Enjoy the summer sunshine more with outdoor furniture
To make that experience a reality, choose outdoor furniture that will suit your needs, and be robust enough to withstand the inevitable wind and rain.
If you’re considering purchasing new outdoor furniture, here’s our 5 step guide to help you with your decision:
1.) Know what you want before you start looking
In many ways, choosing furniture for outdoor spaces should be thought about in the same way as choosing furniture for inside your home. The space you have needs to be looked at carefully, and different spaces designated to different activities.
Before you start looking at furniture, work out exactly what it is you need from it, and where this would fit into your garden as a whole.
For example, for a patio area with a barbeque it may be sensible to have a table and chairs. Look at how big a space you have, what size of table you need, and how many people you wish to seat.
Alternatively, you might have a more secluded area of the garden that you wish to use for relaxing. Would this space better suit a sunbed, garden bench, or even a swing seat? There are plenty of options available which can make buying outdoor furniture overwhelming, so make sure you have decided exactly what it is you’re looking for.
Also, make sure you measure the space properly before you buy, so that you know exactly how big you want the furniture to be. Furniture seen in a photograph online, or in a garden centre, can seem much smaller or larger than it would look in your garden as you’re seeing it out of context.
2.) Think carefully about the furniture material
Garden furniture comes in many different styles and materials, all of which have their different advantages and disadvantages.
Metal garden furniture can sometimes need less initial upkeep than wooden furniture, as it’s not always necessary to repaint it every year. However, when metal starts to rust there’s often very little you can do to get it back to its original state, whereas wood can be sanded and re-varnished to look practically brand new.
Your decision should also depend on the look you’re trying to achieve. Metal can look very modern – perfect for a chic roof terrace or a minimalist designed garden. However, wood is softer and blends more easily, which can better suit a more traditional space.
3.) Comfort over practicality, or practicality over comfort?
Garden furniture with fabric finishes can be extremely comfortable, and looks delightful. However, if you have young children or animals, you may want to think carefully about choosing furniture with fabric finishes.
Whilst furniture cushions can easily be removed when not in use, the garden environment means they often become mucky. Choosing a wipe-clean fabric is often a god-send, as it saves hours of washing covers and allows your cushions to look new for longer.
However, cotton is undoubtedly more comfortable during the summer months, and so if your confident of keeping your furniture clean this is often the most comfortable option.
The same applies for swing chairs with awnings. Ensure you choose a hard-wearing fabric in a colour that won’t fade easily in sunlight, and check that it’s machine washable. Also, make sure you know how easy it is to remove from your furniture – you don’t want to be hanging around when you get caught in an unexpected April shower!
4.) Consider investing in furniture covers
Outdoor furniture can be a costly purchase, and you will want to ensure that your furniture will stay in good condition for a number of years. For this reason, it is often worth spending a little bit extra on garden furniture covers. This will considerably extend the usable life of the furniture, and it will also ensure that they stay clean and dry for the next time you want to use them.
Large tarpaulin-like covers are available for swing-chairs, tables and most types of seating. You can also get covers for garden parasols, which will prevent fading and sun damage as well as protecting from the wind and rain.
5.) Think about sun protection
It is now well documented that sun damage to your skin can have serious long-term effects, causing conditions such as skin cancer. Therefore, when choosing your outdoor furniture, you may also want to consider how you will provide that area with shade.
Fashionable solutions to this include gazebos (which also offers fantastic protection against summer showers), or a parasol. Swing chairs also often come equipped with a built-in parasol.
Otherwise you might want to look at the natural environment in which your placing your furniture – where will be shaded during the time you are most likely to use your new furniture?
By considering all of these outdoor furniture factors, you’ll be better equipped in finding the perfect alfresco furniture for your garden.
