After years of sourcing outdoor furniture for designers, these are the mistakes I see over and over:

1. Ignoring frame material for the climate. Aluminum works everywhere. Steel rusts coastal. Teak needs maintenance your client won't do. Match the material to where it's going.

2. Buying residential-grade for commercial projects. Hotel pool deck ≠ backyard patio. Commercial-grade frames and marine-grade fabrics cost 20-30% more but last 3x longer. Your client will thank you in year two.

3. Skipping cushion drainage. Foam with no drainage channels = mold in 6 months. Quick-dry foam with mesh bottoms is non-negotiable for anything outdoors.

4. Undersizing the layout. Everyone wants the tight editorial look from the catalog. In reality, you need 18" clearance between pieces minimum for flow. Size up, not down.

5. Forgetting about shade. The most expensive lounge set in the world is useless if it's in direct sun at 2pm. Always spec furniture and shade together — pergola, umbrella, sail — whatever fits the space.

Get these right and your outdoor projects go from good to referral-generating.

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After years sourcing and specifying outdoor furniture for residential and hospitality projects, these are the mistakes I see designers and landscapers make over and over:

1. Ignoring frame material for the climate. Powder-coated aluminum in a coastal project? That's a rust claim in 18 months. Always match the material to the environment — teak or marine-grade stainless near salt water, no exceptions.

2. Choosing style over comfort. That sculptural dining chair looks incredible in the render. But if it's not comfortable for a 2-hour dinner, your client will resent the entire terrace. Always sit-test before specifying.

3. Skipping UV-rated fabrics. Sunbrella or equivalent isn't a "nice to have" — it's the baseline. Anything less and you're replacing cushions every season. Your client won't blame the fabric. They'll blame you.

4. Under-scaling for the space. A 6-seat set on a terrace that could hold 10 looks like you ran out of budget. Over-furnish slightly. Generous outdoor spaces feel luxurious. Sparse ones feel forgotten.

5. Forgetting the layout flow. Furniture placement isn't just aesthetics — it's traffic flow, sight lines, and how people actually move through the space. Map the movement before you place a single piece.

Get these right and your outdoor projects go from "nice patio" to "where did you find this designer?" — which is the whole point.