Fundamentals of Restaurant Patio Furniture

Aesthetics seems to be the single most important factor to most people when purchasing commercial patio furniture. Understandably, people want furniture with a style that reflects their tastes, décor and brand the best. However, low quality patio furniture that doesn’t last, is very uncomfortable or that you are not happy with in the long run negate its visual appeal – giving you more than what you bargained for. Buying a “cheaper alternative” can be a very expensive mistake with mounting costs of constant replacement and repair for the furniture’s maintenance. Fanciful patio furniture is crucial but there are other major considerations to account for:

• Measuring your patio space to determine what and how much you can fit.
• Furniture type and style that will harmonize your venue’s interior and exterior.
• Versatility, weather-resistance, strength, and easy storage.
• How much maintenance is required.
• What your budget can afford.
• Best time to buy

Figuring out your general patio seating needs is foremost to making the right purchases. What kind of outdoor dining space you want to create? Do you want an outdoor kitchen area or do you want to create a place for people to lounge outside over cocktails on summer nights? Measuring your current space can help you calculate the number of guests you can accommodate. Sturdy patio tables and chairs are recommended for formal outdoor dining areas. For a casual outdoor lounge, you can use patio lounge chairs and side tables.

Not all patios are the same. Each patio/outdoor commercial setting possess its unique constellations of characteristics. These features are relative to the existing space, the layout, and how the furniture is arranged. Just as you would draw a restaurant floor plan for your indoor dining room, you should also keep your patio size in mind. Bulky outdoor restaurant furniture would not augur well in a tiny patio. Select items that fit well in your existing space. Consider your patio designing process akin to how director would view the creation of a theater’s stage set. Props and scenery are purposely positioned at specific points to support the story of the show. So does the commercial patio furniture you select and where you place them speaks in high volumes about your outdoor dining space.

Space planning is an interior design term that best describes how a patio is created. If you decide to enlist help with your patio layout from a commercial designer, he/she will gather all the relevant information for the site including your expectations and preferences for how and what you want to use your outdoor restaurant for. A preliminary patio layout plan set in place will allow you to virtually put yourself into that space as well as envision the seating plan your designer created for you. This is especially important if you are using built-in amenities that are fixed as they cannot be rearranged later on. With portable amenities however, you can have a better understanding how seasonal changes will impact your furniture and the overall patio.