Blue Duck makes outdoor living hassle-free

You find the perfect outdoor furniture set, invest handsomely in it and enjoy this sun-dappled extension of your living space throughout the warmer months.

Then comes fall. Do you kick a car out of your garage to store it? Give up the exercise room in the basement? Wrestle it up the attic stairs? Tarp, bungee and hope for the best? Or maybe just leave it to Old Man Winter's fury, rendering your new furniture old in a hurry?

Charlie and Stephanie Johnson of Crystal Lake have the solution. The Johnsons have launched Blue Duck Living, a one-of-a-kind business providing homeowners and businesses with two worry-free options.

"We take the hassle out of dealing with outdoor furniture during the off-season," Charlie Johnson said. "We offer pickup, storage and drop-off services for your existing furniture, or a seasonal rental program that offers clients the opportunity to rent good quality furniture during the warmer months. Either way, we set it up in the spring and pick it up in the fall."

The idea came to the Johnsons while they wrangled with some outdoor furnishings of their own. And it solidified when they had to throw away a table that was only a few years old because it had suffered the ravages of being outside during a couple of Midwestern winters.

For fees ranging from $5 to $20 per piece per month, including pickup and drop-off, the Johnsons will carefully remove and store furniture in a climate-controlled space as cold weather approaches. Then, on the customer-designated date, they'll return it in the spring, arranging it as desired. Or, Blue Duck offers seasonal furniture rentals, featuring a vibrant, durable, high-quality line of outdoor furniture ranging from chairs to counter tables and more.

"I can't tell you how many people have asked me about them," said Stephanie Johnson as she showed off aqua, orange and lime green Adirondacks. "It makes a property look so inviting."

Rental prices range from $5 a month for a round, 18-inch side table to $30 a month for a 48-inch dining or bar table. Considering the purchase price for those same items would range from roughly $100 to $700, rentals offer an attractive alternative.

Bottom line, Blue Duck Living offers homeowners the chance to enjoy all of the perks of outdoor living with none of the downside. "It's the end-to-end service that has really resonated with clients," Charlie Johnson said. "Kick off the snow boots and put on your flip-flops. We take care of the rest."

Service is available throughout northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and the Chicago metro area. Learn more about Blue Duck Living and its offerings at blueduckliving.com or call 773-263-8077.