Patio Furniture

Having someplace warm to gather around in the backyard is essential. This guide looks at the difference between fireplaces vs outdoor heaters and more.

Summer is, without a doubt, my favourite time of year. In fact, I’m such a summer girl that I’ve often wondered why I haven’t moved myself to a more temperate climate where the hot days and warm nights stick around for longer than a few months. But perhaps it’s precisely the short shelf life we have on summers here in Canada that makes me itch to spend as much of them outside as possible.

   In many parts of Canada, patio season is coming fairly soon. In others (namely BC), it’s already a! If you enjoy sitting out on your deck relaxing, barbecuing, shooting the breeze with friends, listening to music, or whatever, click on through for a few ideas on how to make your outdoor space more functional. With some of the ideas you’ll find here drawing you outside, you may never want to enter your home again!

How do you liven up your outdoor living space so that it's not just a plain jane deck? You can create the ultimate patio with patio furniture and décor.

If a patio is created and no one posts about it on Instagram, does it even exist at all? That’s one question that I’d love to be able to answer for you, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to test any theories. If I’m on a patio, my compulsive need to Instagram it is going to win over every single time.    

    It‘s that time of year again when your thoughts turn to your outdoor space, thinking about entertaining in the back yard, only to realize that your outdoor furniture did not respond well to old man winter.  Rust and mildew have taken their toll.  The cure for this ongoing replacement of seasonal outdoor furnishings is to invest in quality pieces that will stand the test of time and weather. In comes Nardi (coming soon to Best Buy).

It's still chilly, but if you want to get outside and sit under the stars, all you have to do is warm up the patio with an outdoor fireplace or heater.

For us Canadians living in the East, the idea of summer seems doubtful. I say this only because it snowed in mid-April (ahem). However, I have faith that summer will arrive eventually and for that reason, let’s get the patio pimping to perfection. If you start planning now, once the heat shows up, you’ll be lounging outside with your favourite cocktail while your friends are scrambling for patio furniture.

I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and today, Vancouver truly lived up to its reputation—for beauty, not rain. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, the temperature was a balmy 14°C, and the crisp smell of spring was in the air. It was fabulous. Not just because I got to enjoy my afternoon latte while sitting outside at a local coffee shop, but because today got me thinking about something much more important—the upcoming patio season! This year prepare to have a great time right outside your front door—or back door!  All you need are a few key essentials, and you can turn your patio into a great outdoor space for everyone to enjoy.

The thing about Canadian summers is that, for most us, the heat doesn’t really hold. Our summers last from June through August, and at the end of each day, Canada takes a minute to remind us that we’re really just a chilly iceberg pretending to be cozy and warm for the day! That’s why patio heaters are so important, and here are a few different kinds you can use to cozy up this spring and summer.