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Winterising your Patio

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When we think of the patio, we often think of the long days of summer, the BBQ and the idea of deckchairs, sunshine and heat comes to our mind. However, a patio can also be used during the colder months of winter too, meaning you don’t have to retreat inside when the cold comes. Here’s how to winterise your patio.

Patio Blinds

These are seldom seen but an excellent addition to those that want to be sheltered from the rain during the winter. The patio blind allows for the area to be used comfortably and are easily rolled up and down, and can even be automated if possible. These shelter you from the impending rain and also in addition to gas patio heaters can make a very comfortable outdoor area with many of the benefits of the indoors.

These patio blinds come in a range of fabrics and can be purchased in clear and tinted PVC, making them ideal for days there is a glare too. They are also available in tough material like fabrics, if you wish to give your patio a different feel. These can complement some of the other heating options wonderfully.

Turn Up the Heat

Of course, the most obvious problem with the patio in the winter months is the cold and so having outdoor heating is vital. Fortunately, there are a number of options here, ensuring you can enjoy your patio in the depths of the winter.

Gas patio heaters are increasingly common and increasingly affordable, as are the likes of outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and also chimneas. These are just some of the choices at hand to create a cosy feel, outdoors. One of the biggest benefits of the patio heater above all others is that they can be moved, look aesthetically attractive and can be positioned where they are required most.

A Little Splash of Colour

The winter is a drab time and that’s why adding a little bit of colour can make all the difference to the patio area. Depending on where you live, there are whole arrays of options that can be added to brighten up the area for winter. From colourful patio plant pots, to rugs made from numerous materials; the patio area can be greatly brightened up with a few pieces of colour here and there. This can really lift your mood and turn the patio into the perfect outdoor retreat for those cooler days.

Winter plants also can add to the area and the likes of heather, cabbages and others can be attractive during the winter – making for an appealing natural spectacle. Ask at your local garden centre to see what they thing fits in with the climate.

Winterising your patio area is a great idea and gives you a warm and cosy outdoor retreat when the rest of the neighbourhood is stuck between the four walls.

Cormac Reynolds writes for UK company Patio Heather Hire and loves his patio all year round.






Durable outdoor teak furniture to spruce up your patio

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Sometimes during the cool winter months when I can’t garden I spend time planning for the following growing season. I think about what plants might do better if I were to move them to another spot in the garden, or what plants I might purchase via mail order to plant in the spring. Do you make plans for your garden or backyard in the off season too?

When I’m not making plans for the growing season I sometimes try to think of other things that I can do or purchase for my backyard to make it all the more enjoyable. I mean, you can only work in the garden for so long right? You’ve got to sit back and relax and take in all that beauty at some point!

During the summer we often have friends drop by several times each week and we spend our time sitting in the backyard enjoying the view while we talk. Other times I have backyard BBQ’s and dinner parties.

We have a nice high glass patio table right now. I like it, but since we often have several people over for get togethers I find that the patio table is too small to accommodate our guests. The table is meant to sit four people, but we purchased two high stools so we can sit six. It’s a tight fit at times!

I’m seriously thinking about getting a larger patio table and perhaps some other patio furniture. I took a look at the outdoor patio furniture at BeFurnished.com and I really like their selection of teak outdoor furniture.

Teak is a fantastic wood to use for outdoor furniture because it’s so durable. It holds up well outdoors and I believe that the wood is resistant to pests like termites so it doesn’t get damaged the way other wood furniture does.

Another reason that I’ve thought of replacing my patio furniture with teak is because it’s so windy here in Toronto. We have a lot of wind here and we also have some major thunder storms. I always worry that the wind will blow our glass patio table over. Of course if that were to happen the glass insert would likely break and it would be quite expensive to replace. A teak table would be much less likely to be blown over in the wind.

BeFurnished.com is a US based company but they will ship anywhere in the world. That’s another reason why I like this company. Not only that, they offer free shipping within the continental US. Since I’m in Canada I always check an online stores shipping policies before I start browsing and adding items to my shopping cart. I’m always pleased when a company with products I like ships to Canada.

If you’ve been thinking about getting new patio furniture be sure to take a look at the selection at BeFurnished.com. They have teak sets, teak tables, teak chairs and benches, Adirondack Chairs, loungers and steamers, teak bars, cushions and accessories such as patio umbrellas. They also have a selection of outdoor furniture that they call “Deep Seating”. This is a selection of outdoor chairs, sofas, benches and even an ottoman that has extra deep seating for added comfort. There’s garden accessories too. Storage boxes, lazy susans and mini teak planters just to name a few.

I really like their selection of teak patio tables. They have teak extension table sets, round tables, benches sets and deep seating sets that look like outdoor living room furniture. I love it.

We have a fairly small patio so I can’t get really large patio furniture, but I do like the idea of getting an extension table. We keep it at it’s smaller non extended size most of the time, but we could make it larger to accommodate more guests when needed. I love that idea.

As most of my readers know my backyard is fairly small. It’s long and narrow and I have raised garden beds running along all of the sides of the yard, with one oval bed extending into the yard to divide the patio area, which is near the house, from the rest of the garden. The back half of the garden has a grass covered area where we sometimes pull out folding chairs when we have an outdoor gathering.

deepseating.jpg Looking at the deep seating loveseats and sofas at BeFurnished.com I thought how nice it might be to perhaps have a deep seating set for that area. I’ll have to get my husband to have a look at the outdoor furniture and see what he thinks.

I’m sure he’ll like it.

Visit BeFurnished.com to see their selection for yourself. I’d love to know if you like their teak outdoor patio furniture as much as I do.

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