It’s a nice day for some…white wicker
By Christa TerryThe Beard and I spent the weekend jumping from shop to shop, looking for the perfect patio set. What we saw was somewhat dismaying…the sturdy metal chairs had flimsy plastic seats while most of the umbrella-ready tables were far too big for our modest deck. Even boxed, the sets we liked were too big to fit into our car, and we weren’t willing to pay $250 for shipping on a $500 item!
We eventually settled on a white wicker set from Target that received rave reviews from just about everyone who bought it. At some point in the future we’ll be buying an umbrella, but that can wait. All in all, I’m pretty excited and hope it arrives quickly.
Interestingly, wicker refers not to a material, but rather to the act of weaving fibers together. A wicker chair or table may be crafted from rattan reed, bamboo, or paper fibre rush, and a lot of the wicker-style furniture in the world today is made of plastic. Natural wicker is susceptible to the elements, so it has to be covered and brought inside when not in use…or, at the very least, in the wintertime. Unlike molded plastic patio furniture, it won’t last ages and ages.
The good news is that wicker can last quite a while with proper care, as outlined in this NY Times article. Cleaning and sealing are musts!
September 21st, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Most wicker furniture companies have presences on the web, and on these websites you can view a vast array of different designs and different colors, not only of the wicker itself but also of the cushions that go with the wicker.
January 4th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I’ve been told Ace Hardware has great patio umbrellas that you attach to the deck. We’re looking into getting one for this summer.
January 5th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Thanks for the tip, A.J.!
October 14th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
A garden or patio has been done in white or beige patio cushions should have similar tones. Color coordination is an essential task in the decor and the most fastidious among us is more than essential.