How to choose outdoor furniture – everything you need to know No matter how adept you may be at interior design, it’s common to falter when stepping into your garden. Learning how to choose outdoor furniture is a skill that, once mastered, will transform this space. These days, gardens are becoming more and more an extension of our home. They’re extra living rooms, kitchens and even home offices. Instead of merely setting up ad hoc seating, it’s important to take the time to find the best furniture for your outdoor space so you can use it to its fullest potential. The best place to start when working out how to choose outdoor furniture is by analysing your needs. Different homes and lifestyles have different requirements, and it’s key to identify these at the beginning of the process. ‘If you are looking to entertain family and friends, you are likely to opt for more casual dining options over a traditional dining set,’ notes Tim Penell, Head of Sales and Marketing at Bramblecrest. ‘These offer the versatility of dual height tables (simple to switch from coffee to dining height) or consider a set with a fire pit table and feel warm long after sunset. Whereas if you are looking for outdoor furniture for summer parties, you might be looking for bar sets or to keep drinks chilled with an ice bucket coffee table.’ How to choose outdoor furniture Whatever size or style your garden is, discover how to choose outdoor furniture with our expert-led guide 1. Find the right style for your space Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole As with interiors, it’s important to take the environment into consideration when buying furniture. A useful place to start is by deciding whether you want your garden furniture to complement or contrast with your home. ‘If you live in a very modern house, you might go for furniture with lots of minimalist lines, or contrast with furniture that provides a cosy and comfy ambience,’ says Simon Hudson, Managing Director, Oxley’s. For a more cohesive feel, stick with furniture that reflects your home and the garden. ‘A traditional property with a classically designed garden would suit 19th century or early 20th century garden antique furniture,’ notes Caryl Tincknell, founder of Violet Grey. ‘A contemporary property and garden would be better suited to mid-century items. You can get a real sense of the history of a garden and work in pieces from there.’ Style also dictates material choice to an extent. ‘It’s best to consider the overall look you want to achieve and how you’re planning to use your outdoor space,’ advises Jonny Brierley, CEO, Moda Furnishings. ‘Aluminium is best for those wanting to achieve a contemporary look, whereas rattan is perfect for achieving a more traditional style.’ 2. Find the right material Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes One of the most confusing aspects of discovering how to choose outdoor furniture is that wide range of materials on the market. It can be tricky to know which is best for your needs, but each has their pros and cons to keep in mind. Rattan ‘Rattan comes in a variety of styles, weaves and materials, that drastically vary in quality,’ says Jonny from Moda. ‘PE is a synthetic Polyethylene resin that opposes a natural wicker rattan. Unlike natural rattan, PE rattan is far more durable and as a result, requires less maintenance, it is also capable of handling much more unfriendly weather with minimal wear and tear. With natural wicker rattan, you will need to keep your furniture inside and likely treat it to maximise its longevity.’ ‘There are also different types of weaves that you can choose from,’ continues Jonny. ‘Flat weave rattan is perhaps one of the most popular choices and one of the cheapest. Flat weaves are also the lightest making your furniture much easier to move around and easier to clean. Curved weave offers a more luxurious and traditional appearance. It needs more cleaning than a flat weave, but it’s also less brittle and can last longer.’ Wood Wood is one of the most classic choices in outdoor furniture, and will offer that traditional, elegant look. However, it can require a fair amount of maintenance. ‘As it’s natural, spores, lichens and stains grow on it so it needs annual sanding and oiling,’ notes Simon from Oxley’s. Although garden furniture comes in a variety of woods, one of the most popular is teak. ‘A naturally good looking material, teak contains high levels of oil making it weather-resistant and able to withstand exposure to the variable British climate,’ points out Tim from Bramblecrest. ‘Left untreated, teak furniture will mellow to a silver grey colour over time.’ Metal Aluminium and steel are the two most widely used materials for metal outdoor furniture. The latter, although more traditional, has more potential issues. ‘Steel is extremely robust and can look stunning in a minimalist setting,’ says Simon from Oxley’s. ‘But it is very heavy and, as a ferrous metal, will eventually rust.’ For these reasons, aluminium is a more popular choice. ‘Aluminium furniture is likely to be favoured by those who prefer a more contemporary look to their outdoor space. There is a wide choice of styles available with frames and cushions in a variety of colours,’ says Tim from Blamblecrest. ‘Aluminium furniture is lightweight, rust-free and easy to maintain.’ ‘With aluminium’ adds Jonny from Moda, ‘it is vital that the frame should have fully welded joints and be finished with multiple coatings of high-quality paint to ensure longevity and durability.’ Glass Glass isn’t used overly widely in outdoor furniture, but if you do select a table with glass, keep in mind some safety aspects. ‘It’s important to look for toughened safety glass,’ says Moda’s Jonny. ‘Look for 8mm toughened safety glass to ensure product longevity.’ 3. Keep the environment in mind Image credit: Violet Grey/Tom Hargreaves As with every other area of our lives, it’s our responsibility to consider the eco-impacts of our garden furniture. There…

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