Last month we talked a little about all the different types of umbrellasthat All American Fine Outdoor Furnishings has to offer, as well as what their different featured entailed. This month I think it is important to go over outdoor patio umbrella maintenance, something that many people neglect. There are many reasons why regularly cleaning and maintaining your patio umbrella is important. The most important reason is to insure that you get your full money’s worth. Taking proper care of your patio umbrella will prolong its life by many years. Umbrellas have a tough life if you really think about it. They have to endure much wear and tear from all types of weather conditions. Harsh sunlight, winds, heavy rain, and of course dust! Some people even leave their umbrellas out during the winter so we mind as well add snow to that mix as well. As you can probably imagine, these conditions dry out, wear down and dirty your patio umbrella overtime, causing pre-mature rips, extreme fabric fading and warped or rusted structural damage. Tips for reducing weather related wear and tear:

1. Always close your umbrella when it is not in use. This will minimize full sun exposure, reducing fabric color fading.
2. Bring your umbrella inside if you know it is going to rain.
3. Do not leave your umbrella outside during the winter months, especially in climates where it snows and freezes.
4. Cover or bring in umbrellas during very windy days.

Tips for cleaning your patio umbrella: The best way to clean your umbrella is with your garden hose.

1. Lay your open umbrella onto a sheet or tarp so that the umbrella does not touch the ground. It is best to do this on concrete so that the ground underneath does not become mud.
2. After you complete this, hose your canopy down. This will loosen any dust and dirt that has built up in the fabric.
3. Fill up a bucket of warm water. Add a touch of mild soup. With a washcloth or rag, gently scrub the entire umbrella. Give special attention to any stains.
4. Hose off umbrella to remove any soap or left over dirt.
5. To dry. Simply set umbrella into the sun.

Looking for a new patio umbrella? All American Fine Outdoor Furniture offers many types of patio umbrellas to fit your needs! Give us a call at 1.877.930.7070, visit our website or come in to any of our Arizona locations!

Mix Up Patterns and Solids

Calais Collection by Parker James - Hand-woven, UV-resistant and rust-free aluminum frame

Mixing up the fabrics you use on your patio can add extra interest to your overall décor. The use of patterns and solids together adds depth to your patio furniture creating an overall, more inviting and welcoming atmosphere.

Activity Spaces

The Athena Collection by Summer classics features a curved and elegant design with N-Dura resin wicker.

Creating different zones by using smart furniture arrangement and outdoor rugs can help establish different activity areas for your patio. For example, place your main patio chairs and couches around a table or a fire pit in the largest area of your patio; this will create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere. For dining, place your table and chairs near your cooking area, or, if there is not enough room, near a corner. Not only will separating your spaces keep your patio from looking cluttered and confused, but it can also make your patio seem more spacious.

Combining Patio Materials

The Rustic Collection by Summer Classics features resin wicker and is woven over a welded painted aluminum frame with weathered resin feet.

The floor of your patio is often overlooked but it can actually be one of the most interesting parts of your patio if executed correctly. How does this work? Instead of making your patio simply gravel, only stone, or just grass, mix two different types of materials together to make a usually boring area, interesting. The other great benefit of this is that it will generally save you money in the long run.

Patio Umbrellas

The Royan Collection was named and inspired by a seaside resort in France The arms and legs feature Resysta, an eco-friendly material sealed in a scratch resistant coating.

For patios that lack natural shade purchasing a brightly colored large sun umbrella can really do wonders for your patio. Having a large umbrella will keep you out of the sun, making your patio more usable during the day. Another great thing about umbrellas is it adds a vertical element to your patio while also adding color overhead.

At All American Fine Outdoor Patio we have a large selection of luxury patio furniture , including outdoor rugs, umbrellas and fabric choices. Please visit your closet locations or shop our selection of patio furniture online!

There are a variety of patio umbrellas, all featuring different kinds of designs and options to choose from. For example, there is the “Button Tilt”, “Crank Tilt”, “Collar Tilt”, “Auto Tilt”, “Pulley Lift”, “Crank Lift” and so on. So today’s blog post is dedicated to educating you on patio umbrellas.

Lift Style

Pulley-lift vs. Crank-lift

Pulley-lift umbrellas are your standard patio umbrellas that require you to pull a string and insert the metal pin into a hole to hold the umbrella in the open position. A crank-lift umbrella has a crank on the pole and opens the umbrella with a series of gears.

Tilt Style

Push-Button Tilt Umbrella

Push-Button Tilt

A button tilt umbrella is exactly what it sounds like, and it is probably the tilt style you have seen and are most familiar with. By pushing in a button on the umbrella pole, this simple mechanism releases an upright lock that allows you to then tilt your umbrella into your desired position.

Crank Tilt Umbrella

Auto Tilt / Crank Tilt

When you hear Auto Tilt or Crank Tilt don’t be fooled, they are both referring to the same tilting mechanism.  Auto Tilt or Crank tilt, is only available on crank lift umbrellas. How it works is once your umbrella is fully open, all you have to do is keep cranking and it will start to tilt to one side. The greatest part about auto tilt is that as the sun moves, you don’t have to get up and mess with a button to keep tilting it, you can do it right from your chair!

Collar Tilt Umbrella

Collar Tilt

Collar Tilt is very similar to auto tilt and sometimes can be refereed to a type of auto tilt. This mechanism instead of being built right into the crank, instead has a ring or a collar that is located right about the crank. The greatest benefit of this type of tilt is you can create a combination of both tilt angle and open

Looking for a new umbrella for your patio? All American Fine Outdoor Furniture offers many types of patio umbrellas to fit your needs! Give us a call at 1.877.930.7070, visit our website or come in to any of our Arizona locations!

Last month, the Pantone color of the year was announced and Emerald Green takes the hot seat for best color, as it should. Emerald is the perfect mix of radiance and fun while still remaining elegant and luxurious. Its bold hue makes it the perfect accent color that you can easily integrate into any existing color palette!

Emerald Green Accent Ideas

When decorating with accents of emerald green, it’s important to keep large surface areas a neutral color for several different reasons: keeping the overall fabric a neutral color will allow you to update your decor on a seasonally basics without having to purchase new furniture. This will allow you to give your patio a makeover by simply replacing throw pillows or patio rugs in bright hues.

• * Rugs
• * Patio Accessories
• * Throw Blankets
• * Outdoor Lamp Shades

Emerald’s Complimentary colors

Green accent colors are great because they have a calming ambiance to them. It is also the color of nature that surrounds us everyday and therefore mixes well with a variety of colors. Here are a few colors that pair well with this year’s Pantone color, emerald green.

• * White
• * Cream
• * Yellow
• * Purple
• * Gray

Other Shades of Green

Just because Emerald is the Pantone color this year, doesn’t mean you can’t use a different shade of green. Picking what color green you want to use may depend largely on factors such as existing color themes and, of course, personal preference. In fact many different green shades made the top of the list this year.

Looking to upgrade your patio furniture this year? At All American Fine Outdoor Furnishings we have a large selection of luxury patio furniture and patio accessories to turn your dream patio into a reality! All-American Fine Outdoor Furnishings is your source for great wicker and aluminum outdoor patio furniture covers! See our unmatched selection of outdoor patio furniture featuring wicker and aluminum furniture give us a call today to get started, 1.877.930.7070.

An important part of utilizing your patio to its fullest potential is to make the exterior feel as homey and comfortable as the interior of your home. Often times a few patio accessories can turn your boring patio into a luxury outdoor living space, here are  a few design tips to help turn your patio into a luxury living space.

Wall Art

Wall art instantly adds interest to a room; outdoor wall art will make your patio feel custom and bring a little of your inside decor taste, outside. Be careful though, you don’t want to clutter your patio with too many things and completely take away from the beautiful outdoors!

Outdoor Rugs

Who says rugs are just for the inside! Rugs look great outdoors too! Incorporating an outdoor rug on your patio can add an extra element of interest and typically work best with covered patios since they are less exposed to the natural elements.

Patio Lamps

This is one of our favorite patio accessory and unfortunately, many homeowners often overlook this aspect of their outdoor living. Outdoor lamps are a great outdoor living accessory, it allows you to enjoy and utilize your patio for a longer period of time. You many be saying to yourself, well isn’t that what fire pits are for? Yes, but also having a lamp is handy for those hot summer nights or when a fire pit does not provide the right amount of light.

Wall table or Chest

Incorporating a wall table with drawers or a storage chest is another great accessory to have on your patio. Again, these type of thing works best with covered patios, so the rain does not ruin your furniture. Wall tables with drawers come in handy for storing outdoor accessories you use regularly outside such as: books, remotes, candles, lighters, and even your gardening tools. Chests are great for extra throw pillows or a spare blanket for the chillier nights.

All American Fine Outdoor Furnishings has a wide selection of patio accessories with all types of styles. Spruce up your patio today! Shop online or come and visit us in store at either of our locations.