You know that strong breeze that blows napkins, cups, and sometimes even plates accross the yard. You can have the prettiest teak patio furniture there is, only to have the wind pick everything else up and blow it away. So what do you do about it?

Staying inside is not an option. Don't think for a second that a privacy fence will protect you from the wind. In actuality, a straight up and down fence will only increase the winds strength. So what is the best thing you can do to block the wind? filter it.

Thats it, filter the wind. Think about ways you can break up the wind in your backyard. Lattice fences, trees, and other ways to make the wind disperse. Atleast in your back yard.

Enjoy your time outside, even if you are in a windy ally…

One style that made a splash last year and we are excited to bring it back is the deep seating patio furniture style. There is a great article on the comforts of deep seating that a friend of ours wrote. These chairs and outdoor sofas are great. You get the comfort of indoor seating with the benefit of enjoying time outside with your friends, family, or sometimes a little solitary quiet times.

One patio item that lasts all year round is one of our favorites, mother natures favorite musical instrument wind chimes. Ours has been chiming all winter, even on the coldest of days it reminds us that soon we will back in our yards, firing up that BBQ, and having our friends nearby. In the meantime, enjoy the NFL playoffs and the second half of winter.

Chimes are quickly becoming a popular gift item for occasions such as weddings, thank yous, and especially housewarmings. But don't get just any chimes, you will want to listen to the chime first. Hand tuned wind chimes offer a sound that is magically crafted to resonate every time even the slightest breeze heads your way.

To listen to some of the best available tuned wind chimes select the chime you like at MyPerfectPatio.com patio furniture and select "play". Close your eyes and imagine that beautiful sound as you relax in your own backyard.

Cooking outside means you don’t have five courses going in and coming out of the oven, all at different temperatures, for different lengths of time.  You have one grill, and you can manage the temperature and cook a main course and several sides at the same time, all by placing the items in different places on the grill.  And foil is your friend! By sealing all side dishes in disposable aluminum packets before cooking, you eliminate even more dishwashing.  Cleaning consists of removing the foil and disposing of it.  Can’t get much easier than that. 

Less time in front of the oven and the sink translates into more time to relax on your modern outdoor furniture with your family and guests.  And after a long day, who wouldn’t want that?

Depending on the type of floor material you choose, it’s a good idea to test it for traction control.  Some materials, like porous or glazed tile and stone, can become very slippery when wet.  You might love the rich, elegant look of stone, but if it’s sometimes dangerous to walk on, it might not be the best choice for an outdoor application. 

When it comes to brick, it’s a good idea to choose one with a bit of texture, to provide stability if it gets wet.  The same goes for concrete.  Certain finishes can look wonderfully smooth and shiny when dry, but when wet can turn into the traction equivalent of an ice skating rink.  

Outdoor rugs are another choice to add interest to your patio.  They’re stylish, and they help define different seating areas.  If you choose one of these, make sure it’s secured to the flooring beneath it, or it’s anchored firmly under heavy patio furniture, so there’s no chance of it sliding.  

So for your outdoor living space, where rain and inclement weather are factors, it’s best to consider a safe, low-maintenance flooring choice.

Ever do that?  It’s probably time to ditch the patio chairs from your first apartment.  The ones you bought on sale, because they were a god-awful color.  They never quite fit with the landscape, anyway.  But they tell a story, you say?  Let them tell it to someone else.   

Get chairs that actually fit under the table.  What a novel idea.  That way a) you can actually enjoy eating the meal in front of you if you have unlimited use of your fingers and b) you don’t have to come up with a ridiculous story about how your fingers got smashed.  Of course, no one wants to hear that you caught them in the viselike grip of your patio table.  You’ll have to do better than that.  Perhaps you could include a reference to an F-15 fighter jet. 
 

Birds chirping?  Tranquil breezes blowing?  Blue, cloudless sky?  Were those things there a minute ago, you wonder?  Yes, but it sometimes takes a hammock to realize it.  They’re like magic.  They make you feel like you’re on a trip when you’re in your own backyard.  It’s hard to be irritable when you’re whiling away your afternoon in the serenity of a hammock (once you can master the art of getting into one). 

Think of the money you’ll save, too.  Instead of stressing out at the airport or driving to a vacation destination, you can kick back with a juicy novel and a refreshing drink, and transport yourself to the location of your choice, no matter where it is.  And just think, indoor plumbing is just steps away. 

Sometimes there’s little you can do, and few places you can go to hear yourself think.

Depending on which room you’re in, you’re exposed to a different auditory experience.  In your kitchen, you hear your Broadway hopeful to the east, and in your bedroom, you hear your Riverdancer to the north.  

If you have a balcony, you’re in luck.  You can step out onto your piece of serenity (and sanity), slide the door closed behind you, hang a tuned wind chime and let the tinkling sounds be the only sound you hear in your corner of the world. 

Just because you don’t have a lot of real estate, it doesn’t mean you can’t set up your balcony as your own private oasis.  A small bistro set can fit on the tiniest balcony, and provide an inviting place to relax.  Consider folding patio furniture for a versatile solution. I guess there is truth to the adage “good things come in small packages”.   

Oh, you know the type.  He’s the first to arrive, empty-handed as usual.  He stakes out the food table, and helps himself before anyone else has a chance to.  He drinks the most expensive wine in your collection.  He’s made himself so comfortable in your home, that people think he’s related (and in some unfortunate cases, he is). 

He’s still there after the last guest leaves.  (He’s ceased being a guest himself at this point, and has graduated to the category of “nuisance”.)  As a matter of fact, he’s still there in the morning.  You follow the trail of his belongings and find him. Passed out on your brand-new patio chaise lounge.  It’s the first smart choice he’s made since he’s been there. 

They really should tell you when you buy hip, comfortable outdoor furniture that you run the very real risk of attracting permanent guests.  It’s a risk that you should be willing to take.

Then you got older, and moved into a house, and thought your neighbor nightmares were over.  They’re not. Now instead of the head-crushing bass, you’re dealing with rambunctious neighborhood children who use your front yard as a baseball diamond.  On top of that, your next-door neighbors that are headed for divorce court.  You know this because of their nightly triple-decibel arguments that carry right through your bedroom window. 

Then of course you have those neighbors whose only goal in life is to be the Joneses.  As in, the ones to keep up with.  They have the nicest house on the block and the latest model luxury cars.  They are never without the most expensive fashions, on their windows or on themselves.  They’ve been secure in the knowledge that they’re the “it” couple on the block.  Until now.  You saw them peeking over their ornate wrought iron custom fence at your new patio furniture.  You know it’s only a matter of time until they try to top it.  That’s right; I said “try”.  That should keep them busy for a while.