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Porches & Decks Design Dilemma

furniture choice and placement around new outdoor fireplace and patios

3 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Really need some help here to decide what furniture to buy for these three outdoor areas. Husband has just completed the build of the fireplace. He will put his grill out there next to it. We were thinking lights strung up in the tree over it, and place two poles on the opposite side of the round patio to string a triangle of lights. For furniture husband likes cedar anderondak chairs, maybe two singles and a double love seat rocker. Maybe coffee table or side tables? But where? He wants to build a picnic table that collapses to make two benches. And what to put in front on the patio in front of porch and on the upper deck. It has access only through the house. Help, Ideas.

Comments (7)

lemwin
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you. I appreciate your input. I think we are pretty set on cedar chairs for the round patio...fits our style a bit more. The design question is more about placement, what sizes and shapes of chairs...for all three outdoor spaces. How to tie together
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
3 years ago

Don't do rockers select gliders instead they are more soothing IMO.

Select round accent end tables because they fit better with all the square seating.
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The TV is too large for where it's at now. It obviously does not fit so it's kind of an eyesore. In front of the window is not good as daylight backlighting is hard on the eyes. Maybe you don't regularly watch TV during the day, but there will be weekend sports events. I would put the TV on the wall opposite the window. Get a carpenter to make the TV nook match the bookcase on the other side of the fireplace. My feelings about the mantle and shelves is that the wood is too light. The black of the fireplace and that overwhelming TV make me want to paint the wood black, too. You would also need to paint the top of the half wall between the family and dining rooms, and that would also match the color of your dining chairs. However, I don't know how this might impact the other side of your dining room and whatever else might be visually connected to these rooms. I see no reason to change out the tile around the firebox, the color matches your walls and floor and you did not mention painting the room. I am loathe to suggest overly large pieces of furniture. They tend to limit design. If you want a chaise, get a chaise rather than a couch with a chaise. I prefer to mix sofas with chairs. Balance two chairs and a table against the visual weight of a sofa and its coffee table. You have two vents under the window that should NOT be covered. If you put a sofa there move it out from the window, and behind it put a sofa table that won't block the airflow. Such a large window could be a good place for an indoor tree. I hope you choose a colored sofa (love the color on the back of your bookcase) and perhaps even some patterned chairs. I am so tired of taupe on taupe. As a general rule sofas and chairs are 36" deep. A chair is usually 30-36" wide. Loveseats will be 60-72"' wide and sofas will be 72-84" wide. The variation in width can be attributed to the size of the arm rests and styling. Measure each of your walls. Then take your tape measure with you when you shop so you can measure how large each piece is before you buy it. Large furniture can look small in a huge showroom.
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Okay: This is what I came up with! Of course, the way you use this space is EVERYTHING. I created two separate seating areas - divided by a "dining" area. One being an outdoor sectional which could be around either an additional fire pit, coffee table, or even ottomans. Near the fireplace/TV is a teak set - a sofa, two chairs, and coffee table. It also depends if you plan on bringing a grill onto the porch as well! Below are the exact pieces I used in the layout:
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lemwin
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes. That last one is exactly what husband wants to build. But should it go on round patio? Or up on the other patio near the house?
calidesign
3 years ago
I'd use four Adirondack chairs with a small round coffee table on the round patio by the fireplace. Find another place for the BBQ closer to the house and not interfering with the fireplace area - maybe on a pad near the A/C unit. Place a table under your balcony, and use a few lounge chairs on the upper balcony for the view.
lemwin
Original Author
3 years ago
Our grill is going to go next to the fireplace I think, on one of the sides with his grill tolls etc. underneath. Putting the table under the balcony is a little far away from cooking area and kitchen, which is through house on right side. Also, it it your opinion that four single chairs is better than a double glider and two singles?
calidesign
3 years ago
I think 4 chairs are more functional, but you won't have room for the seating on the round patio if you're also putting a grill there, unless you put the grill off the side in the dirt area. I don't understand why you'd want the grill in the fireplace area at all. There are a lot of places closer to the house to put a grill.
lemwin
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Oh dear. Now I see why the confusion. Husband wasn’t quite finished with the build of fireplace when I took the picture. In this picture you can see fireplace better With the side boxes. It will have two side boxes...one for fire wood. One for the grill and tools stored inside the box. But you are correct, many places near house to put the grill. Then carry food to wherever we put an eating table. The issue with the patio near house is there is bright hot sun especially summer evenings, and it obstructs our beautiful view from inside the house. This picture is from right outside our bedroom, which was going to be screened in but we decided we don’t need the screen.

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