Guide to outdoor furniture options

Garden rattan furniture.

In the wake of an increasing demand for outdoor living products, many furniture suppliers are now stocking a wide variety of garden furniture. Just visit a reputable furniture shop or even an artisan’s display and you will be greeted by all kinds of furniture items to choose from. Then there are the option of tailor-making your own furniture or importing from the thousands of garden furniture specialists out there. The possibilities are endless.

So where do you begin selecting the best options for your garden? To begin answering this question, a quick review of the available furniture styles is necessary in order to understand what each is about. Here are some insights:

Rustic furniture

If yours is a relaxed country or cottage-style garden, sleek furniture will probably look out of place, although some modern pieces with organic forms based on natural shapes may be appropriate. Quirky, reclaimed rustic furniture may be your best option. Woven or wicker sets will also work, although they will need a convenient storage place or shed to protect them from the elements.

Rustic furniture also goes perfectly well with classical pieces. Lightweight, portable foldaway tables and chairs made from wood and metal, for instance, can work well in traditional gardens with authentic-looking reproductions such as Victorian fern seats.

Small spaces are seldom considered worthy of a garden. Yet in today's urban areas, plot sizes and consequently garden spaces are increasingly getting smaller.

Chic and modern

It’s hard to put your finger on why certain furniture styles have an up-to-date feel, but, in general, clean lines and plain, neutral coloured fabrics coupled with man-made elements like steel, glass, and chrome tend to appear modern. Sometimes a traditional item or seating may be updated to give it a modern look and feel by simply using hi-tech materials and simplifying its design to a minimum.

A seating area dressed with modern designer furniture makes a strong statement, particularly in urban courtyards and on roof terraces, where the garden often functions as an extension of the house. Modern, minimalist items made of steel and synthetic mesh fabric can add style and comfort to a contemporary design.

Integrated furniture

You can also create impromptu seating in the garden by simply utilising steps, sunken areas, and the walls of raised beds. All you need to do is build them at comfortable seating heights and finish them off with a comfortable top. For instance, a seat or table could be integrated onto a boundary wall by casting a protruding slab at an appropriate height. You can also integrate furniture with garden sculptural pieces typically fashioned in wood, metal, or concrete.

- The writer is a landscape architect

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