Tips on Choosing Your Outdoor Furniture Cushions

Choosing cushions for outdoor furniture can be a challenging task simply because there are so many considerations to be made. In order to compliment the outdoor pieces that you have, it is vital that you know what you are looking for prior to going on and choosing the cushions. In this guide, I will review some basic considerations that should be made in order to ensure success in your purchase. If you are about ready to go about choosing cushions for outdoor furniture, you are sure to benefit from the information contained here.

Consider What Outdoor Cushion Style/Fabric Material Do You Need

The first things that you must consider when shopping for patio furniture cushions is the style that you want exhibited on your outdoor furniture, and the type of material that you want. Typically, these two things go hand in hand. For example, the type of material that you select will often reflect the particular style that you want.

Many often incorporate a theme when it comes to furniture that is used in outdoor living endeavors. In order to be content with your outdoor furniture cushion selection, it is imperative that you work to ensure that you pay special attention to the material that you select, and the style that is exhibited on that material.

The Texture of Your Cushions Should Give You a Wonderful Soft and Pliable Touch

 Along with the many different styles and designs of colors for your patio cushions another important factors to consider the texture of the material that covers your cushions. They should be at least soft and pliable to your touch, as you will be relaxing and enjoying your great cup of coffee on your case lounge chair or patio set.

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The second item of consideration includes the degree of maintenance that is required to appropriately care for the cushions that you purchase for the furniture that is outside the home. Basically, it is ideal to purchase cushions that are really simple to maintain. One of the most favored when it comes to this type is the type that you can simply unzip and throw the cover in the washing machine and dryer.

You should also consider and understand that if you are living in climates with higher timidity or rain conditions that you will be susceptible to mold and mildew as time goes on. This is why you should check with the manufacturer's recommendations to see if the material will hold up well to the elements that you will have them exposed.

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How to liven up your patio with Outdoor Furniture Cushions:

• If you are looking for a gorgeous laid-back and relaxing feel then try organizing your outdoor cushions in a variety of different colors and textures (say around your outdoor fireplace/hearth).
• If you are looking for a beautiful comfortable feel then select your outdoor pillows with a combination of different colored hues and textures (having more cushions is fantastic).
• Creating a warm spicy feel to your outdoor area is very easy by adding delightful hues of color with your outdoor cushions ranging from (orange, yellow, green and dark cherry).
• Creating a modern outdoor patio area is very easy by applying an all-white patio cushion theme creating a now look. If you want to add a very dramatic design scheme then mix your cushions with black and white.
• Always consider how your cushions will look in both the sunshine and in the nighttime light under your patio fixtures and patio lanterns (Colors always seem to look different in different lighting).
• Adding a new flare to your outdoor living area is easy by applying some graphic outdoor covers to your cushions (consider using seasonal designs/patterns). Something you may want to consider is choosing patterns of flowers, seashells, fruits, bright yellow sunflowers.
• Before you decide on that particular type of color pattern/design of your cushion fabric you should consider what the color makes your outdoor area feel like. By applying some cozy beautiful shades of color such as orange, red, sand and coffee you will give your patio/deck a very energized feng shui type of look and feel. If you stay with cooler colors of the pallets such as the corals, greens and some blue shades then you will definitely create a very beautiful serene effect.

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Different Cushion Fabrics Have Different Cleaning/Maintenance Attached to Them

You must be comfortable with the type of work that has to be done with the cushions to keep them clean and looking new. If you find cushions that you are not comfortable with as far as maintenance, it may be best to avoid those and move on to find some that you are content with.

Having the right quality of outdoor fabric for your cushion is a must. Synthetic which includes(acrylic, olefin and polyester fabrics) are your best choice as it feels like natural cotton but is very resistant for staining and water damage(Crypton is almost completely waterproof) and because it is being treated with UV inhibitors it will also retain the beautiful colors and patterns for many years without any fading that you will notice.

What types of fabrics are available for outdoor furniture?

• Acrylic Cushion Fabrics: The benefits of choosing acrylic fabrics is that they are very soft to the touch and dry quickly, are very mildew resistant and easy to spot clean, and they benefit from staying cool in direct sunlight.
• Outdura Cushion Fabrics: This particular fabric is not as durable as other types but is very similar to the Sunbrella, it is an acrylic that has UV inhibitors that is available in many different patterns and color choices.
• Olefin Cushion Fabrics: These are one of the popular choices for the best wearing of all the outdoor cushion fabrics that you could choose, they are fade and stain resistant and dry quickly when they get wet. They are less expensive than your fabric brands from acrylic and they do not have the same softness as the acrylics but they do give you a wider selection of more interesting textures.
• Polyester Cushion Fabrics: This type of fabric is made from the strongest yarn compared to the other choices; it dries very quickly and is an inexpensive choice for outdoor furniture cushions. A downside disadvantage of this cushion choice is that polyester tends to fade quickly (and if you have a pool it cannot be exposed to chlorine).
• PVC polyester Cushion Fabrics: This type of fabric is that plastic feel that you get on some of your outdoor cushions. This type of fabric is most often used for slings. The PVC polyester is developed by using polyester yarn and coating it with PVC, this in turn gives it the ability be very strong, long wearing and the other benefits of acrylic like easy to clean and spot clean with the benefit of being a very quick drying and mildew resistant material.PVC polyester is not recommended and generally it is not used at all for your overall cushions or pillows.

Comfort of Your Garden Furniture Cushions Is the Most Important Factor

Comfort is the next consideration that should be made when "choosing cushions for outdoor furniture". Are the cushions too soft, or too hard? Do you feel relaxed when you sit or lean against the cushion? These are all questions that should be considered prior to making a purchase.

Comfort is considered to be a final determining factor when it comes to choosing those that are right for you. If you follow the steps listed here, choosing cushions for outdoor furniture is likely to be a relatively simple task.