If you can utilize it properly, a patio is not just an open space adjacent to your home; it is an outdoor room, as much part of the house as your bedroom or living room is. Therefore, how you use the space determines how you should decorate it. Sometimes, it is treated as an extension of the adjacent room and sometimes very differently so as to make a clean break. Sometimes the decor is based on a theme; sometimes it is centered on a focal point.

There is no hard and fast rule. However, a patio generally has a bright and gay decor with lots of colors thrown in from every direction. Patio cushions and patio umbrellas play a big part in bringing in those colors though potted plants and other knick-knacks are no less important. The right color scheme goes a long way in creating the right decor for any room and the patio is not an exception either. Choose the color scheme carefully to make the place comfortable for both the body and the mind.

However, for making both the body and the mind comfortable, the patio cushions have a larger part to play. While their vivid color and designs make them aesthetically pleasing for the eyes, their actual utility lies in making your session comfortable. Therefore, their thickness and the material used in creating such thickness are of prime importance. Besides, as these cushions are primarily for outdoor use they should be weather resistant as well as dust and dirt resistant.

Therefore, let us talk about the features we must look into before buying such cushions:

The color scheme should blend well with the decor and it should be bright, not jarring.

The outer covering should be made from fade resistant material as well.

To make it weatherproof, both the outer covering and interior filling should be made from polyester so that even if it becomes accidentally drenched it does not take much time to dry up.

Make sure that the outer material is strain proof, dust and dirt resistant.

They should also be tear resistant.

Remember human being is not the only species who will be using these patio cushions. Unless you are very very careful, birds and rodents like squirrel will also have equal right on them. They will not only leave their droppings and pug marks on them; their claws can also leave a hole in them. That is why every cushion should be made from easy to clean and easy to dry material that is tear resistant as well. As for the fillings, each cushion can be filled with 3″ of foam, wrapped with 2 oz of poly fill blanket. This will also improve the shape as well as the softness.

Alternately, the patio can be filled with 4″ of foam and wrapped with 1″ of poly fill blanket. The possibilities are unlimited. In fact, whatever direction you look, you are faced with unlimited possibilities and that makes the choice even harder. Take the example of patio heaters for instance. There are so many types of them and even if you narrow down say to propane patio heaters, the variation does not really decrease much.

If you want to enjoy the bounties of nature through out the year, you must have a patio heater installed in your patio, backyard or whatever free space you have. Most parts of the Northern American continent are too chilly for that. The greatest advantage of having a propane patio heater is that it is cent percent portable. As the fuel tank is located in its base, fuel supply is not at all a headache. You can take it wherever you want. Moreover, of all the patio heaters, none is as eco friendly and cheap as this.

The patio heaters come in different capacity. Look at its BHU to know how much area it is capable of heating. Smaller ones with lower BHU are good for smaller patios. Tabletop propane patio heaters are adequate for two of you to sit close to each other looking up at the azure sky, dreaming dreams or even for you to work hard to meet a deadline. Working does not become a chore if you take it outside. However, if you have a larger family to warm up, buy larger heaters with greater BTU. Buy after deliberation,; you will not be a loser.

Author Bio: Article by Kenny Leichester of PatioShoppers.com, a website with the best aluminum umbrella and artificial Christmas tree information on the web.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: patio cushions, propane patio heaters