What materials are best for outdoor sofas?
Outdoor furniture goes through a lot of wear and tear, so finding options that are made from durable materials–from the frame to the upholstery–is essential. «I’m partial to really classic wood-framed sofas and sectionals that feel timeless and connected to nature,» says interior designer Catherine Hooper, the owner and lead designer at iSPY Home Design. «Teak, in particular, is one of my go-to materials. While it requires some basic maintenance, it will last you years and years and doesn’t get hot to the touch like metal or aluminum frames. That being said, if you don’t feel confident you can maintain teak, some of the powder coated aluminum options are really weather and rust resistant.»
When it comes to upholstery, look for options that say water-repellant or UV-resistant to make sure your sofa won’t retain liquid or fade under the sun. «First and foremost, if I’m looking for a sofa with cushioning, I always prioritize retailers that sell Sunbrella or similarly durable fabrics,» notes Hooper. «The more texture the fabric, the more dirt it will trap!»
How should you style outdoor sofas?
«Once you have a sofa, you can think about styling the rest of the space,» says Hooper. «There may be some pillows or throws to add, and perhaps an outdoor rug to ground the space. Don’t go overboard though. Less is always more with outdoor furniture because it just becomes more to store in the cooler months and gets dirty easily. Save yourself the headache of feeling like you’re constantly doing laundry and purchase a big basket that you can store the pillows and throws in and bring outside only when you need them.»
How should you buy an outdoor sofa online?
When buying any kind of furniture online, there’s one golden rule: Measure, measure, measure. «Always measure first!» says Hooper. «Start with the length and widths of the entire area you have to work with and draft up a rough floor plan. That visual often helps decide whether a single sofa, two loveseats, or a sectional will work best in the space. If you’ve had certain sofas in mind, use that as a starting point to see if they’d feasibly work in the space or not. Just like with an indoor space, you need to consider scale. If you have a smaller deck, you don’t want to put an enormous sectional on it because it’ll make what little surface area you have seem even smaller. It’s also important to think about how you need the outdoor space to function: Will you be entertaining a lot? Are you hoping to eat or drink in this area? Do you have pets or children that will be using the space? Will you need to cover the furniture in the winter months? Do you need a walkway in this area to other parts of the garden? These are all important questions to ask yourself before you finalize the style of the sofa.»
There are also a few smaller details that you can keep your eye out for. «I like to check if the retailers I’m sourcing from offer decent warranties on the furniture, or sell any products to help protect the wood or metal from wear and tear,» says Hooper. «I also look for a sofa that offers multiple positions for laying out. If there aren’t any cushions near the arm rests, that might make it uncomfortable to lie down on it. Or if it comes with seat cushions and not back cushions, that might be similarly weird to sit on. If I’m lookin gat a really modern metal, aluminum, or plastic piece without cushioning, it’s so crucial to read reviews before ordering to see if there’s a trend of bad experiences. That goes for anything you’re going to order, but especially for cushion-less pieces.»
When is the best time to buy outdoor furniture?
«Last pro tip: Buy your outdoor furniture in late summer because it’s cheaper!» recommends Hooper. «Retailers are always trying to offload last season’s pieces around Labor Day. Capitalize on that, even if it means you won’t use it much until the following spring.»
