is much higher than other designs, so the combined benches of granite, wood and metal are not installed everywhere. They can only be seen in private estates. What are the requirements for street MAFs:

Aesthetics ─ in spite of the fact that street furniture is laid down in the urban landscaping project, buyers first of all pay attention to the aesthetic appearance. It is important that the particular model is combined with the surroundings;
Safety ─ manufacturers pay great attention to the safety of outdoor furniture, reducing the risk of injury. What is considered in the design? For example, for playgrounds, architectural forms need to be selected for the optimal size, so that in the event of a child's fall, he will receive a minimum of injuries, and better - generally avoid them. Furniture structures should be as round as possible, without sharp corners. These requirements apply not only to children's MAFs, but also to other types of outdoor furniture;
Functionality ─ before installing products, you need to deal with dimensions, materials, design solutions, functionality, as well as their features. If you consider park or suburban furniture, you need to understand that it will be used for public festivities. Unfortunately, many people tend to be neglectful of other people's subjects. Therefore, the city administration should think carefully about the quality of the furniture, make sure that it is as well as possible protected from vandals;
Versatility ─ easy assembly and simple operation ─ these are the basic requirements. They should have as few details as possible so that the assembly does not cause inconvenience to even an unprepared master. The simpler the assembly, the cheaper the design;
Profitability ─ urban landscaping depends on the mayor, who will win the tender for urban landscaping. It is known that cheapness doesn’t mean quality, beauty and durability. If benches, benches are made of high-quality, durable materials, such as metal, wood and natural stone, then such structures, without special care, will last more than 10 years. Often used urban MAFs with a metal frame and wooden seats lose their aesthetic appearance for a short period of operation;
Technology ─ today you can find benches with integrated Wi-Fi points, solar panels and even audio players.

Every year, city leaders are increasingly interested in improving "their possessions", in the comfort of their citizens. Modern outdoor furniture, reliable, multifunctional, allows you to equip urban areas, country houses, recreation areas, gardens, as well as park areas.

There is a wonderful proverb ─ "Avaricious pays twice", so experts recommend purchasing quality products from the very beginning. Otherwise, the furniture will soon have to be repaired, painted, and this is an additional expense of time and money.

Currently, not only metal structures meet these requirements, but also eco-friendly wooden products that have undergone special processing.

Varieties

No matter how beautiful the streets, avenues, the territory of country houses and summer cottages may be, but without outdoor furniture the rest will not be complete. When choosing outdoor furniture, you need to be guided not only by your own interests, but also take into account the recommendations of landscape designers.

Especially, this concerns the improvement of city streets, parks, recreation areas, where citizens spend their leisure time. For the main types of furniture rainfall, temperature changes, as well as other environmental influences are not afraid. Since it is designed specifically for outdoor areas. Consider the basic models and materials that meet these requirements.

Plastic furniture ─ these are structures designed for use on sites at any time of the year. They are not afraid of water, ultraviolet radiation, frost, snow. The disadvantages can be considered ─ color change, and in winter, plastic can be fragile. White, red, blue furniture plastic structures look advantageous against the background of greenery. Every year, the design of chairs, tables, benches, chairs continues to delight consumers, and with this the price changes, which becomes more expensive;
Metal furniture ─ it belongs to the most sustainable designs. Many owners of private homes are attracted to aluminum furniture. Despite its high cost, it is in great demand. The metal withstands any weather conditions and does not require special storage. But steel furniture needs to be treated more carefully. Since it retains the aesthetic appearance and structural integrity in the presence of an enamel coating. If the paint layer is destroyed, rust appears on the steel material, which leads to the rapid destruction of the structure. Steel furniture is rarely used today. In addition, on city streets you can find benches, benches with forged side elements in combination with wooden seats. From the above models, we can conclude that the most stable models are aluminum structures. But you need to understand that this option is not suitable for city streets;
Wooden furniture ─ responsible manufacturers of wooden furniture for the street are made by adhering to special technological processes. Despite the persistent finish, wooden products are not intended for permanent residence in the rain and snow. This leads to the destruction of any finish, which requires subsequent restoration. Natural material that is not afraid of natural phenomena ─ it is a durable and durable teak;
Stone furniture ─ it has a reliable and pompous appearance. It can be compared with forged products. This is an expensive monumental option for a city street. The most commonly used monolithic granite, marble or crumb press;
Rattan ─ expensive elegant wicker furniture is installed by the owners of prestigious establishments in open areas, as well as the owners of country houses. This furniture is suitable for long term use. The only drawback is her fear of direct sunlight. Rattan furniture is quite expensive. For example, the ZERBANO set consists of a chair, a bench with a back and a round table. The price of this kit in beige is 15 250 rubles. A set of TIPONI, consisting of spacious round chairs and a table, costs 18,190 rubles;
Artificial rattan ─ products delight at pleasant prices and a diverse aesthetic appearance. Multi-colored wickerwork adds zest to the overall landscape of the countryside. Armchairs, sofas, tables and other beautiful products are made from it;
Natural material ─ wicker street furniture appears today made of natural materials ─ banana leaves or algae, which are dried and cut into strips for weaving;
Designer ─ furniture can be ordered on an individual project or purchased in a specialized salon:

Of the wires ─ this table model was developed by a Berlin designer. She combined in herself two stylistic directions ─ retro and modern;
Aluminum + solid laminate ─ high table and chair designed for an outdoor cocktail party;
Drops, splashes ─ this is a multifunctional chair "Splash" for the street by Australian designer Christina Aus. The design is a transformer, can turn into a table, stool or basket;
Ancient ruins ─ complete motifs of Greek architecture are observed. It includes a deck chair, a table, a chair with a soft seat. Products can be distributed on the territory or make a composition of a garden antique decor;
Folding fork table ─ English designer Natalie Sampson introduced the attractive and unusual Garden Fork Table. It is made of ordinary forks with an attached folding tabletop. You do not use it as garden tools, but you can stick it in any corner of the open space;
Made at Sea ─ designer Ariel Zuckerman made DIY furniture "Made in Sea". The set consists of a table, chairs and utensils;
Wicker bottles ─ Japanese company Zero First Design introduced street furniture to the market in the form of bottles. The set consists of two armchairs and a large sofa. And pillows for outdoor furniture will make objects cozy and comfortable. For their manufacture, high-quality synthetic fabrics are used: polypropylene, polyester, polyacryl. The modern furniture industry offers outdoor cushions with welded seams. They are stable and able to withstand any load;
Contrary to the wind ─ Italian designers at Brain Factory presented designs for country houses and cottages. On the countertop for plates, bowls and glasses, special recesses are carved. In the center of the table there is a hole for a plastic bottle or umbrella. And the pockets on the backs of chairs serve for newspapers or other small items. This gives the dishes stability during gusts of wind outside. Today it is a conceptual development, but the skill of summer residents can turn it into reality.

Metal

Artificial rattan

Plastic

Stone

Designer

Rattan

Wood

Storage rules

Proper storage of furniture minimizes the risk of possible damage. In winter, it is better to store outdoor furniture under a canopy or in a garage. This reduces the effects of temperature changes, precipitation on wooden products. If there are no such places for storage, you can purchase waterproof covers for furniture designs. Covers will not protect furniture from temperature phenomena, but they will shelter from snow, rain and sun.

And for wicker furniture, no weather conditions are scary. It is frost-resistant, feels great in the snow and rain. You only need to remove the pillows in the storage. If the air in the garage or basement is dry, then for furniture it is better to purchase an air humidifier. And if, on the contrary, it is wet, then with a household dehumidifier you can remove dampness.