How to buy outdoor furniture

One of the keys to a great outdoor room is the right outdoor furniture. It’s not difficult to buy outdoor furniture, but with so many types of furniture to choose from and so many styles on offer, one can feel a bit lost.

What to look for when choosing outdoor furniture:

Storage - during winter or when not in use, you may wish or need to storage the furniture away. Choose outdoor folding chairs and tables that will need less space. Another option is to buy outdoor furniture covers to protect it.

Easy to move - for a small garden or patio, you might need to move around the garden furniture for different uses of the space, so choose light furniture or ones easy to move (with wheels).

Types of furniture – garden table and chairs, sofas, side table, bench, pouf, net, umbrella... choose the ones better suited for the use you will be giving to the outdoor room.

If you plan to use it to relax it’s important to have comfortable chairs, so try an outdoor daybed or garden rocking chairs. If there will be children in the garden, then use poufs that you can move around easily and are suitable to all ages. If you are planning to entertain, then choose chairs and side tables you can move around the space to create different zones. Outdoor dining furniture should be easy to move around and mix with other outdoor furniture.

Versatility – furniture that can be used in different ways is a great option and you might need to buy fewer pieces. Benches that also work as side tables, lounge chairs that break into a chair and a small bench and other versatile furniture, mean you will be able to get more from each one. Some outdoor furniture may be used also inside the home, for instance an outdoor dining set might be used during winter inside a kitchen or conservatory.

Easy to mix – for parties, dinners and other entertainment, you will need extra seats, so choose furniture that will mix easily with some of your interior furniture, that you can then bring outside for that occasion.

Styles – the garden furniture style should follow the garden style or theme you are using for garden decoration. A modern style asks for contemporary garden furniture, with clean lines, for instance aluminium outdoor furniture. A cottage style would go better with rustic garden furniture. You can also opt to follow your interior furniture style and mix pieces, as you need.

Materials – aluminum, wood, iron, stone, cement, outdoors fabrics, resin, glass, synthetic fibers... there are many to choose from. Some materials are weatherproof and will allow for the furniture to stay outside all seasons, others will need to be in a protected area during winter, or at least protected with garden furniture covers.

Accessories – outdoor cushions, covers, blankets, curtains, all can add a new dimension to your outdoor furniture. Use and abuse!

Colors / Colours – furniture with strong colors may bring a fun element to your patio decoration. If you don’t want to settle with a color scheme, opt for furniture in neutral colors, like black, white or beige and then add color as you wish with accessories like patio cushions, curtains, covers...