5 tips to help you choose the right garden furniture
Choosing the right garden furniture ensures you bring comfort, style and function to your outdoor spaces. A large outdoor dining table and practical, easy-to-use chairs can transform a patio or decking area into the perfect outdoor dining area, for example. It’s easy to overlook the outdoor-living opportunities that are available on urban balconies or in small city gardens, but complementing these areas with the right outdoor furniture will beckon you outside time and again.
That’s why the team here at Barbed have put together a few tips you can follow when choosing the best garden furniture for your outdoor areas. A little thoughtful planning will go a long way to ensuring your outdoor living space is an inviting spot for years to come.
1. List the things you need
It’s useful to think about how you’d like your outdoor space to function. Would it be best served as an outdoor dining area during the warm summer months? Would you like to host parties such as your child’s next birthday party in the space? Perhaps it would be better suited as a peaceful outdoor sanctuary where you can read a book and get away from the world for a while?
List the many things you’d like to do in the garden space and use it as a guide to gain a better understanding of what type of garden furniture would be most beneficial. If you’re likely to use it for hosting evening cocktails with friends, there may be no need for a large dining table eating up the space. If it’s for chilling out at night with the family, then you may want to consider adding a firepit to the want-list.
2. Be colour aware
While purchasing garden furniture and accessories, you’re not limited to the natural tones of wood and metal. A huge variety of colourful finishes are available these days in the world of outdoor furniture, allowing you to integrate your garden pieces with the outdoor exterior. Most of the products that we stock at Barbed can be chosen in a wide range of different shades and colours, so stamping your preferred style and personality on the outdoors is made easy. For a mixture of style and longevity, you may want to reserve bold splashes of colour for cushions and other accessories. If you want your furniture to take centre stage and be a point of discussion, then you may want to select a more daring colour for feature pieces.
3. Invest in quality garden furniture
The old saying rings true, because when it comes to garden furniture you’re likely to ‘get what you pay for’. If you’re looking to make use of your garden furniture for many seasons to come, without it becoming brittle and shoddy or losing any of its vibrant colour, then it’s vital you choose garden furniture that is designed and manufactured to a high quality. This is the reason Barbed choose to offer only the highest quality garden furniture from some of the best garden furniture brands available. Shop with care and don’t be afraid to ask questions in store before making your purchase.
4. Test your choices beforehand
A common mistake that people make is selecting garden furniture with only their eyes. The piece may look the part, but once they get it home and start spending a longer amount of time in an uncomfortable chair, they quickly realise that it doesn’t quite act the part. Many garden chairs are too narrow and skimpy, while others are built very low to the ground, making it an embarrassing time for some folks when they are trying to get out of them. This is why it’s important to choose suitable garden sofas and outdoor armchairs that offer the comfort you’re looking for. When shopping for your outdoor furniture don’t be afraid to test the pieces. Think about the comfort and purchase accordingly.
5. Check the outdoor textiles
You can’t just grab a cushion from the sofa in the living room and expect it to adapt to outdoor living. Most textiles that are designed for outdoor use are made from all-weather materials that either repel water or encourage moisture to evaporate quickly by remaining porous. Fabrics that are designed for outdoor use are usually fade resistant UV protected, as well. You should expect to get a fair few seasons out of your garden fabrics before they begin to look like they could do with replacing. While evaluating fabrics for the garden, check things like cushion seams for heavy duty thread and even stitches. Investing in garden cushions that can be unzipped and taken apart for airing, repair or replacement are also worth considering.
We stock a huge range of luxury garden furniture and accessories here at Barbed, from quality designers such as Fermob, Cane-Line and Fatboy. Be sure to pop into one of our two London showrooms, where our team will be happy to help you pick out the perfect garden furniture for your outdoor space and answer any questions that you may have about the products we currently stock online and instore.
- 22nd March 2018
