Monthly Archives: April 2012

Outdoor Furniture Seattle vs. Miami

Seattle

Seattle

Does Seattle have more patio furniture than Miami? May be so….

My older brother who lives in Seattle invited us for a weekend in Seattle. It’s great because I will get to spend my 40th birthday with family. However we live in Miami and it’s kind of scary to go up north during winter months. It’s April but forecast still showed cold temperatures for the weekend. We packed our winter clothes and off we go.

After landing in Seattle we figured it wasn’t that cold. It gets a little cold at nights but during the day it was really nice and warm. My brother kept saying that we are lucky because all 4 days we were there were all sunny. My brother lives with his wife and his son in Bellevue. They live in a very nice neighborhood where all the houses have patios, backyards and even balconies on their second floors.  I’m surprised to see furniture on every balcony, patio or backyard. It looks like people really like outdoors here. In Miami most balconies are empty.

 

I have written a previous blog about South Florida balconies. Walking around in Bellevue I saw people enjoying their balconies or patios. During our stay we went to Kirkland, Fairmont, Redmond, Seattle, Bothell and it was the same story for all of them. Nice houses with patios and nice apartment buildings with balconies. And all these patio and balconies have furniture almost without exception. That’s amazing. On one side you have Seattle where it rains most part of the year and temperatures are cold in winter months and on the other hand you have Miami where it rains a fraction of days than Seattle and temperatures are much warmer year round. So how would anyone explain this? Are we Miamians unsocial losers who like to sit home and watch baseball or are Seattleites showing off their affection for good weather? I think that’s it. Since weather is not good most of the time they just want to be ready when it’s good and sunny. They have their patio dining sets, balcony furniture and barbecues ready so that they can spend time when the nice days of spring and summer show up. On the other hand Miamians have the good weather no matter what so they tend to ignore the fact that they can spend time in their balcony and patio. I guess it’s like having a pool and never using it and wanting to use a pool when you don’t have it.

Seattle Space Needle

Seattle Space Needle

Seattle is a great city with lots of outdoor enthusiasts. You see people jogging, walking outdoors. Downtown Seattle and Pike Market is bustling with locals and tourists. Views of mountains, lakes and the ocean are amazing. Food is good. Their only complaint is weather. From what I saw they live a more outdoor life than South Floridians. That’s for sure. Their obsession with outdoors proves itself on their patio furniture. Every balcony, every patio and every backyard is furnished with chairs, dining sets, grills, deep seating sets, rockers and what not. So, may be we should move our business to Seattle or at least we should visit more often to look around and get ideas of what people buy.

Our 4 day trip Seattle was one of the best trips I had for many years. We are on our way back to Miami and the outdoor furniture phenomenon is still bugging my mind. I should do some further research into the Seattle Miami patio comparison. May be I can call some Seattle customers?

Patio Dining Sets under the Magnifier 2012 – Part 1

Its the 2012 spring season and spring has sprung already. Once Easter passes than it’s all about the upcoming summer. This is when you start to plan for family gatherings in your home. I’m sure you have read some of the checklists I wrote for  getting ready for the summer. As you can see on those checklists you have to decide if you need a new patio dining set for your patio. May be you just need a few extra chairs or a larger table but my guess is you want to buy a brand new dining set. We have a list of patio dining setsthat can please your taste and your wallet. I decided to put these dining sets under the magnifier and provide some more insight so you’ll make a more educated decision.

Ibiza Wickerlook Patio Dining Arm Chairs in Brown
 

Miami 7 Piece Patio Dining Set: This set is from the wickerlook resin furniture. The table is 71 inches long with a tinted glass top. Chairs are armless but stackable for storage. Both chairs and table resemble wicker furniture but they are made with woven-looking resin which is extremely durable. Table weighs about 75 lbs. with the glass top. If you want to make it heavier you can fill the hollow legs with sand or small rocks. Each leg has levelers for uneven surfaces. This patio dining set is new for 2012 and seems to be one of customers favorites.

Euro 7 Piece Patio Dining Set: Recycled plastic slats with white aluminum frames makes this new dining set one to consider. Table top, chair seat and back slats are available in 13 colors. Polywood recycled plastic is heavy and durable. Colorful option for a modern look. If you are looking for a simple design with color options than this dining set is the one. Archairs are stackable. Table has a hole for umbrella.

Novara 5 Piece Patio Dining Set : Cast aluminum frames with bold and wide frames makes this collection unique among more traditional cast aluminum dining sets. Table is 54 inches in diameter. Chairs are wide and deep. Comfortable choice for cast aluminum lovers. Estate sized dining set is perfect for year round outdoor use.

Miami 5 Piece Patio Dining Set: White wickerlook dining set with four Ibiza chairs. Woven looks and a classy glass top table. Chairs are stackable. Cushions can make the chairs more comfortable but they are just fine without any cushions. Cleaning is a breeze by hosing down with water. White patio dining sets are very hard to find. This is a great choice for white lovers.