How to Choose Garden Furniture

The best part of the year is here – the time when you can move from indoors to the outdoors and start creating your so-called external living room. If summer is beautiful and warm – and why shouldn't it be – you'll spend a lot of time there with family and guests. Let's look together at what garden furniture you could choose for your garden or terrace so you can truly enjoy it. The selection in shops is very large, so it's better to know what you're looking for before you go shopping.

Let's start with measuring

As always, you should measure the area intended for furniture before going to the shop. If you're planning to place garden furniture under an apple tree, you obviously don't need to do this, but if the furniture is going on a terrace or balcony, then it's definitely necessary. Tables and chairs in shops usually look much smaller than they do later at home.

Think through your needs

Think about what and how much furniture you will need. Are you planning to eat outdoors every day (whenever possible) or do you just need a lounger where you can read a book and relax? Take into account the needs of all family members and think about whether and how many guests you have. If you do have guests, then you'll need more chairs.

Also think about the possibility that maybe you want to move your home office outdoors in the summer. Is the table one where you can also work?

Which material should you choose?

For garden furniture materials, you mainly have four options: wood, rattan, metal, or plastic.

Wood is a classic garden furniture material and suits any garden and household. If you choose furniture for a terrace, make sure the furniture and terrace boards don't clash with each other and match well together.

Keep in mind that wood requires more maintenance than, for example, plastic or metal furniture.

However, the weight of wood speaks in its favor – chairs and tables won't blow away during a summer thunderstorm.

Rattan, on the other hand, is very light and easy to move around in the garden if needed. Woven rattan furniture is great for romantics – it turns any garden into a cozy nest.

Metal garden furniture also suits any garden. Metal chairs and sofas always come with soft cushions. Otherwise, there's no comfort in sitting – sometimes the chair gets too hot in the sun and sometimes it's very cold to sit on. Beautiful cushions also make your terrace or garden corner cozier and more inviting.

When choosing cushions, make sure they are suitable for outdoor conditions; indoor cushions are not the best choice.

Plastic garden furniture has been looked down upon for a while, as many years ago plastic garden chairs and tables with not exactly the most beautiful design were very common. Fortunately, nowadays there's also attractive plastic furniture with interesting and modern design for sale. Plastic furniture is very practical – it's easy to clean and move around.

UK furniture store Lazy Susan Furniture gives four simple recommendations:

• Teak is better than pine.
• Aluminium is better than steel.
• Polyester with UV protection is better than cotton.
• Quality artificial rattan lasts longer than real.

What about the rain?

Are you planning to place your garden furniture under a roof or under the open sky? If you don't have shelter, don't buy furniture that you have to cover or move to a shed every time it rains.

What happens to the furniture in autumn?

If you don't have a lot of space for storing garden furniture for the winter, then choose smaller furniture instead, but make sure it's still comfortable to sit or lie on. If the furniture is too small, it's uncomfortable and you probably won't use it much.

Prefer better quality furniture

Garden furniture must withstand difficult weather conditions for several years, so there's no point in choosing lower quality, even if the price difference seems quite large.

Feel with your hand whether the furniture is smooth enough or if it's carelessly finished and rough. Also check whether the furniture is glued together or if screws are used at important connection points.

Also consider very hot days

Right, you'll need shade. If you have no other way to get shade, then buy an umbrella for your furniture under which you can hide from the bright sun.

View houses with gardens and terraces here.

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When preparing the article, Lazy Susan Furniture and RealHomes.com were helpful.