10 things to keep in mind when buying wicker patio furniture
Now that you’ve read our patio furniture buying guide and determined that wicker patio furniture is right for you let’s look at the Top 10 Things you need to look for when making your wicker patio furniture purchase.
Wicker furniture looks right at home on the patio, the front porch, around the pool or in the bedroom. Enjoy all of the qualities of wicker furniture in both traditional woven wicker or contemporary faux resin wicker. Both finishes are available in the natural honey color, bright Caribbean colors and traditional whites.
Common Types of Wicker Furniture
Patio wicker sets are usually available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations to accommodate any size patio or deck. Dining sets range from 2 chairs and table bistro set to a full dining table with 6 chairs.
Tucked into the corner of a balcony, or as an extra seating area in the garden, bistro sets offer compact, intimate dining in a space otherwise overlooked. Wicker bistro dining furniture is compact and lightweight offering an alternative to large bulky patio furniture.
Traditional bistro sets consist of a table and 2 chairs. Because of their size, bistro sets are a great way for apartment dwellers to add a dining space on the balcony without giving up valuable space. For the homeowner with a large patio table, a bistro set adds another dimension to your dining area, and a bistro table tucked into an otherwise unused area of the garden makes an intimate place to sit and enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Perfect for a quite spot on the deck or a patio, a chaise lounge provides a relaxing spot to curl up with a good book.
No matter what your decor style, wicker bedroom furniture easily transforms a plain room into an oasis. Bedroom furniture made from wicker is usually supported on a wood frame with the type of wood varying from cherry to cedar. Often a metal frame will support the wicker offering an interesting design combination of hard and soft materials.
Wicker chairs are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes making it easy to add wicker pieces to your homes existing decor. No longer limited to traditional styling, todays designers are creating contemporary, modern design to compliment any decor style. All-weather and resin wicker are available for outdoor use allowing the homeowner to coordinate indoor decor with outdoor living space.
Love seats are a great addition to any room, indoors or out where extra seating is needed without sacrificing floor space. Wicker love seats compliment any decor style from classic to contemporary.
Wicker tables are a practical choice when adding a new design element to an existing seating area. Not only is wicker hard wearing and weather resistant, it is also lightweight and very durable. Wicker dining tables are available in a wide variety of style and sizes.
Real Versus Synthetic
An alternative to natural wicker is resin. This faux wicker furniture re-creates the traditional look and charm of the real thing yet battles the elements and maintains a durable long lasting finish.
Price
The cost of wicker patio furniture pieces can quickly add up, especially if you are buying pieces individually. Be sure to compare prices & look for items that may be discontinued on sale or clearance.
Maintenance
There are many different grades of wicker patio furniture. Be sure what you choose can be left outdoors year round and requires little to no maintenance. Pick something that will weather nicely.
Number of Pieces Needed
Know how many pieces your buying. Only buy the pieces you have room for. Take a list of what you need and know the dimensions of the space you have. This is when buying individual pieces may work out better, especially if you have a small space or an unusually larger patio space to fill.
Stock Availability
When looking at wicker patio furniture be sure to ask, “Is it currently in stock?” You don’t want to fall in love with a collection only to find out that it is currently out of stock & could take months to be shipped. Check availability ahead of time. Or buy online to avoid disappointment.
Seating Requirements
When looking at chairs, benches, stools and sofas count the seating space. You need to know how many people you will comfortably have room for. It is easy to end up buying loads of small chairs and not realising that they cant seat many people. On the other hand buying large pieces to sit very few people doesn’t make sense.
Customize your seating area to fit your families lifestyle. Personalize your wicker patio furniture needs by combining a combination of chairs, rocking chairs, love seats and tables.
Durability
Be sure that the grade of wicker patio furniture you are buying can be easily taken care of. Is it easily stained? Will rain water or intense sunlight damage it? Answering these questions will help you determine what grade of Wicker patio furniture is right for you.
Moveability
You will most likely have to set this furniture up on your own. Is it to heavy for you to carry & move on your own? Wicker is naturally light weight , however if it is combined with metal and or harder woods, then it could weigh a fair bit, don’t fall for deceptive looks! Additional accessories such glass tops can often also add weight.
Reparability
Is this type of wicker patio furniture easily repairable? Can you repair it yourself or will you have to have a professional do that?
Color
Be sure the color you choose: white, black, tan, brown or others will match the decor you have. You might want to choose a neutral color so that as you change decor your wicker patio furniture will always match.
Seating Height
Decide ahead of time whether you want the seats to be bar height or table height. This will make a difference in tables and other pieces that you choose. When choosing seating don’t forget comfort. Make sure it’s a seat you will be comfortable sitting in.
You are now armed with all the information you need to make the right decisions regarding your wicker patio furniture purchase. Good Luck & have fun buying what you like!
Rattan or Wicker? Wicker is a process, not a material where the fibers from the interior of the rattan plant are woven into furniture. Rattan is a solid timber vine that grows in the jungles of Indonesia, hence the difference is in the construction.
