What would you recommend to be provided by way of garden furniture, and what materials are best to use/avoid?
We are in the south of England, so warm (mostly), but not coastal. We have a large garden with patio and currently have a wooden picnic table/bench which is bearing up well, having had it for 2 years we have just re-treated it with Cuprinol and it looks good as new.
When we are staying, we often just spread out an old rug and lie on the grass to relax. Friends and family do the same I think; they have never mentioned a lack of garden furniture. However I think some paying guests might prefer/expect deck chairs, sunloungers, outdoor sofas etc.
I have seen these available in a range of prices and materials but am unsure whether they are essential and if so, which are the best type to get.
There is also the minor issue of storage during winter/when not in use. While deck chairs (and folding sunloungers) could be stored in the shed (we have a small "visitors shed" which contains the parasols, some tiki lights and outdoor lanterns), an outdoor sofa/coffee table would need to be hardwearing and left outside, perhaps with a cover.
I guess I would also need to provide cushions for these, which would also need to be stored in the shed. Everytime I have visited a house which has these sorts of cushions, they tend to be discoloured and quite manky-looking.
Thanks in advance for any tips!
garden furniture - advice needed
Agree with the others....comfy setting is expected now and depending what price bracket you are in also dictates the quality level I think. Kettle is an upmarket brand, great stuff but expensive.
In Ibizan we had the plastic rattan effect outdoor stuff. It was left out constantly and is great. It is also easy to wash down too. There are many types on the market as it's fairly popular now. It is light and maintenance free unlike wood.
The cushions on ours were of a material that shrugged off rain as they dried really quickly due to a different type of filling but they did get stained and we found we were washing them almost every changeover although at times they could just be wiped down. Obviously ours got hammered in Ibiza.
I don't think people mind the staining so much. I did at one stage leave out throws to put over them but they were never used.
Storage of the cushions will be need in winter or you can get covers that completely cover the sofa and chairs, in which case the rain and snow won't get to them.
Hope some of that helps.
Mousie
x
p.s. we brought the outside furniture with us back to England and so far seems fine.
In Ibizan we had the plastic rattan effect outdoor stuff. It was left out constantly and is great. It is also easy to wash down too. There are many types on the market as it's fairly popular now. It is light and maintenance free unlike wood.
The cushions on ours were of a material that shrugged off rain as they dried really quickly due to a different type of filling but they did get stained and we found we were washing them almost every changeover although at times they could just be wiped down. Obviously ours got hammered in Ibiza.
I don't think people mind the staining so much. I did at one stage leave out throws to put over them but they were never used.
Storage of the cushions will be need in winter or you can get covers that completely cover the sofa and chairs, in which case the rain and snow won't get to them.
Hope some of that helps.
Mousie
x
p.s. we brought the outside furniture with us back to England and so far seems fine.
We had the rattan-style sets - similar to what Mouse describes above. The set came with a square table with a lift off lid.
My friend acquired a similar set and I watched amazed as she popped all the cushions in the (perfectly sized) box at the end of the evening
My friend acquired a similar set and I watched amazed as she popped all the cushions in the (perfectly sized) box at the end of the evening
Regards
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
By the cottage we have the metal chairs with an extended bit that tip back by adjusting the arms rather than the full length sun loungers. That way people can sit up and natter to one another but if they want to recline for reading or snoozing they just have to adjust the arms and the extended bit swings out.
https://www.homebase.co.uk/reclining-me ... ey_p498849
https://www.homebase.co.uk/reclining-me ... ey_p498849