Lawn and Garden Wooden Furniture

Do you know how lawn and garden furniture originated? When people began enjoying their patios and gardens in the 1800s, they took out their regular furniture, to relax outside and while away their time with family and friends. The trouble was that they had to bring the furniture back indoors, especially when the weather was inclement. Of course, the solution was to create furniture that could be kept outdoors.

And that was exactly what Thomas Lee came up with. As the lore goes, it was in 1903, when he had gone to Westport, New York, for a vacation with his family, he wanted something comfortable to relax in, which would also suit the sloping grounds that surrounded his cottage. He then set to work with a single plank of wood and a saw. He sawed out just eleven pieces of wood, which he assembled into what is popularly known today as the Adirondack chair. It had a straight fan shaped back, which reclined slightly, to compensate for the uneven ground, and it also had wide armrests, which became a distinguishing feature of all Adirondack chairs henceforth.

The natural beauty of outdoor wooden furniture can enhance the beauty of any garden or lawn. The varieties of wood used to make this type of furniture include pinewood, maple, oak, teakwood, rose, cedar, redwood, and many more. They come in a wide variety of colors too, ranging from earthy browns to pale yellows and verdant greens. They also come in a wide range of designs and styles, which you can choose from according to your taste and the ambience of your garden or lawn.

For example, the aforementioned Adirondack style chairs, combined with a matching footstool and side table make an ideal setting for a coastal garden. These chairs are also great on a deck or patio, especially if they are painted in vivid primary colors. They are delightfully relaxing to sit in and the wide armrests are ideal for resting a long, cool glass of something.

You can create cozy seating nooks in your garden or lawn by putting together a few pieces oak furniture made by Amish artisans, who are known for making unique furniture that are both beautiful and durable.

Or, if you have a woodland garden and want to keep the outdoorsy look, why not go in for rustic furniture? You can get tables, chairs, and benches made entirely from the whole trunks of trees, with even the bark on them. Or you could get rustic furniture created by combining pinewood with the branches of trees, which have a natural handcrafted look and will make an ideal addition to your woodland garden.

You could also choose the furniture according to a particular color that you want to highlight in your garden. For instance, if you grow herbs, many of which have blue and purple flowers, you could get violet colored furniture. Or perhaps you could match the color of your furniture with trim of your house, in which case you can opt for yellow, indigo, red, or orange.

Garden furniture made of redwood, for example, can stand out in any garden, because of the naturally beautiful color of the wood. Chinese redwood too is beautiful in its own way. The natural beauty of redwood furniture is partly due to the variations in its coloring and grain. Thrown on a few brightly colored cushions and you will be able to create a very inviting place where you can relax with your guests.

Another great piece of furniture for your garden or lawn is an outdoor swing made of unfinished red cedar. It can provide a lovely spot for relaxing with the family with a few matching lounging chairs and a rocking chair nearby, or it can be a great outdoor perch where you can read a captivating novel, or have a cat nap, or just sit and enjoy sipping a tall, cool drink as you lazily watch the evening turn into dusk.

A traditional wooden bench fits perfectly in an equally traditional cottage garden. Or, how about a sun lounger on the deck? You could also add a few chairs made of pine or maple and a wooden picnic table and enjoy dining al fresco on weekends with friends and family. If you have little children, you can get wooden furniture specially designed for them. Don’t forget to add a colorful parasol or two to protect yourself from the sun.

Once you select and buy your lawn and garden wooden furniture, ensure maintaining them properly by applying a protective coating of finish. This will keep them from deterioration when exposed to the rain and sun. There are many such protective finishes available in the market such as acrylic latex paint, exterior wood stain, and water repellent preservative. By taking good care of your lawn and garden furniture you will be able to enjoy the pleasure they provide for many years.