Industry Expert, Agio, Gives 4 Tips on When and How to Get Ready for New Outdoor Furniture This Spring
SPRING 2017 – Always high on the list of springtime chores is to de-clutter or update our homes and living areas.
Agio, USA, a leader in the Outdoor Furniture industry, has cost-saving advice for homeowners thinking about improving their living spaces in the coming year: upgrading your outdoor room with a new collection of outdoor furniture provides a fresh new look without the expense of renovation construction.
“There’s really no formula as to when it’s time to redecorate your outdoor room,” said Mike Gaylord, vice president of Agio. “Homeowners sometime grow tired of a particular style or color scheme, or their needs or interests change,” he said. “It’s all a matter of personal choice.”
“However one of the best times to contemplate replacing outdoor furniture is now because summer will be here before you know it.”
Gaylord suggests homeowners take some time in early spring to think about what they’d like to do with their outdoor room in the coming year. “For example, when you entertained last year, were family members or guests crammed into too small a space?”
Another way to evaluate outdoor room needs are to look through photographs and notice how the space functioned during various occasions over the past year, according to Gaylord. “Was there one place where guests tended to gather more than any other? Was there enough furniture for everyone?”
Gaylord recommends that families should also consider how they’d like the outdoor space to perform in the next few years. “Will there be more occasions for family entertaining or socializing? Do our current pieces have the appropriate form and function for those gatherings? Conversely, will there be downsizing in the coming years as the ‘nest’ starts to empty?”
Next, think about what new piece they’ve been dreaming about – such as a fire element – and build a plan to feature that item in the outdoor room, Gaylord said. “Research the new 2017 collections online and get ideas from shelter or home improvement magazines,” he explained. “Then map out a plan to visit outdoor retailers to see the new product on showroom floors.”
Gaylord also suggests that while planning for the new furniture that will be used in the outdoor room, people should take steps to prepare or perfect the outdoor space. “If you’ve been meaning to repaint, install tiles or pavers, or change the patio doors from the home – now’s the perfect time.”
More ambitious homeowners may also consider immediate or near future needs for improved lighting, electrical tech upgrades such as outdoor speakers, flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi, or install special landscape focal points.
Finally, consider what to do with their present furniture. “Consider donating your present collection to resale organizations such as Goodwill or other charities,” Gaylord said. “You’ll be helping worthwhile agencies and supporting their causes – and perhaps gain a tax deduction – all while making room for an exciting new collection that will begin arriving in a few weeks.”
4 Tips for buying new outdoor furniture:
- Plan your ultimate outdoor room this spring — don’t wait until summer.
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Recognize the different options such as fire pit chat groups, deep seating groups and DIY collections; evaluate which options are right for your particular style.
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Determine a budget.
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- Make ready:
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Make room for your new furniture: Donate, hand-down, recycle, discard.
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Make necessary improvements: paint, rearrange, clean, landscape.
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Install technology, hardscape, wiring, new access doors or windows.
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- Picture this:
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Consider your family’s lifestyle and life-stage needs for the next 3 to 5 years.
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Research the new 2017 collections online.
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Consult shelter and home improvement magazines.
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Identify the “dream” element you MUST have this year.
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- Enjoy the process:
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Map out a plan to visit outdoor specialty retailers in your area.
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See and feel the new products on the showroom floors.
- Join a retailer’s mailing list or sign-up for manufacturer’s e-newsletter to gain inside information or advance warning when new products will be available for purchase.
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Donate your older outdoor collection and let someone else enjoy it too!
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SOURCE: Agio