Tag Archives: Table

5 Winter Ideas For Folding Picnic Tables

Posted on by webadmin
folding picnic table
13 Jun

You might think that folding picnic tables are just for summer, but you would be wrong! Our picnic tables are perfect for the winter season, helping you to make the most out of the cooler weather for a variety of different occasions.

Our picnic tables provide a stable surface that can be quickly folded away and brought out when needed. They provide additional stable surfaces for wine, drinks and snacks, anywhere and at any time. Pop one in your caravan or camper trailer, keep one in the back of your 4WD or Ute for when you go to the beach or store one in the garden shed.  You never know when you will need to use our folding picnic tables!

So, here are our 5 top winter season ideas for using your folding picnic table!

  1. Keep everyone warm with a fire pit

When the cooler winter evenings start to draw in, Aussies look to their fire pits! There is nothing quite like a roaring outdoor fire for making everyone feel warm and friendly. Everything seems perfect when you sit around a fire pit. However, it could get even better when you can keep your food and drinks safe and within arm’s reach of a folding picnic table. Take our picnic tables camping or set them up around the fire pit in the garden – they are perfect for entertaining.

  1. Create your relaxing spa at home

Just imagine a long relaxing soak in your fabulous spa sanctuary at home, allowing the hot water to wash away the day’s stress and worries. Hot spa baths in summer are great, but in winter they seem to be both luxurious and decadent! The problem is – where do you put your wine? Well, our handcrafted picnic tables are perfect for the job because they fit right next to your bath and hold everything you need to create your very own spa sanctuary.

  1. Take the stress out of kid’s sporting events

Winter is the season for an abundance of kid’s sports and parents end up transporting their kids from one activity to another in a never-ending circle! Just imagine how useful a folding picnic table will be at these events! Parents can keep all their kid’s snacks and drinks in one place and not left strewn around the back of the 4WD. Plus, glasses won’t get spilled, and there’s somewhere to keep the car keys, phones and anything else that is needed on the day which often gets lost.

  1. Home entertaining is a breeze

When you have run out of table space for your BBQ or dinner and when friends and family are ready to eat, pull out your handcrafted folding picnic table and look like a professional! Picnic tables are ideal for increasing tablespace, and since they come in different sizes, the smallest models can easily fit on your table and take the place of a lazy Susan.

  1. Add some culture to fishing trips

When everyone wants to head off for a day’s fishing, the one item that is always missing is somewhere to put everything! Whether you need a stable spot for drinks and food or somewhere handy to keep the bait, knives, thermos or beer – our trusty picnic tables are perfect for the job. They take up hardly any room in the Ute or 4WD and can be put up and taken down fast. Just wipe them over to remove any stains, and they are good to go on your next fishing trip.

Why not check out our handcrafted folding picnic tables and add some pizzazz to your winter activities? If you have any further questions or queries on any of the products we stock at Daydream Leisure Furniture, feel free to contact us today!

Encouraging Social Media Engagement Through Furniture and Décor

Posted on by webadmin
selfie for social media
02 May

With the huge popularity of Instagram and Facebook, it’s no wonder that every business wants to encourage their patrons to share snapshots throughout their social media networks. In fact, this has become one of the major strategies that restaurateurs use to engage their own customers and drum up new custom.

If you want to drive new customers to your eatery, here are five décor and furnishing ideas that should give you a head start.

1.     Themes or eye-catching interior designs

With social media, everything is about being visually appealing, which is why your business needs a theme or an eye-catching presentation that customers want to photograph. These can include digital or neon signs or menus on the walls, as well as a stand out theme, such as communal eating tables, open kitchens and using Italian style furnishings such as Nardi.

social media setting

@NardiNetDiningChair

2.     Lighting for social media engagement

Lighting is an integral part of any eatery, creating its mood and ambiance. This can include a variety of pendants, chandeliers, candles, and lanterns, all used to establish your theme. Lights need to be positioned to allow your customers to visually appreciate your theme, décor, table settings and food, all of which comes together to make an instagrammable vignette.

If you make a feature of your lighting however, this itself can encourage customers to take photographs to share with their social media followers. People love taking photos, and the more reasons you give them to photograph your business, the more you increase online engagement.

social media lighting@thegrounds

3.     Food presentation

Why not give your chef the freedom to create food that is photogenic and instagrammable? It makes perfect sense when you want to engage your target audience via social media, because everyone wants to share a visually amazing display of food with their followers. An even better idea is to commission plate ware that is eye-catching, taking your food’s presentation up another notch. At Daydream, we stock a huge range of tableware and dining settings that are the perfect addition to any commercial business. Browse our beautiful entertainment accessories here!

plate ware for social media

@Dining&Entertainment

4.     Fun and branded menus

Since people automatically look for something unique and photogenic when they eat out, it makes sense to design your menus to be photographed. This means that engaging a local artist to design fun and interesting menus that complement your furnishings and theme, is a cost-effective exercise. People no longer simply photograph the food, so creating a space that has multiple photogenic factors within its décor is a win-win situation!

You can even personalise menus for special occasion bookings, making it pretty much guaranteed that they will photograph them and share it with their followers.

Encouraging Social Media Engagement Through Furniture and Décor | Daydream Leisure Furniture

@NardiNetDiningChair

5.     Create a photo wall

We highly recommend creating a unique design element or photo wall that customers would recognise when featured online and through social media. A few excellent ideas may be creating a living plant wall, planters filled with living herbs in the middle of your Nardi tables, backlit glass shelves filled with spirit bottles behind the bar or a wall covered in fabulous artwork. All of these furnishing and décor ideas make your eatery ‘instagrammable’, bringing in more customers to share your eatery with their social media followers!

photo wall for social media@homebeautiful

Bonus Tips!

Instead of a boring photo of a plate of food, why not hand out wide-angle selfie sticks to your customers. This is a fun and creative way to engage your customers as well as showcase more of your business (furnishings included). Also, don’t forget to leverage your own branded hashtag so you can continue to engage with your customers post-purchase! Add these hashtags to all of your own Instagram images, captions and menus to keep your hashtag trending!

If you would like any styling tips or advice on new furniture fit-outs, feel free to contact the professional team at Daydream Leisure Furniture today. We are the outdoor living specialists who can help bring life back to your hospitality business.

 

 

The Aesthetic Value of Furniture in Hospitality

Posted on by webadmin
nardi chairs in cafe
22 Mar

Updating your outdoor furniture is extremely important, especially when running a business within the hospitality industry. A strong economy, rising global consumer purchase power and digital innovation have all contributed towards the hospitality industry’s record growth in the last few years.

What is the servicescape?

The servicescape is the environment in which a service is provided and there is customer interaction. Servicescape furniture should be designed to appeal to customers pleasure and arousal states as well as facilitate operational ease and efficiency. There are four roles in the servicescape that we’ll be examining offering strategic reasons as to why you should update your outdoor furniture. These include:

  1. Package
  2. Differentiator
  3. Facilitator
  4. Socialiser

italian inspired nardi furniture at a cafe

In order to shape the success of your own business in the future, you should be updating your servicescape furniture sooner rather than later. Why?

  • Firstly, remaining relevant and fiercely competitive in the marketplace will keep your business top-of-mind and successful (Package).
  • Secondly, the hospitality industry has potential in social media allowing greater awareness for ‘trendy’ businesses to be shared (Differentiator).
  • Thirdly, physical settings influence the customer’s ultimate satisfaction with the service flow, design and functionality (Facilitator).
  • Lastly, furnishing and updating your service area will help facilitate whether customers feel comfortable in socialising and staying longer (Socialiser).

outdoor table setting with nardi furniture

  1. PACKAGE || Updating furniture in hospitality creates an impressionable package

The first role in the servicescape is the package. This is when outdoor furniture settings and the overall layout of a business creates a split-second impression to outward-looking customers. For example, this could be potential or new customers walking past a café whose first impression of your business is the look and design. First impressions are mostly created by the furniture layout, design, lighting, music and mood.

Take a look at how the Cantilever Umbrella is styled at the Providore on Hastings café in Noosa. It’s a practical, yet aesthetic that creates ambience customers love! View it here

nardi furniture oceanside restaurant view

  1. DIFFERENTIATOR || Updating furniture in hospitality will help differentiate your business from competitors

The second role in the servicescape is the differentiator. This is often where a business can separate themselves from the market using unique furniture to offer a competitive advantage. That’s right! Outdoor furniture has the power to build your brand in the minds of customers, as well as establish your market position. Colours, design and feel will determine the value imposed on the customer whilst dining at your business.

Take a look at how the Cave Bianche Hotel have styled all white Nardi chairs by their poolside bar here

nardi furniture and table setting

  1. FACILITATOR || Updating furniture in hospitality will facilitate service flow and movement within your business

The third role in the servicescape is the facilitator. With over 20 years of industry experience, you can trust the team at Daydream Leisure Furniture to recommend a design that enhances the flow of activity in your business. We know that a well-designed, practical service area will make the experience for the customer a pleasant one. Say goodbye to cramped dining and hello to comfortable, functional settings.

nardi furniture at rooftop bar

  1. SOCIALISOR || Updating furniture in hospitality will increase your customers need to socialise

The last role in the servicescape is the socialiser. A business that oozes comfort will keep your customers staying longer as well as coming back. The range of outdoor settings that we stock at Daydream Leisure Furniture is not only stylish but extremely comfortable. If customers are encouraged to interact and stay longer, your business will continuously look busy and attract more people. Furthermore, this also increases the opportunity to upsell your products (e.g. more coffee, dessert, drinks, snacks bought).

nardi furniture at resort

 There is no better time than now to update your outdoor furniture, especially if you’re running a business in the hospitality industry. Staying top-of-mind and competitive, as well as increasing the perceived comfort, value and satisfaction of your business will help you reach further success.

 If you would like any styling tips or advice on new furniture fit-outs, feel free to contact the professional team at Daydream Leisure Furniture today. We are the outdoor living specialists who can help bring life back to your hospitality business.

 

Bring spring back into your outdoor living spaces

Posted on by webadmin
Bring spring back into your outdoor living spaces | Daydream Leisure Furniture
04 Sep

With spring not far away in Australia, it’s time to start thinking about your outdoor living areas and how you can make them feel more like an extension of your home. Most Aussies spend plenty of time on the patio and in the garden, so it makes sense to make these areas as comfortable and as inviting to everyone as the inside of your home.

Let’s look at five different ways you can style your outdoor spaces to make the most out of the outdoors at home!

Outdoor living rooms

If you want to create a wonderful outdoor living area, your choices are endless! A ‘must-have’ for your outdoor lounge is a comfortable sofa with plenty of cushions and a coffee table. Your best choices are between aluminium, timber and wicker frames, but be sure to select the design and style that complements your home’s interior décor.

The best type of outdoor sofas are modular and those that you can mix and match, because you can change the configuration to suit your needs, but also look for quality fabrics that don’t fade easily in the sun. As an added touch for the cool spring evenings, consider adding a fire pit or an overhead heater for a lovely cosy feeling.

Outdoor dining spaces

Dining alfresco outdoors is a fabulous idea as we start to enjoy the warmer evenings, but lunch outdoors with friends is also a great option and what about Sunday morning breakfasts out on the patio?

There is a wide variety of table settings for your outdoor patio, but timber is always a great choice, as is wicker, aluminium and even concrete (for people who want to try something different!). Don’t forget that you can select chairs that match your dining table or opt for a trendier ‘mismatched’ style by selecting a different design or material than your table. The Nardi Outdoor ‘Net’ Dining range comes in a huge variety of colours which can be styled together.

Tranquil and peaceful spots

For small patios or larger gardens where you want to create a number of different outdoor rooms, a tranquil and peaceful spot where you can read a book or listen to your favourite music in the shade is a great idea.

You won’t need much furniture for a quiet reading spot, maybe just one single comfortable chair and coffee table if you want the area to be just for yourself! You can even add a floor rug, vase of flowers and a small water feature to really treat yourself to a few hours of relaxation.

Morning coffee anyone?

When friends come over for morning coffee, it’s great if you can have a lovely outdoor setting where everyone can relax and chat outdoors on the patio. You can opt for a small modular setting and coffee table or a few matching chairs and coffee table, but whichever option you select make sure that comfort is your first priority.

Relaxing afternoon sanctuaries

There is nothing quite like putting your feet up in the late afternoon and just chilling on your own or with family and friends. Creating a relaxing sanctuary is very easy with just a daybed, an umbrella for extra shade and maybe a coffee table to hold your drink and magazines. Don’t forget to include a few stylish cushions for extra comfort and home décor items, such as lanterns, placemats and even outdoor lighting to add a personal touch.

Timber daybeds are very popular as are wicker daybeds, and since they are designed for the outdoors, they are very easy to keep clean. You can match your daybeds to your coffee setting or your outdoor alfresco dining setting and create a lovely, stylish outdoor entertainment area with plenty of options for everyone.

Check out our product catalogue and start designing your outdoor living spaces for spring today!

 

The importance of accessorising your outdoor entertaining area

Posted on by webadmin
The importance of accessorising your outdoor entertaining area | Daydream Leisure Furniture
10 Apr

Living on the Sunshine Coast, we appreciate the weather more than most. Because we love being outside, we are constantly entertaining outdoors, no matter the season! When you entertain outside a lot, your space can start feeling a little drab and dated, which is where the power of accessories for not only your space and furniture, but your tableware for the ultimate (and effective) update to your outdoor entertaining. From napkins and serving platters to lighting and cushions, let’s take a look at just some of the outdoor accessories available at Daydream Leisure Furniture…

 

Plate it up!

Outdoor entertaining is the perfect time to add a little pizazz to your plates, bowls or serving dishes. Whether you are going for a certain style or theme, or you just want to add colour, serving ware is simple and easily mixed and matched option for you.

Our range of ‘Congo’ mango wood serving ware is perfect for that pop of both pattern and colour, and the solid Mango wood is both beautiful and stylish.

 

 

 

Utensils, utensils, utensils!

People often underestimate the effect that utensils can have on your guests. Poorly cleaned or old cutlery can be a big turnoff when entertaining. Make sure you keep your utensils clean and perhaps give them a clean shine with a mix of water with a little vinegar before putting them on the table. While you may not want to update your entire collection of utensils, updating a few key pieces, such as this stylish two-tone rose gold cheese server set, can have a huge impact on your guests.

 

Dine in Comfort (and style)

Love the classic white tableware but still need that injection of style and colour? Our made-to-order cushion range comes in a huge range of prints and colours to suit every style. Find the print you like and you can order everything from cushions to table runners and placemats. View the entire range here and complete your outdoor look today.

 

The importance of accessorising your outdoor entertaining area | Daydream Leisure Furniture

 

Add a centrepiece

Everyone knows that no dinner table is complete without a centrepiece. So, whether you like flowers and greenery, lighting, or some kind of elaborate décor item, finish off your table in style.  Going for the natural look, try a nice native bouquet. Looking for something more romantic? Stick with a few scented candles.

 

No matter what style or theme you prefer as an entertainer and host, there will be something you for you Daydream Leisure Furniture.  We offer a huge range of outdoor dining and pool furniture, accessories and décor items to turn your outdoor area into your dream space. View our range online or come into one of our showrooms in either Warana or Noosa today.

5 Reasons to Buy Aluminium Furniture for Your Outdoor Area

Posted on by webadmin
aluminium-dining-setting-outdoor
19 Sep

Spending time outdoors is one of the favourite pastimes for Australians. From having family and friends over, to just relaxing with a good book and soaking up the sunshine, nothing beats the good old outdoors. When it comes to furnishing your outdoor area, however, aluminium is one of the most popular choices of material, and for good reason. Curious as to why? Let us fill you in with our top 5 reasons.

 

  1. No rust, no worries!

Unlike its metal counterpart, aluminium won’t rust over time or due to being left outside exposed to the weather. Although wooden furniture is beautiful and strong, it still needs basic maintenance to prevent wear, tear, and fading due to use and exposure to the sun and rain. As aluminium isn’t affected by these conditions, it’s the perfect choice for being in coastal areas or places with high humidity. Actually, it’s perfect for everyone!

 

  1. It’s easy to care for

Exactly how low maintenance aluminium furniture really is, deserves to be a point in itself. It can stand up to wind, dirt, rain, food, really anything you throw at it, as it just needs a simple hose down or spot clean to look as new! How many pieces of furniture can claim that?

 

  1. It’s light as a feather!

If you’re moving your furniture around the backyard or putting it away in the off-season (not that you need to, it doesn’t rust!), having furniture that’s light makes like so much easier. Just pick up the sun lounge and move it as the sun crosses the sky, it’s that easy.

 

  1. Aluminium’s tough

As well as being light-weight, the durability of aluminum furniture is what makes it so popular around the world. Aluminium is a solid and reliable piece of furniture, it will last you and your family for years.

 

  1. There are so many options

Aluminium Furniture comes in a wide range of designs to suit everyone tastes. From traditional to trendy to coastal chic, it can be styled to suit any backyard or design trend and is available in an array of colour including subtle earth tones to bright statement pieces. Aluminium furniture is as versatile as you need it to be!

Not only does aluminium furniture have so many benefits, it’s also really affordable, offering great value for money. Make the most out of your outdoor area for less, with a long-lasting, lightweight and ever-so-stylish aluminum furniture setting from Daydream Leisure Furniture. We stock outdoor dining tables, picnic settings, chairs, sun lounges and sofa settings; everything you need to create your dream outdoor oasis! Come see the range at one of our showrooms in either Noosa or Warana today.

Bleeding and oiling your Kwila outdoor furniture

Posted on by webadmin
kwila-turniture-care.tips
25 Jul

Your Kwila furniture is ideal for withstanding the rigours of the Australian climate. This timber is more durable than many other timbers used in outdoor furniture and has minimal shrinkage, resistance to splitting and withstands harsh salt water environments.  To keep your Kwila furniture looking its best, here are a few easy to follow tips.

Oiling your Kwila outdoor furniture

Kwila furniture doesn’t require oiling for durability purposes, but if you want to permanently leave your furniture outdoors, it will weather if it is not oiled, turning a silvery grey colour over time. All of our Kwila furniture has already been oiled prior to packaging and you can continue with regular oiling or allow the timber to naturally weather and age.

Unoiled Kwila furniture, might experience minor splitting over time, but this adds rather than detracts from its beauty. If you decide to oil your furniture regularly to maintain its original colour, then use a light decking oil.  An oil with a UV stabiliser and an anti-fungal additive is recommended.   Avoid any products that contain bleach or solvents.

It is important to remember that your Kwila furniture will still maintain its integrity if you decide not to oil your furniture. This timber is very tough and durable and this toughness and durability is not influenced by whether or not you oil your furniture.

Bleeding the tannin from Kwila furniture

As Kwila contains a large amount of tannin (resin or sap), when the timber becomes wet it will bleed the tannin onto the surface it is sitting on. If not cleaned up immediately, the tannin can stain porous ground surfaces, so it is advisable to accelerate this process to attempt to remove the surface tannin from the furniture.

All you need to do in order to bleed-out the Kwila timber is hose the timber down with clean water until the tannin has stopped bleeding out of the wood and then allow to dry. Depending on the amount of tannin in the product, the process may need to be repeated several times. It should be noted that as timber is a natural product, the amount of tannin is not measurable, therefore even by following bleeding instructions, it is still possible to end up with a small amount of residual tannin which could stain a surface.  So be as diligent as you can with this process.

Don’t stop hosing until the runoff water is clear and then use an old rag or towel to sop up any standing water on the timber, roughly going all over all of the furniture with the rag. It will take many hours for the timber to completely dry (depending on the weather), however using the rag helps to prevent water spots marking the timber while it dries.

Once your Kwila furniture is totally dry, and if you want to maintain the rich colour of your furniture, at this point it is recommended that you oil the furniture using a light decking oil, as outlined above.

It is important to note that you are not removing all of the tannin from the wood, just the surface tannin. This is important, because it is the tannin and the moisture within the timber that retains the tannin that helps to preserve your furniture, making it resistant to the elements.

Daydream Leisure Furniture offers customers an in-house bleeding service for a small additional charge. Using our service means that you don’t have to spend your valuable time bleeding the surface tannin out of your Kwila furniture, instead you can start enjoying it as soon as it is delivered.

For more information on any of our outdoor furniture and accessories, visit one of our furniture showrooms, call us on 07 5449 9336 (Noosa) 07 5493 4277 (Warana) or complete our online enquiry form.