Which garden furniture should I purchase?

When your garden furniture begins to fall apart it can be surprisingly difficult to make the right choices for your garden. The main factors to take into account are style, cost, durability and maintenance.

When you don’t have anywhere to store chairs and tables in winter, and don’t want to cover them, there are solutions for buying furniture that you can leave out especially if you want to enjoy your winter garden, and to be able to sit outside with a coffee on a fine day. But that can mean that some garden furniture doesn’t last as long so it’s a good idea to find furniture that's more durable.

However, there are also other things to consider. If you’re buying furniture for a roof terrace, balcony or windy garden, for example, then the weight will matter as light garden furniture could blow around easily unless it’s secured.

So here are our answers to the top garden furniture buying questions, plus shots of the best garden furniture we’ve seen in gardens and shows this year.

Shopping for garden furniture in late summer can be a good time; although there may be less choice, there's more chance of reduced prices. If saving money is your aim, then the New Year sales are also a good option. But if you want maximum choice then it’s a good idea to start hunting for garden furniture in early spring, when all the new stock comes in for the summer!

Which furniture should you purchase?
You can choose from six options:

• wood
• metal
• rattan
• plastic
• stone/stone composites
• built-in seating/tables made from hard landscaping materials

Plastic, metal and built-in or stone/stone composite garden furniture are the longest lasting versions. And plastic will also be the cheapest, while good quality wood and rattan are generally the most expensive. Natural rattan isn't weatherproof, but synthetic polyethylene resin rattan is very hard wearing and can live outside without covers on. After a few years rattan can slowly fall apart but it will last longer if you cover or store it in winter. Wicker is a type of weave, while rattan is the material the chair is made from. Metal is of course one of the most robust and durable of all the products, and with new designs that can be produced in multiple colours along with faux waterproof leather options this does seem to be one of the best options.

Stone and stone composites are exceptionally long lasting. You could have stone composite benches from Haddonstone, which can last for up to 30 years. They need occasional cleaning but are otherwise completely weatherproof. A dining tables with a stone composite top can be a little more expensive than a high-quality teak garden table of a similar size, but it will last longer, especially if you don’t plan to cover it in winter.

Built in furniture
Many people use leftover pavers or wood to build in benches as part of hard landscaping. This option is exceptionally durable and also quite low maintenance. It’s also a good choice for smaller spaces because you can build exactly the shape and size you need.

So in summary, when you're looking for new garden furniture, there are a limited number of garden furniture styles. And there are cheaper and more expensive brands in each category. The more expensive versions will generally last longer and can look better. One place to start is to take the style of your house through into your garden. Take colour themes, paving, flooring and furniture styles through from the house to the garden to make your space feel more cohesive.

So once you’ve fixed a price point, your final decision will probably be made around style. It’s worth taking a moment to think about exactly what your garden style is. Here are our nine top tips:

• Mid-century modern garden furniture has a lovely retro feel, and it works well in contemporary settings too
• Contemporary garden furniture includes many rattan sets, as well as artisan-made items
• Wooden garden furniture is available in a wide range of price points and is the most traditional style of garden furniture. From Lutyens benches to teak garden tables, it’s probably the most-loved and best-known style
• Buying second-hand garden furniture is the most environmentally-friendly option, and it can also be one of the cheapest. Look at online auctions, such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace, and free sites such as Freegle or Freecyle. But do check that the furniture is sturdy and/or that you can repair it
• There’s now a good range of outdoor cushions. These can usually be left outside for most of the summer, although it’s wise to store them indoors in winter
• I bought a vintage metal garden seat and two chairs. They needed cushions, but as the furniture was 50+ years old, so it didn’t fit standard sizes of cushion available for sale now. At Strive for Design we have multiple choices of outdoor fabric, solving this problem by making new cushions with Maria Flora outdoor fabric. There's a colourful range of fabrics to choose from to complement your outdoors to the indoors
• Most garden furniture is designed to left outside. However, natural rattan and wicker and some wooden furniture should really be brought inside overnight. If you don’t have space for storage, you can of course buy outdoor covers for your garden furniture
• Think about the weight of your garden furniture. If you live in a windy area, or you’re buying for a balcony or roof garden, you don’t want lightweight garden furniture that could blow away. Rattan and plastic are the lightest. Also check the maintenance requirements. Everything needs maintenance, and everything will last longer if it’s properly maintained
• Rattan is a natural material and wicker is a style of weave, so people use the terms ‘rattan’ and ‘wicker’ for garden furniture interchangeably. However, you can’t leave natural rattan and wicker garden furniture outside. They’re better used in a conservatory and put outside occasionally in good weather. However, synthetic rattans have been treated to make them much more weatherproof. They’re usually made of polyethylene resin or PE. These are designed to be left outside

So if you're looking to refresh your outdoor space and would like help with selecting the most suitable garden furniture to go with your home, please do pop in to our Newmarket showroom to discuss the options available to you. We work with a number of suppliers who not only offer various garden ranges but also outdoor kitchens, BBQs and pizza ovens.

If you're looking for help and advice with creating a cosy, moody room, please call our design team on 01223 622 688 or send us an email to book a paint and furniture consultation.

Leigh Hall from Strive for Design is an interior designer in Cambridge, so if you're looking to redesign any aspect of your home, call our design team on 01223 622 688, send us an email or complete our enquiry form to book a consultation.