Let’s face it – summer’s great, but that sunshine and good vibes is even easier to enjoy when you’ve got the right summer furniture to do it with!
And the good news is, it’s never been easier or more affordable to kit out your garden furniture. Not just the tables and chairs, but all the added extras that make a garden full of personality.
Don’t feel like you have to stick to the same old styling either. Treat your garden like a whole room in its own right and bring the same level of attention to it as you would any room with Scandi styling, minimalism, retro or rustic styling. Follow our tips for your summer furniture below.
Rattan garden furniture
Wildly popular over the last few years, rattan outdoor chairs and rattan furniture sets are crafted with woven strips of material for a super-hardwearing finish and a modern rustic look. Rather than old-fashioned wood rattan, synthetic rattan will last you hear after year, doesn’t mind a bit of water (especially when it’s teamed with rust-resistant aluminium) and as it’s so classic it’s a breeze to mix and match too.
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Colourful Furniture
If you want a thoroughly modern look then what about pop-bright garden chairs? A major trend for indoors, colourful dining chairs and stools look every bit as good outside.
Metal garden chairs are best for this as they’re durable and suited to being left outside every now and again (just don’t make a habit of it!). For the coolest look around right now invest in a few simple, industrial-style stools inspired by the iconic Tolix chair by Xavier Pauchard.
Planters
No garden is complete of course without the plants! Rather than leaving your favourite flowers and succulents in random pots, create a more unified look with a planter in wood or modern concrete-style finishes.
Not only are planters useful, they give an architectural finish to your space and can help ‘zone’ a garden, creating pathways or sectioning off an area just like how you’d use storage indoors.
Table and garden sets
Again, outdoor summer furniture has come on leaps and bounds in recent seasons with so many imaginative and cool styles available. Don’t feel like you have to settle for that plain plastic table!
Apart from rattan garden sets with matching chairs, metal garden sets and slatted designs, we think the humble park bench is making a comeback this year – they’re sturdy, timeless and there’s always room for someone to squeeze up and make space.
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If you’ve got a smaller space like a balcony or patio what about a high table and bar stools? These bring a bistro feel to your outdoors and are ideal for petite spaces. Or mix and match them with adjustable stacking stools for even more space-saving.
Don’t forget the accessories!
Who’s to say you can’t lavish as much attention on even the smallest garden, porch or patio as you do when decorating a living room?
Just use the same approach indoors and out. Add comfy statement cushions to your look and don’t worry about them being out in the open air – these days, most cushions feature machine-washable, removable covers. Scatter them around for a beach bar look.
Food just tastes better outside, so why not decorate that new picnic table or dining set with some summer-worthy plates, glasses and cutlery? It’s nice to have a special set just for use when the temperature’s warm, especially something brightly coloured that feels a bit more of an occasion to use. And plastic cups and plates are ideal for a picnic, in the park or your own backyard.
Finish off with glasses including cool oversized cocktail glasses in the shape of skulls or tiki heads.
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Key Trends
Pool Party: A sun-drenched pool party vibe is huge for this year – think of Miami-style pastel pinks, pale blues and hot oranges, ideally with a splash of copper and gold.
Get the look: Try alternating some pink and blue Tolix-style stools around a simple outdoor table, then add some funky tiki bar glasses and a few decorative pineapples as a centrepiece. Finish with pink and blue plates, copper or gold cutlery – oh, and if you’ve got a pool, a few kitsch inflatables like a giant donut or flamingo!
Junglalow: In case it wasn’t obvious, this trend is all about bringing the jungle look home. True, not all of us live in one-storey houses but the name is just too good to pass up. Bringing a touch of the Amazon to the average garden, think of dark greens against, yep, gold or copper, contrasted against white and plenty of leaf motifs.
Get the look: If you love the glam look, start with some copper or gold garden chairs or stools (or white if you’re more of a minimalist). Liven things up with leaf-print plates and cushions at each seat, some gold tableware and glasses and some concrete-effect planters overspilling with trendy plants like jade, money plants or a monstera.
What summer furniture are you looking to purchase this year? Let us know in the comment box below…
