The calendar is busily at work, announcing to the world that summer is just around the corner. A wave of nostalgia washes over me. In my mind's eye I am traveling back 50 years, going from "snapshot" to "snapshot." We were a typical middle-class family living in suburbia. Everything was simple and people were happy.
Within this frame of happiness, we did a lot of things together as a family, using the best of the outdoors. No matter where my mind's eye went, it seems to me that some form or another of outdoor furniture figured prominently. At the beach watching the waves. On our asphalt driveway, my father, following his weekly ritual of barbecuing while he and my uncle would cheer at the Los Angeles Dodgers' game tinnily blaring from a transistor radio. Probably my favorite "snapshot" was sitting on our backyard patio, talking with my grandfather or just sitting there, watching him smoke his beloved cigars and thumb through his foreign language newspapers. We cannot forget the fabric and aluminum hammock taking the place of honor on our screened-in porch. What a haven that was. I read countless books while occupying that hammock, hiding from sweltering summer afternoons. It was such a treat when Mom allowed me to sleep there overnight when the heat was simply too much for a person to endure inside.
And what was the common denominating factor tying all these experiences together? Folding aluminum outdoor furniture. There seemed to be a folding aluminum chair tucked away here, there, and everywhere, from our garage to the far corner of our huge backyard.
Now, 50 years later, the array of outdoor furniture is positively staggering. The choices have metamorphosed from the basic aluminum folding chairs and chaise lounges to whatever your mind can conceive.
In the 21st century, outdoor furniture has become quite sophisticated. The materials used are endless. Do you want as chair of bamboo or of teak? Perhaps you might wish for a more "countrified" or natural look. Woods filling this bill include cedar, redwood, and maple. Or, in a flight of whimsy, you would like to experiment, using some very less known woods such as balau, ipe, jarre, or kempas which are known for their resistance to warpage and rot, are fairly hard, and have a fine grain. All of a sudden your backyard is no longer mundane but filled with all sorts of textural and visual delights.
How about metal-based lawn furniture? At one time, metal chairs were made of aluminum. That was your sole choice. Rather in a rut? Now, not only is basic aluminum used; it is available in extruded, cast, and wrought forms. It is such a popular metal because of its exaggerated lightness, and is so strong it is used in the construction of jets, as well as being corrosion resistant and durable. Wrought iron is another popular material for outdoor furniture. It is lovely to look at with its intricate filigree work but horrendous to lift because of its tremendous weight. Once a piece of wrought iron furniture has been set in its place in your yard, it is wise to plan upon leaving it there permanently unless there are mitigating circumstances.
The last major group of materials that might be of interest in the construction of outdoor furniture is truly miscellaneous. It is here that the design of your furniture is only limited by your dreams. Plastic or vinyl give a casual look, decidedly appropriate for use around your swimming pool. Inflatable vinyl can be blown up to make child-sized chairs. Beanbag chairs can be fun, too. Wicker is slightly more formal, depending upon which plant material is used in the weaving. Benches can be made from concrete but again, once they are placed, it is doubtful you will want to rearrange them. Hammocks can also add a different look, from tropical to being simply fasted between two trees, swinging gently in the breeze.
