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Patio Furniture Design Basics

Patio Furniture Design Basics

Posted by Zing Patio on Dec 7th 2020

Whether we’re talking game room furniture in Fort Myers or outdoor furniture in Fort Myers, there’s a common thread: designers are in high demand here. Why is this the case? It’s basic in the grand scheme of things. Everyone wants the perfect space to relax and entertain in, but design and style can be challenging for the layman to fully comprehend. Complicating the issue is that design isn’t a case where you can plug in one concept or design. Every single facet needs to be covered here in order for things to work. Because of that, here are all the different fundamentals you need to work out before you head over to start buying pieces of your own.

Functionality and More For Patio Furniture in Fort Myers, FL

As a start, let’s keep basic functionality in mind when talking about your purchases. By function, we mean exactly what a given piece should do, such as a hammock to rest in or chairs to seat your guests. Something that you don’t want to forget here is that decisions you end up making here can end up impacting function as well as aesthetics. How does this work out in practice? Think of it almost like programming. When you pick a piece, you want something that matches a given area’s aesthetic and practical identity. For example, if you went into any store, you would be able to tell the difference between the sales floor and checkout area, right? Furniture communicates function to visitors.

Another thing that goes along with function is the idea of planning space. This basically means allocating a certain interior for different activities you have planned out. As a result, you need to take essential time in order to determine where pieces you buy are going to end up going. This means that your space gets the most possible use. For example, let’s talk about an outside kitchen. Just like something indoors, handling foot traffic is important. If you have only a small space to work with but end up with a big kitchen island, you may have some functionality, but this cuts down on your space so much, it’s not worth it. This concept is known as circulation in design.

While we’re on this topic, it’s also important to mention the work that gets done to create a proper sense of order in a set space. This means you have to combine elements of 3-D and 2-D aesthetics alike when you arrange furniture. With that said, these aren’t the only design elements that come into place here. Arrangements may also be made based on factors like scale, size, and proportion. These create a sense of balance, even if things don’t end up completely symmetrical. This matters. Imagine if you went into a backyard where all the furniture was on one size.

Lighting may not be as important outside as it is for interior settings, but we should also mention it. It may surprise you exactly what lighting can do for a given piece of furniture. In the right light, the color, lines, and texture can look entirely different. Want to handle this appropriately? Be sure that your swatches are prepped and that you can test them beneath various lighting setups. This will help make sure that you see how the different elements look at every time of day. There are four main lighting types that come up here: natural lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, and mood lighting.

Formation, Lines, and Other Factors

Are you still trying to put this all together? Well, there’s still more to go. Lines are a key example here. All types of lines, vertical, horizontal, and dynamic, are the fundamentals for any shape/form in a given space. Not to mention, they play a key role in how an area looks overall. How does this roll out in practice? A horizontal design does a lot to create a sense of stability. If you opt for vertical lines, this helps create a natural look and general freedom. If you choose dynamic lines; instead, you have a lot of movement and energy that can match with color/pattern choices.

This is also a good time to try and talk about form. Form, in this case, is the shape of a given space and what you end up putting in it in terms of pieces. This also covers the different line shapes in a given space. Be sure to consider the proportions of a given space versus what you add to make sure that you don’t run low with the freedom of movement or end up overwhelming yourself. You want to strike a balance. If you have similar forms in a given area, you can create harmony. Too much variety can make things seem jumbled or cluttered. Other shapes in place create effects, like how circles soften an area.

Color matters a lot here, also. However, the subject is more nuanced than you think. As an example, simply shifting your color and doing nothing else for some pieces can radically change the feeling of a space. Calm suddenly becomes vibrant, or vice versa. If you choose darker pieces, you can end up making a given space seem smaller than it actually is. However, you can combat this by implementing colors in objects/features. Color also helps connect customized pieces with other objects nearby. This is due to color psychology, which helps link colors with sensations. Green, by nature, is calming, for example.

Finally, we should consider textured fabrics and patterns. Patterns are closely tied to colors, and these help link your entire space together. This can mean combining how you paint, the fabrics you use, and more. Texture has two main subcategories, actual and physical. This is a texture that you see visually versus tactile textures. Changing things up here can shift the feel of patio furniture in Fort Myers quite a bit.