It’s fair to say that indoor furniture typically looks nicer than outdoor furniture. That doesn’t feel like a hot take; just look at the variety of indoor furniture pieces online. You fall in love with sofas and chairs, but outdoor pieces don’t have the same style elements.
For this reason, you’re tempted to use indoor furniture outside. Whether this means moving some of your current indoor pieces outdoors or buying new indoor furniture for outdoor use; neither idea is great. There are reasons the two are kept separate, and here’s why:
Indoor furniture is not weatherproof
During outdoor furniture assembly, you’ll notice that outdoor chairs or sofas are made from very different materials. You’re not going to find leather outdoor furniture, nor will you see the same fabrics as you would on indoor pieces.
Why?
Because indoor furniture is designed to be kept away from the elements. When people make sofas or chairs, they don’t have to worry about rain or cold weather. If you take these items outside, they will not stand a chance. One bought of rain can be all it takes to ruin the furniture once and for all.
On the other side of things, outdoor furniture is designed for the elements. It sacrifices some comfort touches to be more robust and able to withstand rain, wind, sleet, or snow. Without wanting to sound too obvious…it’s made for the outdoors!
Outdoor furniture is easier to move
How often do you move your indoor furniture items? Let’s be real, you’re placing them in a position and they’re probably staying there for years. If you do move them, it’s a rare occasion and usually requires multiple people to help you reposition.
An outdoor living space is supposed to be more fluid. You constantly move furniture around to chase spots of shade or sun. If you have more guests visiting, you may move more chairs onto your patio. When it gets cold, you could move all the furniture closer together so you can share body heat and create more coziness outside.
In other words, you need furniture that’s easy to move. The indoor stuff is far too heavy and bulky, but outdoor furniture is designed to be lighter. It won’t be the lightest thing you’ve ever moved, but it will be easier for you to slide around on your patio or shift into different positions.
Keep indoor furniture inside your house
It’s such an obvious statement to make, yet you need to remember it. Indoor furniture is for the inside of your home. It has not been made for constant outside use and you will ruin it if it gets exposed to the weather. Why waste money on perfectly good furniture when you can buy some that’s specifically made to withstand the outside world?!
If you have an outdoor living area, look for outdoor furniture. Check that you’re buying things that can be used outside, so you don’t risk making a costly mistake. Now, you can sit back and relax both inside and outside your home with funky furniture choices.