Tag Archive for 'outdoor'

Go Maintenance-Free!

Published on April 12, 2011 in HAYNEEDLE. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

This week at Hayneedle, we’ve been talking a lot about “maintenance-free” outdoor furniture. But what does that mean, exactly? The end of telling your chair that it looks nice every time it asks?

If you’re anything like us, you went to drag out the summer furniture at the first hint of warmth. If you’re really like us, the effort was totally premature and your hopes of fun in the sun have already been dashed at least twice. But if you unearthed the ole’ table and chairs to discover a world of rust, dust, and disappointment… there’s a better way. Maintenance-free patio furniture is what’s cookin’ this year, and it look better and lasts longer than you could possibly expect.

Just think about it – nice-looking cushioned chairs that you can blast with the hose or leave in the sun? A dining set you can drench that doesn’t look like the kids table? That’s a seriously relaxing summer in the backyard. To get there, you’ll have to forget about fancy woods and delicate wickers that need treatment, care, and general worry and embrace some new materials.

This stuff is made from aluminum, resin-wicker, and recycled plastic. Each of these materials is unique, but at least one of them is perfect for your yard and your style. Here’s a little background on each -

Aluminum

A super-lightweight metal that never rusts and can be powder-coated to take on the look of just about anything. You’ll find it paired with textilene slings and top-of-the-line outdoor cushions for the look that fits your life. A great choice for furniture that gets moved around or put away often.

Resin-Wicker

You know traditional wicker is comfortable and versatile, but you also know it cracks easier than an egg. Resin wicker never breaks, cracks, or deforms and can be crafted into any number of traditional or modern shapes. It’s good and heavy, making it a perfect solution for high-traffic or high-wind areas.

Recycled Plastic/Poly-Wood

It looks and feels like real wood, but it’s completely waterproof, fadeproof, and never expands or contracts. You’ll find Adirondack chairs, benches, and picnic tables made from recycled plastic. Seriously, we wish houses could be made out of this stuff.

So, as you start dreaming of the dog days and the outdoor fun they bring, consider your outdoor furniture situation. You don’t have to clean  out the hardware store’s supply of Rust-B-Gone every spring, and you don’t have to spend another post-barbecue evening scrubbing down the table. With maintenance-free outdoor furniture, all you have to do is get the hose!

Be sure to check out our sale on all maintenance-free outdoor furniture featuring up to 30% off and free shipping!

Expanding Your Home’s Square Footage Outdoors

Published on July 13, 2010 in HAYNEEDLE and PATIO & GARDEN. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

The Fourth of July weekend was filled with family, friends, sun and fun.  I enjoyed a nice balance celebrating each day with a different group of people.  I was also celebrating having completed my eight-webisode series for “Hayneedle Your Home with Eduardo Xol.”

I also helped to celebrate the culmination of the census for 2010.  I was asked by the mayor’s office of Los Angeles to be one of the 100 voices of the city to educate the public on getting counted.  I taped a public service announcement in both English and Spanish, and as it turns out, Los Angeles is the number one major city to turn out in terms of participation.  I’m proud to have performed my civic duty.  Here I am with the executive Director of LA Counts 2010 at the culmination party in downtown Los Angeles.

There was another reason to celebrate with my family recently.  My nephew, Rodrigo, graduated from kindergarten!  My family has definitely grown to understand the importance and value of an education, so we try to encourage my niece and nephew by celebrating their accomplishments whenever possible.  My niece, Monet, is a year ahead of my nephew. Monet, along with my sister Monica, will be making a guest appearance in an upcoming webisode.  She was wonderful to work with!

In webisode #5, “Expanding Your Home’s Square Footage Outdoors,” we shot at the home of a newlywed couple who I’m doing on outdoor makeover for. Here is a picture of their back patio space shortly after purchasing their home, but before I started putting my hands on it.

Since they already had the frame for the perfect outdoor patio, I convinced them to pour a new floor of a charcoal grey concrete while removing the planters.  Here is a view of the new newly poured patio.

As part of the master plan, I convinced the couple to add a pergola to cover the area and make it a an outdoor lounge, but the timing for shooting the webisode wouldn’t allow us to complete it in time. In the end, we broke up the project in two phases to fit the client’s schedule as well as mine.  I’ll be documenting the process in a “behind the scenes” how-to webisode later in the summer, so stay tuned for that.

For “Expanding Your Home’s Square Footage Outdoors”,  Michael Anthony Clements, who co-produced my summer web series with me, convinced me to hang sheer curtains as a way to frame the room and complement the Tahara All Weather Wicker Conversation Patio Set we used on the patio.  The results are beautiful!  Take a look!