Why New Patio Furniture Sometimes Makes an Outdoor Space Look Worse

Buying new furniture for your patio seems easy enough to transform it. A well-chosen sofa, dining table or lounge chair could turn out to be an elegant addition to your patio. But occasionally, even after buying new furniture, there is still an element of “missing something”.

It isn’t necessarily about the furniture.

Sometimes, the addition of new items around stained patios, faded surfaces, old landscaping or mismatching materials can accentuate the old items. The furniture appears to be new yet, all the surroundings are worn.

Look at the Surrounding Space First

When purchasing new patio furniture, view the whole patio area. Furniture is just a component of the design. The exterior of the structure such as the landscaping, walls, windows, and floor also play a role in determining the aesthetics of the interior.

For example, the new outdoor sofa may appear to be an excellent addition on its own. However, it will appear to be neglected if it is placed on an untidy concrete patio surrounded by faded fencing and overgrown vegetation.

Refreshing the area first and then cleaning the furniture can provide a much better base to begin with. If nearby windows are also covered with dirt, pollen, or water spots, hiring a local window washing company in Eugene can help create a cleaner and more polished background for the refreshed outdoor space. 

Dirty Patio Surfaces Can Ruin the Look

The patio floor is very similar to the floor inside your house. When it is stained or accumulated in dirt, it will have an effect on all that goes onto it.

The concrete patio can suffer from staining, algae, dirt, or other accumulation. The paver may lose its shine while decks may discolor from years of exposure to weather conditions.

Pressure washing can be of use when you are going to prepare your patio for furniture installation. The dirt accumulated over the years can help to brighten the surface without replacing it.

Yet, not all surfaces need the same type of cleaning. Sometimes the pressure you will use can ruin your patio surface.

New Colors Can Highlight Old Surfaces

New patio furniture generally has brand new, very colorful, and attractive color schemes which at first glance appear to be the main feature and advantage of the furniture.

But a deeper look will reveal that such a colorful look is in strong contrast and actually emphasizes the dullness of the surrounding background areas (e.g., a deck that looks very old, a wall full of grime and dirt from the exterior environment, etc.), which can in fact cause the furniture to look outdated.

Same goes with the outdoor rug, shade tent, flower pot, and other kinds of decorative items which when brought into a patio will highlight the fading colors of older items. New things can make existing or old items look worse.

Painting or cleaning surrounding materials first, so that a balanced contrast will appear, is a good idea. Only when the background is kept neat and looks cared for, the new piece of furniture will look nice enough to become the focus.

Too Many Materials Can Make a Patio Feel Cluttered

One of the more common problems is a combination of many un-related materials. Outdoor spaces are usually built over time, as the homeowner adds to it as they need to.

There could be a wooden table, metal chairs, wicker chairs, plastic pots and full other outdoors lighting design. One might be okay on its own, but all of them can result in an uncoordinated look.

This can be made more apparent with new furniture. Consider colors and finishes if you’re about to buy a new piece. Don’t be afraid, not just because you think it can’t match perfectly. In fact, mix and match colors, textures, and fabrics with one another. It’s the uniformity of the design that will make the patio more meaningful.

Outdated Landscaping Can Affect New Furniture

But it’s not only the furniture people are watching and not caring what happens; people still get a glance at your landscaping. The patio in itself has landscaping surrounding it.

The shrubs and weeds growing between the pavers, dead plants and weeds and the neglected flower beds can overrun even the most expensive furniture. Fortunately, an entire landscape remodel may not be required.

Tidy up the plants, weed and top up mulch; place planters in the seating arrangement. These minor adjustments can help to make the patio appear cleaner.

Remember landscaping is the frame of your outdoor living area. If the frame is well taken care of, the furniture is bound to look better.

The Exterior of Your Home Is Part of the Design

Patios are connected to the rest of the house and the exterior can have an impact on the end look of the patio.

Dusty doors, tarnished windows, stained siding and out-of-tune walls can create a sense of unfinishedness to a reimagined patio. Especially evident when the large windows or glass doors are directly over the seating area.

These features can be easily cleaned to help merge the house with the patio. The space is unified in its design, instead of a new furniture set being surrounded by tired exterior surfaces.

Make Maintenance Part of the Upgrade

Don’t always make patio furniture the first thing you purchase when making an outdoor overhaul. Many times, a redo of the space is all that’s necessary to make a more significant improvement than what homeowners realize.

Determine what is shabby and unappealing. Look at the patio surface, deck, walls, windows, landscaping, lighting and the current patio furniture.

Once those factors are cleaned up and put in order, you will be able to decide what is to be replaced.

Create the Foundation Before Adding Furniture

New patio furniture is best used in a total patio renovation. Instead of laying out high dollar furniture in a space that is still looking and worn, set the room up first.

Wash and clean suitable hard surfaces, polish faded surfaces, keep landscaping and repair exterior surfaces that are visibly soiled. After that, select furnishings that go with the colors and materials available.

The aim isn’t just to purchase newer furniture. Its job is to design an outdoor space where all its elements will collaborate.

Once the base is spotless, well-kept and looks as it should, new patio furniture can truly be the improvement it was designed to be.