If you haven't already stocked up for summer (or if yours have broken recently), here's your chance. With the advance of super hot days, market umbrellas can transform your outdoor space into a cool getaway on balcony, rooftop and patio. Here's my 2009 list of top choices as well as some good sales' notices...
For outdoor decor, these are your absolute workhorses, and I recommend spending as much as you can afford, as a quality umbrella lasts longer and looks a ton better...
>> Good Questions: Best Outdoor Umbrella Picks?
HIGH
>> Janus et Cie: These guys are top of the line imports for fancy homes. Market umbrellas are a European creation, and all these are imported from the Continent. Mucho $$$.
>> Curran: An excellent source for Barlow Tyrie and Tuuci umbrellas and oriented towards retail customers. Pricing and service here is very good.
>> Westminster Teak: For the teak lovers out there, these are much $$$ but totally PC - "All our teak is sourced from Java exclusively from the highly reputable Perum Perhutani plantations, which are managed by the Indonesian government."
MID
>> Restoration Hardware: I like these as a high/mid solution. They are beefy, durable and use Sunbrella fabric, which holds its color well. Deep sale here.
>> Crate & Barrel: Excellent prices and nice style for very good, but not excellent umbrellas. Take care of them, and they'll last you. VERY deep sale here.
>> Santa Barbara Designs: These are more unique, colorful and fun than any others we've seen.
>> Cushions & Umbrellas: This is a new source with a very nice website and good pricing. Could be a total score for non brand-name, but very good umbrellas.
>> Pottery Barn: I haven't bought these, but a number of readers have spoken highly of PB umbrellas. 20% sale on now.
>> Patioshoppers.com: Another new source for mid to low end umbrellas, but a wide selection and some fun, quirky designs as well. Sale here.
>> Smith & Hawken: They always do a nice job in this category but they've just gone out of business. Head to the stores and you may find umbrellas in their liquidation sale.
LOW
>> Overstock.com: Overstock rules the discount world and their lineup of umbrellas is impressive.
>> Ikea: On the low end, you just have to look at these guys.
>> Home Decorators Collection: Great selection of very affordable umbrellas. Don't expect them to fare well in bad weather. We've bought these when money was tight, but they barely make it through one season.
>> West Elm: Style and low prices. Big sale here.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I love in coastal southern California and leave my market umbrellas outside and open 6-9 months a year. It's too much trouble to open them every morning and close them every night and they look so cheerful outside and open when I get up that it makes me want to go have my coffee on the patio most mornings!
In these conditions my umbrellas, even the semi-expensive/Sunbrella ones, last only two years before fading to a point where I want to replace them, if only for looks alone.
This week I bought two of Pier 1's 7 foot market umbrellas on sale for $35 each, which was such a bargain that I considered buying extras to put in storage for two years from now! They look great and we'll see how they do -- but at those prices, I'm fine with getting even one year from them.
view Arkata's profile
Thank you for your post, arkata. I am the opposite. I've had my umbrella from crate and barrel for like 8 years but 90% of the time it sits in the garage as I was afraid it would get dirty, faded or rained on. But the bad part is that I never use it. I think I need to just leave it out and let it be. Do people normally put your umbrella away when it rains or do they just leave it out?
view souk1501's profile
Mine stays out from spring through fall, rain and shine, which is about 1/2 the year in my climate. I used to open and close it, but the cheap ones fade irregularly when they're closed, so mine stays open by default, closed when I want some extra sun.
view ChzPlz's profile
You might be surprised to hear that my Hampton Bay umbrella from Home Depot (with solar panel that lights up LED's inside at night) has held up two years so far, and we leave it outside from April through October. It is not made of wood, and it has a heavy solid base. It's rectangular, and i believe 8feet wide at its widest point so it covers our patio table (for six) perfectly. I balked at the price originally ($100) but when I look at how much the catalogs are charging, I feel like this was a great value. Heartily recommended!
view funyellow's profile
http://hostessgoddess.com/2009/06/24/elephantumbrellastand/
Z Gallerie has an amazing Elephant Umbrella Stand for now reduced to $59.99
view hostessgoddess's profile