Getting the right garden furniture can transform your outdoor area into your own personal kingdom. It gives you extra comfort and convenient functionality that makes those lazy days in the spring, summer and cooler months stylish and relaxing.
But how do you know what to get? Which style will suit your garden? Will you be using it in the summer months or all year round? Find out how to choose the right garden furniture right here.
Work Out What You Want
Before going to splash out a month’s pay on new garden furniture, have a sit down and work out what you want from your outdoor space. Will you be inviting friends around for dinner during the summer months? Do you want to keep things simple for reading or relaxation? Or do you want a nice area for the kids to play in?
Make a note of everything you think you will use your patio for, and then you can start creating a wishlist of furniture that you might need. For example, if you see yourself as an outside dinner host, a large table is going to be essential, but if you just want a private space, a comfy rattan sofa set might be all you need.
Measure Up & Draw A Plan
It might sound obvious, but measuring your outdoor space is a vital part of choosing your garden furniture – and many people forget to do it. You need to have a rough idea of what size you can fit in, and where a particular piece will go.
Take your measurements, and draw out a plan of how you envisage your garden area will look like when you are done. Of course, your plans may change as you find new pieces that you fall in love with, but it will narrow down your search considerably once you start looking.
Consider Dual Purpose Furniture
If you plan on doing a variety of things in your garden, then think about getting garden or furniture that can be used for more than one thing. The sofa you use for reading can double up as extra seating for a cocktail party, for example.
You’ll need to head out to your local store to have a look at what’s on offer, as it can be very hard to imagine without seeing the dual-purpose potential of a certain piece. You should get some great ideas that tie in with your plans, and could free up some space, too!
Try Before You Buy
Going to your local home and garden store will give you a great indication of whether a particular piece of furniture suits your requirements. Take a look at the colour schemes they use in their displays for inspiration and, of course, make sure you try things out for comfort!
As a rule, the more comfortable a piece of furniture is, the more it will be used. A whole patio of wrought iron furniture might look great, but if it just isn’t comfortable you have to ask yourself if it is worth the considerable expense. And don’t forget you will need to add the cost of cushions and mattresses to your budget.