Daily Herald readers win patio makeover
Patio furniture takes a beating - especially when its owners don't have space to store it inside a garage or basement during the winter.
But thanks to By the Yard outdoor furniture, homeowners now have the option of investing in luxury outdoor furniture - made from recycled milk jugs - that is maintenance-free, won't splinter, can be left outside all winter and is backed by a 35-year warranty.
This past winter, the Daily Herald teamed up with By the Yard, which has a showroom at 900 S. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, to sponsor the "Rescue My Backyard Furniture Photo Contest." More than 200 people entered by uploading photos and explaining why they needed a backyard makeover.
Barbara Tsutsumi of Arlington Heights thought the By the Yard furniture looked beautiful and submitted a photo of her rundown, mismatched backyard furniture for the contest. She was the chosen winner, earning her an entirely new set of luxury items.
The prize package - valued at $4,890 - included a table, four stationary chairs and two Adirondack-style chairs in the color of her choice.
Manufactured in Minnesota, By the Yard furniture is strong and stain-resistant and cleans up with bleach.
"It is also made using UV-stabilized colors that allow buyers to easily add on to their collection for a lifetime," said Jacob Wolf, sales manager. By the Yard furniture is available online at bytheyard.net.
Tsutsumi and her husband, Wayne, are retired and have lived in their Arlington Heights home for more than 30 years. She estimates her previous outdoor furniture was purchased soon after they moved in.
"The furniture we had before was different bits and pieces that we had picked up over the years and nothing matched," Tsutsumi said. "The opportunity to win a beautifully matched set was wonderful and we chose a gray set, which is so pretty."
The Tsutsumis' son and his wife also live with the couple and they, too, enjoy the backyard upgrade, Tsutsumi said.
"We are enjoying the furniture so much. I like to sit out there and read because it is so comfortable," she said. "The furniture is lovely and is allowing us to enjoy our backyard living space so much more than we did with the old stuff. I know that we will enjoy the new furniture with family and friends for years to come."
If you want to browse the entire By the Yard collection, call (877) 220-0448 to request a free catalog, Wolf said.