Outdoor

Teresa Track, Interior Designer

canada (Jul.03.07)

Barb B. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca: I’ve been shopping around for new outdoor furniture and have noticed quite a bit of upholstered stuff. How does it fare in rainy weather? How well does it clean? Is it a wise choice for an uncovered outdoor space?

…and our interior designer, Teresa Track, answered:

Having cushioned outdoor furniture involves a bit more upkeep and an awareness of the product’s quality. Here are three points to mull over when considering the upholstered outdoor trend:

When it’s pouring: How the cushions fare in rainy weather depends on their quality and construction. Some of the higher-end products use foam inserts similar to little, melded-together pellets. Water will pass through these cushions without soaking, so there is no need to fear rot or mold. Other, lower-end foams (designed as one piece) need to be taken inside when it rains (some people bring them in nightly).

When it’s dirty: The sun-fabrics used on outdoor cushions are great for cleaning. Most have been treated so that they can literally be hosed off. (Again, this is determined by the quality of the product.)

When it’s exposed: Using upholstered cushions in an uncovered outdoor space isn’t necessarily the wisest choice. The woven, mesh, wrought iron or aluminum products are generally more user-friendly since they require less maintenance. That being said, if a homeowner is aware of the circumstances surrounding outdoor cushions (and willing to put in the extra work), it can be a great outdoor addition (after all, it is so comfortable!).

Teresa Track is a Toronto-based Interior Designer who specializes in residential Interior Design. She can be reached at 416-894-8034.

Tags: outdoor furniture, foam, By Room, House and Home, outdoor, Ask an expert, upholstered

Sweet Insider Comments:

Calculate Cost per Wear

Ice Queen Machines : blenders

Serious Grilling : bbq

Let's keep in touch

See all the ways to connect with us

Sweetspot.ca on Facebook

Sweet Tweets

Follow @sweetspotdotca

Hey beautiful, pick your city

To access City Living Content, you need to pick a city first. Remember you can change cities at any time in the upper right corner of this site where it says "Show me sweet stuff". Enjoy!

Want to enjoy our exclusive Sweet Deals? Simply select a city. Don't worry, you can change your city any time in the upper right corner of the site (where it says "Show me sweet stuff"). Have fun shopping and saving!

All Canada Deals