Mention outdoor furnishing and immediately some pictures come to mind – you and your guests comfortably sitting under the starry, starry night with some drinks, enjoying the soft, evening breeze and companionship.  Then imagine the same scenario but you and your guests getting damp from a slight shower and feeling the cold, hoping the gathering will end soon so you can rush home for a warm bath.  You would definitely wish you had some kind of shelter overhead, at least, like patio umbrellas.
That second scenario could actually come true if your outdoor space were not equipped to brave the outdoors.  With just a few essentials, your patio can be the perfect space to hang out in.  One of those essentials includes outdoor heaters.
These are important to have at the outdoor area you want to utilize especially if you live in a seasonal country.  Even if you did not have all four seasons to contend with, living in the tropics which have just two different types of weather (namely the hot season and the rainy one) is enough to justify some form of comfort-giving shelter like patio umbrellas.  If you live with the four seasons, then outdoor heaters are a must in autumn and winter, and even on some chilly spring nights.
You can choose from heaters that are built-into your outdoor space or ones that are portable.  The latter give you more freedom in moving them around so they are closer to your more fragile guests.  However, they tend to be less powerful than the fixed ones.  Normally, standing heaters are used as their heating elements are high up to allow the heat can emanate downwards and warm up the whole area.  This also reduces the amount of warmth that is lost in the process.
Other ways of making your outdoor space comfortable are:
1.    Ensuring that you do not “clog” up the space.  This means not too many pieces of furniture or accessories, no matter how pretty or prettily they match.  This includes adding pashminas to couches or overdecorating your cushions.  Outdoor furnishing should allow lots of fresh air and the natural elements to dominate that space.
2.    Adding a personal touch.  You could put a colorful vase or pot that you made or display a quilt that has a couple of “wrong” stitches here and there.  The beauty of outdoor furnishing is that the pieces themselves do not each have to be perfect – they act more as complements to the area that they are in.  The more natural elements there are around (more trees, lakes, ponds), the less perfect your furnishings can afford to be.
3.    Knowing when to stop increasing the comfort level.  Yes, you want everyone to be cozy and comfy but knowing when to stop will restrict you from unnecessary buying and spending.  A clear example is having more than one outdoor heater or putting too many cushions on your outdoor furniture your guests can hardly find space to seat themselves.
Choosing the appropriate type of furniture is also important.  Outdoor furniture has to be able to withstand harsh climate conditions and long-lasting so choosing durable material must be a priority.  You have a choice of wood, plastic, bamboo, rattan or wicker, just to name a few.  Of these, wood furniture is the most popular as they are the ones that fit in the outdoor surroundings best.  Rattan and bamboo come a close second as they are really hardy (most rattan furniture sets even come with warranties) and can be fashioned into lots of different pieces.  All three, however, are pretty costly as they are valuable resources.
If you want the beauty of these furniture without their high cost, you should consider outdoor wicker.  Wicker is a combined manufactured result of some kinds of bamboo and some elements of plastic. Thus, it is both hardy and long-lasting, while flexible enough to be modeled into armchairs, coffee tables, pots, rocking chairs, baskets and lampshades.  Being a very durable material, using outdoor wicker in commercial places is a good investment as it does not spoil easily and requires little maintenance.
Outdoor wicker is also easy to refurbish, when necessary.  A little paint work is all that is needed and even with a few scratches here and there, your wicker will look none the worse for wear.