If patio furniture is starting to look increasingly like living room furniture, does that mean it will be as averse to summer showers and blazing sunshine as indoor pieces?
Retailers are quick to reassure us. "This furniture has been made to last outside," says Heather Egenes, outdoor furniture buyer at Country Furniture in Fargo.
The Homecrest line, for instance, features UV protection built into the fabrics to prevent colors from fading. "This and other features may make outdoor furniture the hardest-working furniture you will ever own," a Homecrest catalog says.
Reece Anderson of Fargo's Scheels on South University Drive says outdoor pieces boast double- and triple-welds to ward off rust and several coats of paint as an antidote to chipping. Be sure to ask about warranty (Homecrest products come with a 15-year warranty).
At some point in its evolution from the classic plastic table and chairs set, outdoor furniture stopped being disposable. "You'd have it for a couple of years and discard it," Anderson says. "Now customers are looking for better quality."
