Patio Furniture Ideas, Styles & Trends

Don't worry: it's not the end of the world. No, not that whole Mayan calendar thing. We mean replacing your long-loved, well-worn patio furniture with something newer, stronger, and fashionably up to date. This looks to be an exciting year for outdoor furniture aficionados, with design trends that feature crisply classic color, curvaceous lines, decorative textured surfaces, and a fresh approach to patio set material combinations. You'll want to be first in line for these outdoor patio furniture trends.
Grey is the new black For many people, neutral colors aren't likely to inspire enthusiasm. In fact, the most passionate arguments about grey are usually over how one should spell it—grey or gray. That's all the more reason why grey's emergence is such a pleasant surprise. The greys on display in this year's outdoor patio sets are so startlingly crisp, we've wondered if curling them up into a ball would sound and smell like freshly fallen leaves.

Wicker outdoor furniture is a great match for this year's cool contemporary greys. For the chicly modern patio, check out the charcoal grey finish of an all-weather resin wicker patio furniture set; its silvery grey fabric cushions look so smart, they could double as flotation devices for MENSA. On the duskier side, this year's weathered grey is a subtly delicious combination, a darker color that's still as sweet as citrus. Earl Grey, we've found your outdoor patio furniture.
Curves are sexyPatio sets sexy? Not normally, unless you find napping together romantic. This year, patio furniture sets have loosened up their lines, and the results vary from sensual to elegant to pleasantly relaxed.

It's a design trend that's not without benefits. Case in point: modular modern outdoor furniture sets from Terrace Living. On a beautiful full moon night, these curving, half moon arrangements of benches and side tables will draw you closer together - and closer to the granite-topped firepit at their center. Looks like someone will be making "marshmallows" tonight. Oh yeah.
SurfacesSurfaces: there's no simpler way to put it. Of course, it's not that patio furniture sets of years past were veiled or cloaked in invisibility. This year, we're seeing outdoor furniture designs that take greater advantage of the aesthetic possibilities of surfaces and unique material qualities. Patio tables and dining sets featuring concrete, mosaic, and distressed surfaces are lending visual texture to your outdoor spaces, as is the growing popularity of durable, low-maintenance resin wicker (both natural and glass-topped).

Contemporary synthetic materials have also opened up greater possibilities for durable yet decorative outdoor furniture. A cast aluminum patio furniture set with a speckled, faux-stone tabletop would offer outstanding strength and intriguing modern style that's ready for any climate.
Mixed mediaThough related to the surfaces trend, the creative use of mixed media is a breakout trend that deserves a separate salute. The all-wood or all-metal outdoor furniture set is hardly passe, but its mono-material style can't match the indoor-inspired textural medleys of this year's decor-conscious sets.

Table and chair combinations such as wrought iron and wicker, concrete and metal, or trios such as aluminum, wicker, and faux stone or aluminum, wicker, and faux wood bring a level of material sophistication to outdoor decorating that can transform patios into seamless indoor-outdoor environments. It's a decorating trend that promises very interesting things for this year and beyond.
Say hello, patioWith these hot new design trends, affordable backyard refreshment means more than just cold lemonade. Take a front-row seat with PatioFurnitureUSA.com's never-ending patio furniture sale.