Outer Furniture is innovative outdoor furniture that is designed to withstand the elements

My sofa was purchased 5 years ago and still looks good as new.

Because most outdoor furniture needs to be replaced frequently, a lot of people choose to buy cheap furniture that they won’t feel bad about throwing away. I was going for an upscale aesthetic with my outdoor area (pictured above) and was willing to spend a bit more on outdoor furniture, but wanted to make sure that it would last more than a year or two.

When I came across an ad for outer, I was intrigued and starting researching the company and the product. This was back in 2019 when outer was in start up mode and only one product on the market, so there wasn’t a lot of external data to rely on. There were a handful of positive reviews on their facebook page, but that was about it. I was hesitant, but they had an excellent return policy (365 days free returns; this has since been revised to include a restocking fee and return shipping costs, which is still very generous, particularly since there are now lot more reviews and opportunities to view it) and an even better warranty policy (5 years for cushions and wicker elements, 10 years for frame and metal elements).

Product Review

At the time, the wicker sofa pictured above was their only product, offered with either gray or ivory (now called “palisades cream”) covers. It is modular, meaning you just buy the pieces that you want and can arrange them in multiple configurations. I opted for ivory to match the aesthetic I was going for, trusting that if they made a white product it could withstand the elements. Note that it is more of an ivory/off-white than pure white, which surprised me at first but I grew to prefer and like. The cushions are super comfortable and have removable covers that can be hosed off or put directly in the washing machine.

Assembly was quick and easy - the sofa arrives in boxes and all you need to do is attach the feet (all necessary parts and tools are included). Takes less than 5 minutes were piece.

The outer shell that covers the cushions and can be doubled as carrying cases are genius. I usually hate putting covers on my outdoor furniture but these are easy to roll on and off and as a result, I uncover them a lot more often. They also look sleek even when covered.

The wicker, thus far, seems indestructible. I have literally done nothing to maintain it and it looks exactly as it did the day that I got the sofa. The cushions can easily be brought inside thanks to the covers, but I leave mine outside 100% of the time (southern CA makes this possible).

Fabulous Customer Service

After a bad storm there were dirt stains on the covers that I couldn’t get out with soap and water. I sent an email to outer and the founder, Terry, responded to me within an hour and suggested putting them in the washing machine and to let him know if that did not work. I had no idea they could go in the washing machine and that totally did the trick; they came out good as new! From then on, I just threw them in the wash about once a quarter and now, five years later, they are still looking great.

Outer Showroom

There are outer sofa enthusiasts, myself among them. People that have this sofa love it so much that they want to be ambassadors and host showrooms in their backyards. You can make an appointment to view a sofa in someone’s backyard and meet and ask questions of a real customer. Hosts earn a flat fee per visit and no commissions on purchases, so they are not incentivized to try to sell you the sofa. You’ll just get real, honest reviews and a real user to whom you can ask questions. It is a strange concept, but also reflective of the company and its values, in that they are building a community and care about their customers.

New Products

Over the past five years, outer has introduced a lot of new products (tables, chairs, fire pits, umbrellas, rugs), and I trust that they are all as well thought out and of equal quality as the original sofa. I also trust the founders Terry and Jiake, and that they will always make things right if there is ever an issue. They have a facebook group where they are constantly asking for product feedback and suggestions and they do polls around what products people want to see launched. They truly listen to their customers and their customer service is unmatched.

How to buy

Still a direct-to-consumer brand, purchase directly from liveouter.com. Message me for a 10% discount that can be used during non-promo periods (or a stackable 5% during promo periods). I can also set you up with a free design consultation and a direct line to someone at Outer to answer any product questions.

Note: I earn a referral fee if you make a purchase using my discount.