What is an umbrella stand?  Some of you may think you know the answer to that, but I bet you haven't expanded your thoughts far enough to include all the different types of umbrella stands there are. The first thing that might have popped into your mind might be that an umbrella stand is the base to your outdoor furniture umbrella. You would be right! Others might think that an umbrella stand is something found in the front hallway of your home to hold your umbrellas. You would also be right! Others still might think that it is a secure stand for your beach umbrella. Yep you guessed it, you were also right.

Did you also know that there are umbrella stands at museums and other public places that you can actually lock up your umbrella much like you do a bike on a bike rack? This might also be called an umbrella rack and is a very handy tool to utilize when touring a museum or visiting a restaurant and you don't want your dripping wet umbrella to be a cumbersome pest while you try to enjoy yourself!

In the previous paragraphs I have touched on the different types of umbrella stands that you might think of when you think of an umbrella stand. Here I will discuss the different types so you can find the one that will fit your needs.

The Indoor Umbrella Stand

The indoor umbrella stand is used generally in the front entrance of your home to store your umbrellas. These stands, made popular in Victorian England, used to be a sign of wealth, status, and knowledge of current styles, much like the hat stand. In those days the umbrella stand was typically made of wood and would generally be shaped as a hollow cylinder stand. You place your umbrella, handle side up, into the umbrella stand. The wet umbrella can dry out without getting your nice floors wet! Today they come in many different styles and materials and can be simple or flashy. Try a metal umbrella stand for the ultimate in chicness!

Unless you live at one of the poles, you probably enjoy some sort of summer weather. With summer comes BBQ's and enjoying the nice weather. Many people purchase outdoor furniture in order to enjoy the sun. Most outdoor furniture sets come with an umbrella. These umbrellas are held down by very sturdy and heavy patio umbrella stands. Typically made of solid heavy metal, the outdoor umbrella stand or patio umbrella stand is necessary to keep your umbrella upright and from blowing away!

If you are like me, you always use to wonder how those people kept their beach umbrella upright in the sand. The answer is a beach umbrella stand. These stands are more like anchors that drill into the sand providing the stability needed to hold up a beach umbrella. A very handy tool indeed!

The outdoor umbrella stand has got to be the most versatile umbrella stand of them all. These umbrella stands are much like the beach umbrella anchor, where they twist into the ground or are spiked into the ground in order to provide a stable anchor for your outdoor umbrella. Use these to shade your chair while watching the kid's baseball game or enjoying a day at the park. Forget the umbrella clips that clip to your chair. Enjoy the full protection of a large umbrella with an outdoor umbrella stand.

Below is an advertisement for a really cool portable beach umbrella with it's own stand.  Please note that I am in no way affiliated with this company, I just thought it might be a cool addition!