Preparing Your Outdoor Spaces for Winter
For some parts of the world, the sunny summer months are almost over, which means prepping our outdoor spaces for the long winter months. While there might still be plenty of time, it’s never too late to source items to help you prepare for winter. While you can prep both indoors and outdoors for the colder months of hibernation, we really want to focus on closing up and protecting your outdoor living spaces. This is where teak and cushions live and while they may be outdoor-friendly, weather-resistant materials, they still need some care and protection to serve you for years to come. Here are our best tips and items to help you prepare your outdoor spaces for winter.
Is My Teak Furniture Weather-Proof?
The short answer is yes. However, teak is a natural material subject to natural decay and weathering. Over the years, teak will lose its warm, golden hue and take on a patina. This patina is often loved by teak owners, but some want to keep the fresh, gold finish. Whichever you prefer, your teak furniture will still benefit from an annual oiling to strengthen and restore the wood.
Read our full teak furniture care guide for more information on managing your teak furniture. Make this your first step of preparing your outdoor spaces for the winter months.
Preparing Your Outdoor Spaces for Winter
As you know, it’s incredibly important to take care of every area of your home. When you are carefully curating your furniture and selecting pieces you intend to pass down for generations, you’ll want to take a day to prepare your outdoor spaces for every season.
3 Tips for Wintering Your Patio Area
We’re not just talking about furniture here, but rather the whole space. Everywhere you enjoy being during the summer can use some trimming and clean up before you hide away for the winter.
- Clear debris and clean surfaces. Give your patio a good scrub or and power wash areas that have gathered dirt, algae, and leaves. Wipe down and oil your furniture and give your umbrella a good wash. Clear up the debris that has gathered around the edges of your patio, pick up sticks, keep up with leaf removal, get rid of cobwebs, straighten out wood piles, and pull weeds.
- Close outdoor cooking spaces and firepits. If you have a pizza oven, grill, or fire feature, take the appropriate steps to cover them or move them indoors. Depending on where you live and how intense your winters are, you may want to consider metal covers for firepits, canvas covers for grills or removing the items completely and storing them in a shed.
- Put away umbrellas and cushions. Two items that might really suffer in the colder weather are umbrellas and cushions. While outdoor fabrics are specially made to be weather-resistant and resilient, they still have their limits. By storing them in a box, bringing them inside, and place covers over them, you can better ensure the longevity of these items.
Items to Help You Prepare Your Furniture for Winter
Brands that specialize in modern outdoor furniture know the importance of keeping it safe. Which is why they’ve created pieces to make sure your furniture is properly stored for winter.
Combine Cushion Box
The Cane Line Combine Cushion Box comes in two sizes to perfectly accommodate any number of cushions you may have. This is a fantastic box to keep around all year long to store cushions when they’re not in use. The aluminum frame has soft edges and curved lines that complement the beauty and warmth of the teak slats that wrap around the whole box. It’s beautiful and durable and keeps your outdoor cushions safe all year long.
Umbrella Cover
Skagerak by Fritz Hansen produces beautiful outdoor umbrellas that we love to see paired with teak dining tables and modern lounge spaces. But when you’re no longer being blasted by summer sun, tuck the umbrella into the Umbrella Cover and store it in a shed or garage. Available in a round or squared shape, the umbrella cover can accommodate a variety of umbrella sizes, so even if you haven’t purchased a Skagerak umbrella, you’ll still be able to use it.
Lounge Chair Outdoor Cover
The iconic 101 Copenhagen Toe Chair is available in an outdoor, sunproof fabric. Which means 101 Copenhagen also has a Lounge Chair Outdoor Cover to keep it safe. The PVC coating ensures the chair does not get soaked when it rains or snows while the polyester is durable enough to withstand all other elements and keeps the dirt and debris away. The size of this cover also means it could easily fit over other chairs.
Protective Cover - Desert 3-seater
Though crafted for the slim and modern Desert Sofa, the Protective Cover can fit over other outdoor sofas as well. Crafted from 100% waterproof polyester with a PU coating, it’s designed to withstand all weather conditions. An elasticated drawstring with a stopper ensures a secure fit and makes it easy to remove or pack away when not in use.
Find Everything You Need for Modern Outdoor Living
Now’s the time to start thinking about your outdoor furniture and how it can stay safe over the winter. While outdoor furniture is designed to withstand the elements, it still needs some TLC and protection against severe conditions. And, if it’s not in use, it’s best to pack it away. Not only does this help preserve it, but it signifies a change in season and inspires deep cleans and resets as we all move with the tides and time.
Find everything you need for modern outdoor living at HORNE. Between our collection of outdoor lounge furniture and the items needed to winter them, we help ensure your outdoor spaces are protected, beautiful, and offer comfort and style for years.
Explore related collections, including Pendant Lights, Modern Pendant Lighting, and Lighting, and visit our design guides for a broader point of view.
