If you want to lay in the chair for long periods of time, there is nothing like the thick pads! I love modern, but also want REALLY inviting chairs to sit in, so will give up the look a little and just get with cushions. Yes, sling easy to hose down and dries fast. The latest is the built in pads- that is the latest look by far. Brown Jordan expensive but if you can do it and would love them- go for it. Otherwise, Costco has tons. I also am insisting on having arm rests for comfort! No wicker- too many spider webs and spiders!! Best of luck. Oh I would avoid curve and circular arm rests and design and go for more contemporary clean straighter lines for a crisp non dated look. Take some pictures when you're done!

tiffeslan, I have a baja shelf/tanning ledge on my pool that's big enough for two loungers. It's a new construction and our first year with the salt water pool. My first two concerns were ensuring that the lounger was all plastic so we wouldn't have to worry about corrosion and making sure that they weren't rediculously wide or heavy. I take my loungers in and out of the shelf area and move them to the deck area depending on if I want in the water or not at the time. I found a few options. Some that were $200+ from various online retailers ($300+ for same ones at my local outdoor/pool stores), or some basic white plastic lounge chairs from HomeDepot (Adams is the brand I believe). We've had them for about 3 months now and they're never covered. They sit in direct sunlight for about 13 hours a day right now. They're light so I can move them really easily, but heavy enough that they don't blow around in the wind (Oklahoma gets windy). Best part, they are cheap enough that if my kids tear them up I'm not going to be as mad at them as I would if they cost me $200+ each. You're thinking may be different than mine, but for the price they hit all the functions I needed.

Overwhelmed by the options and unclear what's good or not. We want a modern, sleek look and COMFY cushions. Any thoughts?

remove the chaise to a bedroom for reclining. Add a pair of solid leather lounge chairs in a scale that works with the lines and height of the sofa. The sofa should be on longest wall opposite the TV for best viewing, the lounge chairs can be on either end of the sofa facing each other and the small tufted chairs on either side of the TV on an angle to face into the room...or ssofa face the TV, pair of lounge chairs on short wall where the tufted chairs are now, side by side at 90 degreee angle to the sofa and the pair of tufted chairs opposite the lounge chairs on the other side of the sofa.....but pics of chairs and sofa would be helpful.