We live in a society where most people spend their time in these isolated bubbles staring at plasma screens, admiring HD images of nature, when all we have to do is just spend a little time outdoors and gaze at the sky to realize that we are living on this amazing planet hurtling through space at more than a million miles an hour and then maybe have a nap.

Eat a meal outdoors, have a cup of coffee, lie down, catch some rays, breathe some fresh air, and break the routine of getting up in the morning, getting in your car, driving to work, spending half the day in the office, and drive back home only to spend more time indoor.

I know most people feel safe and cozy on their living room couch, but you can create that same feel in your outdoor space. All it takes is the right furniture like an outdoor daybed, to turn your back yard into a lounge heaven.

Before you go shopping for outdoor furniture, whether it’s dining chairs, armchairs, coffee tables, outdoor daybed, deckchairs, and so on, there are a number of things you need to consider.

First you need to get the right size of furniture for your garden. Even if it’s a really small one, there is always a solution. Anyway, make sure you don’t block any doors and you can navigate around your garden without having to shuffle chairs out of your way. If you want to save on storage space, you might want to get furniture that is easy to move around and can be folded or stacked to take up minimum space.

Next, you should consider the materials. This is very important because your outdoor furniture will be constantly exposed to the elements and it needs to be highly resistant and durable. After all, buying furniture is an investment and you want to use it for a long time.

Materials such as aluminum, steel, and iron are always a good choice, especially for frame constructions. Aluminum is lightweight, rust resistant, and durable. Steel is is stronger than aluminum, but also heavier. And iron is the strongest and heaviest material, but unlike the previous two, it tends to rust and might need occasional paint jobs.

Wood is a natural material that looks really good, but it requires more maintenance in order to protect it from the elements.

Plastic is cheap, lightweight, easy to clean and can be moulded into different shapes but it tends to break easily.

My personal favourite is wicker. It is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use, it is very durable, lightweight, and works very well with cushions which brings me to the last thing you need to consider when buying outdoor furniture.

Cushions allow you to make your furniture much more comfortable and change the entire look without having to replace an entire piece. Outdoor cushions come in a wide range of colours and you can mix and match them however you want. They are also water resistant, fade resistant, and washable.

URL: www.milandirect.com.au