How to Dress & Prep Your Outdoor Furniture

It’s that time of the year again, time to turn down those radiators and open those curtains for Spring is finally upon us. Longer days and warmer nights have been long-awaited, time to enjoy days in the garden and warm evenings in the conservatory. Unfortunately, at the time of writing the UK is currently in a full-scale lockdown, the Covid-19 virus has come at the worst possible time of the year when the sun is finally starting to show its face again. So, with plenty of time in the conservatory and hopefully (weather permitting) the garden, we have collected some tips on how to get your garden furniture ready for spring.

Get the hose out

No matter how weatherproof the garden furniture is the great outdoors will take its toll on your rattan garden furniture, moss and dirt will build up over time, if not covered over winter you will may also see fading, bird excrement (especially if left under a tree) and other creepy crawlies. All but one of these problems can be solved with a simple hose down, the waterproof material is easy to clean with a pressurized hose, cushions should have been stored over the winter and a simple wipe down with soapy water will freshen them up. Different tabletop materials will require different care maintenance, some wooden effect polly-tops may need a special solution (ask the company you purchased from) and never use sandpaper. Glass tops will wipe down as expected as will granite tops, finish with polish and a dry rag.

Once cleaned get the set out in the sun and wait for the frames to dry, now pop the cushions on and your good to go.

Note: We would recommend considering an Aero Cover TM if you are looking for the best protection over the winter, the more you look after your furniture, the more years you'll get out of it. Covers can be found here AreoCovers.

Finishing touches

Now the furniture is back at its best here are some ideas on how to dress the set to give it the wow factor. Accessorise, time to dress up the furniture to give it a personal touch, here are 5 simple idea on what you could use to take your furniture from drab to fab:

• Candleholders, preferably suitable for tealights as free standing candlesticks can produce a lot of hot wax and hot wax doesn’t do to well with fabrics and polyresin tops.
• Rustic blankets, time to get cosy and let’s be real we all know once it gets to 7pm a blanket doesn’t go amiss. Note: always carry spare blankets to minimise the chance of a brawl breaking out, besides, you can never have enough blankets.
• Cacti and succulents, one for the warmer weather you can't go wrong with adding a bit of nature to your table, just remember to bring them in unless a clear night is forecasted.
• Wine & champagne coolers, dresses the table and keeps your drinks cool, sounds like a no brainer.
• Scatter cushions, do not overlook the power of scatter cushions a look can be completely transformed by just a simple change in colour, print or shape. Floral and pastel colour will help to give your outdoor set a fresher spring look. Waterproof scatter cushions are available however the options are limited when it comes to colours and prints, indoor cushions are more widely available with a huge selection of designs (you just have to worry about bringing them in).

Need some inspiration? When it comes to cutting edge style look no further than Daro:

Personal touches make an outdoor space become apart of the home, having a space to be proud of is a satisfying feeling and is sure to get you and the family outside more. I’m sure we could all do with some vitamin C after what has been a trialling winter, so go outside and enjoy.