If you're beginning to have trouble telling the difference between outdoor teak furniture and teak furniture made for indoors, don't feel bad.
Increasingly, designers and manufacturers have been blurring the lines between the two living spaces.
Where outdoor teak furniture used to be mostly straight lines and even a bit utilitarian, today's designs take elements and features from their interior cousins, including sweeping arms, stately legs and even ornate carved features.
In some cases, homeowners are actually using their outdoor furniture indoors; it being perfect for certain rooms in the home.
For instance, in many places in the country, homes have sunrooms or Florida rooms that are designed to let the light shine in while still not being technically part of the every day living spaces of the home.
These rooms lend themselves particularly well to teak furniture, even pieces designed originally for the outdoors.
Part of the reason for the confluence of indoor and outdoor furnishings is the versatility of teak itself.
Designers love the warm color of the honey-gold wood and its rich grain.
It is an ideal material not only for coffee tables and chairs, but also dining tables, end tables, chests and even sofas and love seats.
Another bonus for indoor use is that outdoor teak furniture is virtually indestructible.
It is low maintenance, needs cleaning only once in awhile and if you have children, it can put up with a tremendous amount of rough housing and abuse, including weathering nicks, crapes and bumps, thanks to its hard surface.
If you find yourself doing a double take at a friend's furniture, it may because their new teak furnishings were originally designed for the outdoors.
By bringing them inside, homeowners can create a space that feels as if one is on a permanent vacation, offering a welcoming place to relax and entertain that is of the highest quality but never pretentious.
Outdoor teak furniture is more affordable than ever, thanks to the use of managed forests and new manufacturing protocols that are not only more efficient, but more economically friendly, too.
If you want to use your outdoor teak furniture outdoors, that's fine, too.
It is by far the most popular type of furniture out on the market these days and designers are continually challenging the envelope with breathtaking new designs that can give your patio, deck or balcony a completely new look.
If you can think up a style of furniture, ten to one there's an outdoor version of it, including teak chairs, benches, tables, side tables, dining tables, planter boxes, storage chests, bars and swings and stools.
Most homeowners prefer to keep the wood in its original honey-gold color rather than letting it weather to become a silvery gray.
This can be accomplished by applying a teak protector to the furniture once a year.
This will restore the rich luster of the wood and keep it looking like new.
Before you apply a protector, you may want to give your outdoor teak furniture a thorough cleaning.
Start by scrubbing the entire surface with a mixture of 2/3-cup laundry detergent, ¼ cup of bleach and one gallon of lukewarm water.
When the entire surface is clean rinse it off with fresh water.
Don't use a high-pressure washer.
It can harm the surface.
Let the furniture air dry or your can use a clean towel.
If there's a stain that won't come out, use some teak cleaner to remove it.
Then apply teak protector.
With a little annual care, your teak furniture will continue to give you years of enjoyment, whether you decide it should be on the inside or outside of your home.