I had some childhood friends recently visiting from the UK. They tell me that the temperatures there are currently below zero, and that snowstorms underscore their days. Winter coats, mittens, indoor heating, sullen moods… define their living. When it is not snowing, it is raining.
When it is neither raining nor snowing, you could get a few days of uninterrupted sunshine, maybe five days. I looked out into our brutal African sunshine and I thought to myself, ‘We live in a beautiful country with beautiful weather.’
One way to make the most of our beautiful weather is to experience it outdoors. This can be from your balcony, or from your garden in the backyard, maybe in the lawn of your front yard.
To do this, you will need some furniture to sit on, some place to rest your feet, a surface to hold your beverage. Avoid these common mistakes as you buy your outdoor furniture:
Over exposing it to the elements of weather
Though outdoor furniture is supposed to be outdoors, you must protect it from the overexposure of the outdoors. Direct sunlight bleaches textiles and makes them fade. It also makes materials such as wood to crack while wind can knock light furniture over. It also blows dust particles into your seat and gradually makes them dirty. Also, overexposure to rain causes the materials to rot and weaken.
You can protect it by doing two things. One, take cushions indoors and turn furniture away from direct exposure.
A more long-term solution would be to build shade over the furniture. A gazebo perhaps (if you have the space for that) or a mobile umbrella or a temporary wooden structure with a proper roof. You can also get one of those carport shades to protect your furniture.
Shades not only protect your furniture but also enhance your comfort as you enjoy the great outdoors.
Getting uncomfortable furniture
The setup of your outdoor furniture can look like a living room (sofas and chairs) or like a dining room (a table for a feast and some chairs around it). Don’t get furniture that sits one person only, you want to enhance the sense of community here, not to impede it.
Whatever the setup, this outdoor experience will only be enhanced if your furniture is comfortable. Comfortable sitting only comes with comfortable padded cushions. Bonus points if you can sit down comfortably and curl up with a good book or a tall glass of a perspiring beverage, maybe a ridiculously large mug of African tea on those colder days in July.
You can have your comfortable cushions built into the furniture. The better option would be to have removable sitting cushions and throw pillows for that extra comfort. Make sure that the back of the chairs also have cushioning. Outdoor furniture is not used as frequently as indoor furniture, therefore your cushions will serve you longer.
Depending on the space you have at your disposal, also go for such relaxing chairs as daybeds, hammocks and egg chairs. Camping chairs are functional but not comfortable. Folding deck chairs take up a lot of space but they are great for relaxing.
Selecting the wrong materials
You have to think hard about which materials to use for your outdoor furniture. Choose based on the space you have available, your furniture’s exposure and your budget.
Wood is a natural choice but it rots with overexposure to rain, and cracks and bends with overexposure to sunshine. You could have it varnished regularly, but this regular maintenance is costly even though it protects the natural wood. Wood is relatively comfortable to sit on.
Plastic is budget-friendly and resistant to whatever type of weather but it can appear as a tacky afterthought. Enhancing its comfort is also a bit of a tall order.
Metals such as iron and steel are weather-resistant and sturdy, but they will need to be painted for the material to be protected from rust. You will also need cushions for your comfort.
Natural materials such as rattan and wicker are the go-to choice here in Kenya. They are usually hand-woven and upholstered in Maasai-print fabric. The final look is casual and comfortable but these natural materials don’t age well with overexposure outdoors. The synthetic versions give you more value for your shilling.
Not completing your set up
The experience of comfortable furniture in the right materials will only be enhanced when you complement it with other pieces suitable for the people who will use the space. A table is a must have outdoors. You will need somewhere to hold your beverages and plates of food. It can also double up as a footrest if your setup is like a living room. Away from that, it is a ready surface to style. I am thinking artificial candles, lanterns, a portable Bluetooth speaker… anything you can put into a box and return into the house.
Potted plants are great where you don’t have landscaped greenery. You must also get a string of outdoor lights with yellow bulbs. Light them up when dusk falls and they will certainly elevate the ambience for whichever mood you seek.
It gets cold outdoors, you will need to warm up. A fire pit is great if you have the space. If not, then get portable heating. A charcoal kiln is very African, very textured, very budget-friendly. You can also get one of those stainless steel heaters that use a gas cylinder.
Depending on your space, consider buying a barbeque grill for live cooking.
Lastly, an inflatable swimming pool for your little ones on those unforgiving sunny African afternoons. Can you hear them frolicking in the sun? Beautiful. BY DAILY NATION