At long last, we're getting new porch furniture with our great tax refund this year.

[CTyankee]

Trouble is, I don't have a clue what to get...

Because we have only a screened in porch, furniture must be able to withstand weather (altho we will cover it). So I guess thatmeans rustproof aluminum that looks decent and tie-on cushions that can be stored in the winter.

I see nice stuff on Pottery Barn's website but I've heard bad things about any of their furniture.

Anybody have good advice on this type of furniture? I don't wanna make a big mistake. We are willing to put some money to this, even tho our porch is not all that big (size of an "average room"). This is a colonial style house in CT built in 1940...

[Paper Roses]

1. Last fall I sold our original Patio/Porch furniture on Craigslist.

I had 4 arm chairs and a large glass top table. The set was nice but the chairs were a pain in the neck. They were all armchairs and took up too much space.

Perhaps you have room for arm chairs but don't so I decided to buy a new set. It is not quite as good quality but the chairs do not have arms and I can slide them under the table or fold them up if I need the space.

My first set was Martha Stewart and I sold it for $150.00, the replacement sent was a special at CVS on sale, glass top table, 4 folding chairs..I think it was 79.00 for all. It is actually very good quality for the price. Lots of specials right now on porch furniture. Some of the garden supply stores sell sets too. I guess it depends on whether you want an easy care set or real "furniture". Check all the store weekly sales and specials at this site, it is great for me as I no longer get the paper with the weekly fliers.

http://www.sundaysaver.com/

[CTyankee]

2. I have to have furniture than can survive a winter in a screened in porch.

I will cover it, of course, but I can't have something that will deteriorate because of rain, snow and wind. So that means something that, if it is metal, doesn't rust and probably no wood whatsoever. We can tie on seat cushions and store them in the winter. This is the deal. I am willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars if it's good stuff and will stand up to New England winters.

What we have now is cheap plastic and I'm really ashamed of it...

[Paper Roses]

3. My daughter bought a beautiful teak set at our local garden

supply and nursery. I believe she had to oil it every season but it stood up to our NE weather.

It was far more expensive than my stuff. It was real furniture and that seems like what you are looking for. Most of the nice wood sets are beautiful.

[CTyankee]

4. Boy, that sounds nice! It would depend on how much oiling would have to be done.

Both hubby and I are older now and less likely to want to oil anything. Also, we don't know what will happen when we can no longer really take care of this house and all of the expenses attached to it, e.g. lawn care, snow removal, grass mowing. Things we used to do we no longer can do or want to do so eventually, we'll move into a condo or apartment type living and we'll probably have a smaller patio situation, as many of my already situated elderly friends do...

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I've always admired wicker. To me it says "summer" and "comfortable"

To me, wicker is to summer as a fire in the fireplace is to winter.

The problem was, real wicker, while often shown outdoors, wasn't at all weatherproof. They now have artificial/synthetic (plastic) wicker. It is widely available at a variety of price points. I've seen it at Home Depot and high end fashion furniture stores. Virtually all of it is made in China, but what isn't these days.

For what its worth, this stuff looks nice and isn't as ..... mmmmmm ..... metallic as steel or aluminum.



We had a Tropitone set of welded aluminum furniture that lasted in excess of 40 years and is still in use. We got it from parents, gave it to a kid, who gave it to a friend. I know it is still in use because I saw it on my son's friend's deck just a week or two ago. So while I like wicker and rattan, this stuff lasts forever!

Lots of choices! Have fun.

[Phentex]

6. My experience from last summer...

First advice...go to a showroom and sit on everything. If comfort is important to you, you will feel the difference in many sets. We are short people and I hate when I sit on something and my legs hang off. We knew we'd be using this porch till we're gray, so we wanted durability and comfort. I have to touch things too and I didn't like the feel of some of the crunchy wicker, lol.

I looked at cheap stores and high end stores (one place made me feel like a homeless person asking to use the restroom - snootyville!)

I scoured craigslist for weeks.

Finally returned to a store that carries northcape international (I think it's from Chicago Wicker). Looks like the stuff Stinky posted above. I found an extremely comfortable set but I hated the cushions that were on it. Also, I wanted two glider rockers instead of one because I knew we'd fight over who got the rocker. It's all weather wicker with aluminum frames. It feels so smooth.

The deal was I could take the set off the showroom floor but I had to buy it with those cushions and then order the extra chair and new cushions. That would mean I'd have a set of cushions I didn't like (they didn't go with anything and were sort of a florida room feel) AND the new cushions were very expensive. I really didn't think I would need two sets of cushions. OR I could order the whole set with the cushions in a fabric I liked but I would have to wait 4-6 weeks. I debated for a while but decided to get the fabric I wanted. The two chairs and the sofa were $2500 with delivery. I didn't get the coffee table or side table because I didn't want to go too matchy matchy.

And then the store went out of business 3 days later. I had quite a time tracking anyone down and I have good things to say about using Visa.

Fun. But another store would get my order and deliver it to me when it arrived. That turned into about 12 weeks instead or 4-6. All summer basically. grr.

The good news is I LOVE IT. And we use it all the time. I found matching pillows and a rug at homedecorators.com.

So my longwinded advice is try it out, buy what's available from the warehouse nearby, and go for durability.

[CTyankee]

7. I agree on durability. And a style you really like and are proud of is important to me.

But it HAS to stay on the porch, covered, in the winter. I simplyhave no place to put it other than the porch.

I figured about $2500. I need a table that can fit 6 and a few extra chairs and end tables and a coffee table...that's about all I have room for...

Thanks for your input...can't wait to go shopping this weekend!