Making furniture out of wicker is not a recent phenomenon. It was in use even in ancient Egypt. However, making wicker patio furniture from synthetic fiber is comparatively a new trend, born out of necessity in the last century only. It is true that natural wicker produced furniture of unsurpassed beauty; but such furniture needed a lot of care and maintenance. They could tolerate neither the sun nor precipitation of any kind. They had to be shifted indoors whenever they were not in use. Though they were light, it proved to be a hassle and people started opting for other weatherproof materials.

Today, thanks to the scientific advancement, wicker furniture is back in the patios once more. However, they are now made with synthetic (mostly resin) fiber, instead from reeds, rattan or bamboo. Such synthetic wicker furniture has become very popular because they are:
-    as graceful as natural wicker
-    still very light and so can be shifted around in the patio
-    tough and can stand a lot of jumping around
-    weatherproof and so do not need to be stored indoors
-    easy to clean and needs a wipe or a wash with a hosepipe at the most

Most wicker patio furniture comes with fitting cushions, but they also need to be replaced after a couple of years. Actually, an outdoor cushion is not for human use only. It is also as much for your pets as for the pigeons, robins and swallows that come visiting everyday. Well, well, well, have I touched a raw nerve? If the birds do not call, you need to invite them. Buy a birdbath and start providing food for them and they will soon start visiting your patio on their own.

However, you need to stay prepared in case they take your hospitality for granted start perching on the cushions. Outdoor cushions should be easy to clean, easy to dry, but hard to fade and to tear. They are generally made with the same material the patio umbrella canopies are made from and therefore you will not find it hard to match them with your patio umbrella. Moreover, they are generally filled with polyester materials and so drying them after an accidental or intentional soak is easy.

The patio umbrellas come in variety of shapes, round, square, oval or octagonal. They can have their pole in the centre or at one side. The frames can be made of wood, resin, fiberglass, aluminum, stainless steel etc. Resin umbrellas will go well with your wicker patio furniture because that too is basically made from resin. However, if you want umbrellas that you can tilt, you will have to opt for metal like aluminum or steel. If you on the hand live in a windy area, go either for teak umbrella or for fiberglass umbrella.

Fiberglass is a unique material. It flexes, but does not break. You must have noticed that more than anything else, the rib arms of the patio umbrella give in to the fury of Mother Nature first. Truly, it is not always possible to close the umbrella in time. The rib arms made with fiberglass absorb the force of the wind instead of trying to fight it. As a result, after the storm is over, you will find it standing proud and tall, while your neighbors’ patio umbrellas are lying maimed and broken.

High wind used to be dangerous for outdoor heaters too, especially ones that are portable and are not fixed on the ground. However, now with anti-tilting mechanism incorporated in the designs they have become a little safer. The anti-tilting mechanism automatically puts off the heater as it is tilted. This makes it safe even from accidental push. However, you must locate your outdoor heater in a place, which is away from the direct path of the wind to minimize heat loss. More over, such a location is necessary if your heater has an open flame, or unless you are very careful, there is a chance of the flame catching some inflammable material.

Patio decoration has a come a long way since the days of our parents. With so many new products coming into the market you have a wider choice, but at the same time you have more likely to be conned. Therefore, take time to search for the right product and to see that the company delivers what it promises. Be cautious and you are going to win.