Garden Furniture Buying Guide

You need a garden furniture buying guide. Why? Because there’s so much choice, it’s hard to know where to start!

Whether it’s spring, summer or autumn, we’re all making the most of the great outdoors. If you live in a town you’ll smell the barbecues on the air every summer weekend, and on plenty of weekdays. The nation is barbecuing, gathering for a giggle, meeting in gardens across the land with old friends and new, family and loved ones. And we’re determined to carry on partying until the worst of the winter weather finally drives us back indoors.

With so many different styles of garden furniture available, how can you decide which is going to be right for your outdoor space? Read on to find out about the various garden furniture materials, the styling, the look, and some cool hacks to make your outdoor space an even more fun place to be.

Our garden furniture buying guide covers everything you need to enjoy your outdoor space that little bit more. We’ve used our gardening and garden design expertise to focus on the things we think are most important. This is our expert guide to buying garden furniture. Our top tips to buy garden furniture are designed to help you make the best buying decisions… and make it fun and inspiring.

Garden furniture guide – Popular garden furniture materials

First, what do you like best? Wood, rattan effect, powder coated steel? We sell stunning garden furniture made from tough resin weave, the must-have alternative to fragile, short-lived real rattan. Modern rattan look outdoor furniture comes with a tough aluminium frame, purpose built for outdoor use and seriously strong. Some of our items are made using real wood, always responsibly sourced. We do metal garden furniture, too. Let’s take a look at your choices.

Stylish rattan effect garden furniture

Rattan effect garden furniture looks just like natural rattan, but it loves being outdoors. Put real rattan out in your garden over winter and it’ll be in a sorry state by spring. This stuff lasts and lasts. It looks lovely, woven using the same look and style as the natural material. Made from PE – also called Polyethylene – it resists UV rays so never fades or degrades in the sun, and doesn’t crack in cold weather.

The high quality resin is woven into a wicker style around a really strong aluminium framework. The resulting outdoor furniture is lightweight and weatherproof, lasting a decade or more when looked after. And it’s more or less maintenance free. Wipe it with a soft cloth or sponge and soapy water and it’s as good as new.

We have some stunners for you, some with a lovely multi-colour weave in calm greys. It looks exactly like rattan, but it’s better for outdoor use in so many ways. Type ‘weave’ into the search box to the top right of any page on our site to get a collection of rattan weave classics. Or search by brand, exploring the ‘Keter‘ and ‘Norfolk Leisure‘ ranges.

It’s a soft, squashy cushion thing…

The cushions, by the way, are just as important. Look for garden furniture with good, thick seat pads and back cushions, a sign of great quality. They should be showerproof, fine to stay outdoors in a summer shower. They need to be chunky and soft, not thin and hard. If the seat cushions are not very good it’s likely the quality of the item as a whole isn’t that good, either.

Garden furniture buying guide – Sleek aluminium garden furniture

Some bistro sets and balcony sets come in aluminium, especially those designed with the popular French pavement cafe look. It’s a lightweight metal that’s also very strong, usually powder coated to protect it from the weather. When it’s worn by the elements you get a nice natural patina. Being light but strong it’s easy to move and position where you want it, and small enough to store in winter without needing much space.

Aluminium garden furniture doesn’t rust and lasts longer than steel, with no maintenance except an occasional clean with soapy water and a soft cloth. Just remember not to put too much weight on it, and never use bleach, acid or solvents to clean it. Like all garden furniture it’s best to put it somewhere dry over the winter, but it won’t suffer too badly if you don’t.

Tough powder coated steel garden furniture

Some of our chimineas, firepits and fire bowls are made from powder coated steel. So are some of our lovely little bistro sets. The finish can be shiny or matt. They’re very light so easy to carry and move around the garden. And the material can be coated with all sorts of cool colours, including the attractive grey-green below.

They’re very easy to care for. Simply rub them with a coat of clear liquid wax once a year to protect the finish. Because powder coated steel is such a strong metal it doesn’t dent easily and the coating protects it from the weather. Just clean the frame with warm water and mild detergent, but again never use bleach, acid, or solvents.

How to buy well – Attractive wooden garden furniture

Wooden garden furniture is the traditional material we all know and love. But all wood isn’t equal. These days you need to look for sustainable wood from a responsible source, something we take great care over. The Florenity brand is all about real wood, either acacia or eucalyptus. They’re both resilient, beautiful, and strong, and both are harvested responsibly and sustainably. Keep your eyes open for FSC certified wood.

Natural hardwood FSC approved timber is the name of the game, a natural traditional material. Wood is very versatile whether it’s painted, stained, sealed, waxed or left plain. It remains cooler to the touch even in the full sun, a lot cooler than metal or plastic. You can clean it with warm water and a gentle detergent. It can be left outdoors all year round, and will last for a very long time. But, once more, you should never use bleach, acid or solvents to clean real wood.

Garden furniture information – What size garden furniture set?

Next up in our garden furniture buying guide – size matters. It’s no good trying to cram an enormous eight seater garden furniture set onto a small patio, then struggling to get in and out of the area or on and off the furniture because there’s no room around the edges. The trick is to find the right size furniture for your garden, in the exact same way as you would indoors.

We recommend you always measure at least twice before you buy. Measuring once leaves you at risk of making a crazy mistake, so it’s better safe than sorry. Check, then check again. You need enough space around a furniture set to comfortably walk around it, get between the chairs, and reach the table without fussing. You’ll also need room to push the chairs away from the table when people want to stand up and move – say at least 1.5m all round.

Choosing garden furniture – being practical

The space you’ve chosen should also be flat so your furniture doesn’t wobble or become damaged from always being wonky. And it’s important to keep your garden furniture well away from the flames if you’re going to add a chiminea, fire pit, fire bowl, BBQ or pizza oven to the space.

Plan first, buy second. Then you’re sure to get the look, the effect, and the comfort and convenience side of things right. Once you have the area planned out you’ll be able to find garden furniture that actually fits, whether it’s discreet bistro sets, enormous outdoor dining sets, or middle-sized outdoor sofas.

Next, let’s take a look at the style side of garden life. What’s on the menu, and what occasions do the various kinds of outdoor furniture suit?

Fabulous 2 seater garden furniture sets

Sometimes known as bistro sets, combining a small table and two neat chairs is a great way to create an intimate entertainment space for two. Add more sets for the alfresco Parisian cafe look. Make secluded corners a lovely place to chill with a balcony set in each one, some sunny and others in the shade. It’s a cosy, compact choice when your space is limited. They’re often foldable or stackable as well, for space-saving outdoor fun.

The look can be anything from ‘French cafe society’, shown above, to classic rattan good looks. The experience – whichever bistro set you choose – is intimate, fun, and even romantic.

Garden furniture guide – Beautiful multi-seat garden table and chair sets

Garden dining sets come in a choice of sizes, just like indoor furniture. Pick the best, most practical option from two seater upwards. We have everything from single loungers to dining and seating sets for as many as eight people, all seated in great comfort.

Your choice depends on how many people you usually have around. If it’s usually two of you, with parties now and again, you’ll need a different configuration than a couple who hold parties with friends every weekend but rarely spend a quiet hour together. It’s a matter of priorities. Unless, of course, you’re lucky to have a huge garden, where you can add stacks of lovely furniture to suit every occasion.

Aim for a comfortable, cosy, welcoming look that offers enough space for everyone to sit and relax without feeling crowded.

Gorgeous outdoor sofas

If you’re looking for garden seating to really relax in, go for an outdoor sofa. It’s a more comfy outdoor experience, available in a multitude different sizes and configurations. Again, make planning a priority before deciding which outdoor settee suits the personality and function of your outdoor entertainment space. Buy matching foot stools and coffee tables to make a super-comfy and chilled social space.

The look is relaxed and attractive, drawing people in. The experience is the ultimate in comfort, taking you through long, hot summer days into balmy, fragrant nights.

Lovely smaller garden seats

Next in our garden furniture buying guide, garden seating. Maybe you’d like to dot some beautiful garden seats around the place, giving you a variety of places to gather, relax, and enjoy your own or others’ company. These seats are ideal when you have a smaller outdoor space. Add them to your existing garden furniture set for a cool matching look that extends your alfresco capabilities, giving you more room for entertainment.

Garden benches for two or three, companion seats / tete a tete seating, it all gives you a beautiful look as well as a very comfy outdoor leisure experience for intimate occasions.

Relaxing sun loungers and sun beds

If you really want to unwind in your garden, go horizontal and choose a sun lounger or day bed. They’ll bring a whole different feel to your garden, a place where chilling comes first. Lounge the long, hot days away with a lover, friends, or family, a great way of using your outdoor space to relax.

The experience is the ultimate lounge, and the look is always beautiful when you put quality design and materials first like we do.

Garden furniture inspiration – What style of garden furniture?

Some say it helps if you choose garden furniture to complement the design of your home and garden. But there are no rules. You can mix and match modern and traditional, old and new, plain and colourful. In fact a friendly, casual blend of old and new is what garden and interior designers are going for at the moment, a far cry from the trend for sleek, spotless, matching minimalism we’ve seen for the past decade.

Wood is a good fit for old and new homes, as is metal. Rattan suits most places, being a handy cross-over between contemporary and older-style. It can be rustic or quite the opposite, depending on the design.

The best thing about ours garden furnishings is, they all match. When you choose yours from the Florenity range, available in three trendy colours, everything looks wonderful together. Buy from the Norfolk Leisure range and it goes together perfectly. The same goes for Keter products. And that makes your garden design life so much easier.

Garden furniture tips – Create your perfect alfresco life

You want to create the ultimate outdoor lifestyle. But what, exactly, does that mean? You’ll need to know before you click the ‘buy’ button – and the thing is, everyone is unique.

Maybe your best thing is hosting big, cheerful family summer BBQs where tens of people mill around your garden all day. On the other hand you might be in love with holding afternoon tea parties in the garden with a couple of friends, complete with fabulous cakes and pots of posh tea. Maybe you simply enjoy sitting in the sunshine having some quality ‘me’ time. Perhaps you invite people over for an alfresco meal every weekend through summer.

Once you’ve figured out the occasions, you’ll be able to find the exact mix of garden furniture to make it happen.

Dine outdoors with the people you love

Outdoor dining rocks. Eating outside is a lovely way to entertain people, get fresh air, enjoy the summer to the full, and love the outdoors. Eating outdoors makes food taste better. And eating in the garden, whether it means barbecues with family and friends or regular evening meals, makes a great outdoor dining set essential. We have a choice of fabulous barbecues, and we even have a choice of massive multi-function outdoor ovens for talented chefs.

Choose a simple bistro set for two, an enormous outdoor dining set to seat eight, or something in between. Then invite people and watch them chill. What a pleasure.

Relax like a pro

If you love to lounge, there’s a choice of lounging gear to suit every mood. Create a cosy corner, set up your outdoor room in the full sun, move it around the garden, it’s a great way to chill properly. Imagine taking yourself outside after work for a fizzy, freezing cold glass of something, with your phone or a good book. That’s the way to relax! Peace and tranquility are the name of the game with our loungers, day beds and sunbeds. Place yours in an undisturbed place and float away…

Entertain an audience

Now and again you party BIG. You need some lightweight folding or stacking chairs to bring out for occasions when there’s loads of you. Maybe make or buy some big outdoor cushions or beanbags, and some small occasional tables so people don’t have to balance food and drinks on the ground.

Look out for proper outdoor cushions, specially designed for sun loungers and benches. They’re made using fire resistant fabrics, don’t fade in sunshine, and are showerproof.

Create amazing heat, light, and outdoor magic

An open fire is always magic. That’s why we sell so many gorgeous chimineas, fire pits, firebowls, BBQs and all the relevant accessories, as well as comfy garden furniture for every occasion.

This is how you add light, heat and a natural warm welcome, whatever the event. They may as well count as garden furniture for the purposes of this article, since they’re such an essential part of the modern outdoor lifestyle. Whatever you want to cook, basic to cordon bleu, there’s a cool gadget to help you create the unique welcome of a real fire.

Fire comes with safety issues. Choose a closed fire like a chiminea when there are children and pets running around, go for something with a more open fire when it’s a grown-up outdoor affair. We have medium, large and XL chimineas in all sorts of tasty designs, cast iron and steel ones.

Stay up ’til dawn

To stay out ’til dawn you’ll need some seriously comfy outdoor furniture along with some shade or shelter. We’ve already talked about fire. But you’ll want to chill on some very comfortable furniture to make it through the night. Here’s a general rule for you. While cheap garden furniture comes with thin, sad cushions and seat pads, the stuff we sell includes thick, bouncy cushions and pads that’ll keep you comfy for hours. Again, quality counts.

If it looks like you might get some rain, think gazebo. Our gazebos are about the best you can get, complete with beautiful, thick curtains and protective roofs, ideal for keeping the sun off and just as good to spend the night chatting. We even have one with LED lighting included. Here it is.

Play out all day

How about the kids? Our garden furniture buying guide includes children’s needs. It’s great to let them play outside all day in good weather, but shade is important. While it’s bad for us to not get any sun at all, bringing a return to the bone condition called Rickets, it’s essential to be able to shelter from the sun when it gets really hot.

The same goes for grown-ups. A gazebo works for everyone, as do garden parasols and garden umbrellas, each with their own look and feel. Go for parasols for a pretty patches of shade. Choose umbrellas for big, bold shade. Or grab one of our glorious gazebos to create an awesome weather-proof play space for your little ones and their friends.

Garden furniture buying guide hacks – Intelligent storage

Now you’ve invested in some beautiful garden furniture, it’s time to keep it that way. We recommend putting garden cushions and seat pads somewhere dry when you’re not using the furniture. It’d be nice to keep the furniture itself indoors too, but there’s no need. The modern materials used means it can stay out all year round and stay looking good for years.

For long-lived good looks, by the way, you’ll need to avoid natural rattan. It’ll just fall apart in the British weather.

So… you can either pack it up and store it away or cover it. If you’re planning to store your furniture in a garage or shed over the winter, foldable or stackable sets are a good idea. But they don’t tend to come in big sizes. And it’s very rare to find a fold-away garden dining table that looks anywhere near nice enough to sell in our store.

Your best bet is to stash the soft furnishing parts away and cover the rest with a stylish cover that doesn’t ruin the look of your garden every time you look outdoors through winter. Failing that, a dark green or black tarp will help keep the dirt and dust off.

Check out these smart garden storage solutions, a great addition to our garden furniture range and a welcome addition to this garden furniture buying guide. Stash anything you like in them, keep it dry and safe. First, figure out how much stuff you’ll need to store. Then buy garden storage boxes to fit the bill. Simple. Some of them even also act as garden benches. What a cool idea.

Dramatic garden parasols

A garden parasol is the perfect way to keep cool on a hot day. When buying a garden furniture set, check if there’s a parasol included. If so, make sure it has a base. You’ll always need a base, whatever style of parasol you buy. Freestanding parasols need a heavier base than the parasols that sit in a hole in the middle of table. If you live somewhere windy, buy the heaviest base you can find. They come in concrete-covered plastic, real stone like granite, or in designs with water-filled plastic sections.

Let’s get technical. A 2m wide parasol with a table might just need a 15-20kg base. The bigger the diameter and the windier the location, the heavier base you need. A 2.5-3m parasol will need a 20-30kg base. Freestanding parasols need at least a 30 kg base.

Which size? A parasol with a diameter of up to 2.1m is ideal for two people, covering a garden bench, bistro set or lounger. A size up, between 2.3-2.5m, works well for most 4 seater sets. And a big parasol or umbrella measuring 2.7-3m across provides enough shade for tables to seat as many as eight.

Different kinds of garden parasol

What are the different parasol styles? The upright standard style, being simple and elegant, suits every kind of garden. A crank and tilt style lets you angle the shade, moving it around along with the sun or wind. And cantilever or overhanging parasols come with a clever offset pole that suspends the canopy itself, perfect for social events. You don’t have to lean to avoid the pole when you’re chatting, and the modern styling looks pretty good in almost every setting.

You open push-up parasols by sliding the mechanism up the pole like you do with a regular umbrella. It locks into position with a catch or pin. A pulley mechanism opens via a cord or chain, with no manual work. And you wind a crank handle parasol to steadily move it into position, which is more or less effortless. Which will suit you best?

Garden furniture buying guide – How to care for garden furniture

Once you’ve invested in your outdoor lifestyle, you’ll need to take care of the furniture and accessories you’ve bought. Here’s how.

How to care for wood garden furniture

Tropical hardwoods like acacia and eucalyptus, used in the Florenity range we sell, are naturally weather resistant thanks to their high oil content. This means you can leave it outdoors all year round. Both woods can sometimes crack along the grain when exposed to the elements but, along with the lovely silvery grey colour it goes when left untreated, it’s part of the charm, the natural patina.

Give hardwood garden furniture an annual scrub with soapy water, rinsing it off really well. This’ll get rid of any slime or algae. To keep bare wood in new-looking condition, you can use a special wood cleaner and brightener then, once it’s 100% dry, add a coat of oil.

Taking care of rattan effect garden furniture

Most of our woven furniture is made from synthetic wicker. It looks like the real thing but has the advantage of being weatherproof. It’s soft to tough, very supple, resists UV rays and doesn’t tear. It’s fine in very hot or cold weather, too. A pressure hose will clean the furniture really well, as does a soft cloth and soapy water. You an even buy cleaning fluid for resin rattan but there’s no real need for a special product.

Maintaining iron and steel garden furniture

Wrought iron and steel garden furniture comes with a treatment against rust and a tough powder coating to protect the finish. The metal can eventually corrode but a summer rain shower won’t harm it.

Looking after cast aluminium garden furniture

Cast aluminium furniture can’t rust, but if the coating is damaged it might start to peel off. Wash the furniture with a sponge and warm, soapy water, avoiding abrasive cleaning cloths that can scratch the surface. If the coating chips to leave the metal underneath exposed, you can touch the paintwork up using the paint sometimes provided, or find some automobile paint in a matching shade.

Garden furniture FAQs – How to care for garden accessories

Garden parasol maintenance

If your garden parasol gets wet, leave it open to dry out. If it’s windy, take it down. Also, store it somewhere dry in winter.

Caring for garden cushions

All outdoor cushions come with a dirt-resistant coating. Outdoor cushions with printed cotton covers can fade when exposed to too much sun. Store them somewhere dry and never leave them outdoors in anything but a short summer shower. You can sponge them carefully with upholstery shampoo to get any dirt off. Never stash garden furniture cushions in polythene bags – they might go mouldy.

Your garden furniture guide – complete

Now you know how to buy garden furniture wisely, creatively, and sensibly. Plan first, measure at least twice, then buy the garden furnishings that suit your outdoor lifestyle best. Care for them properly and they’ll last you for years.

We wish you many, many superb springs, splendid summers, awesome autumns and even wild winters in your garden. Let’s drink to magical outdoor occasions!