Top Tips for Choosing Garden Furniture
The plants are in, the sun is out and you're waving a fond farewell to the landscape team. You finally have the garden to yourself BUT there's nowhere to sit. What you need are some top tips for choosing garden furniture.
Furnishing the garden is often left to the last minute and you're forced to scrabble around for whatever they're selling in your local garden centre. However, with a bit of forethought and planning you can avoid this situation.
Top tips for buying Garden Furniture
HOW are you going to use your garden? This will help you decide the type of furniture you require. If the garden is purely for relaxing a sofa may fit the bill, or maybe you like eating outside and need a table and chairs for dining.
WHO will be enjoying your garden? Is it going to be just you and your family or will you be inviting around all your friends and neighbours? Your new garden design will have to allow for the size of furniture you require.
Consider the STYLE of furniture. You are going to see the outdoor furniture every day from your home. Great furniture can enhance your garden and become a good-looking focal point.
Consider MATERIALS. The material choice will be reflected in the cost, but make sure that you consider durability and weight of your furniture. If it is too heavy it may be difficult to move around. Material may also dictate the style. If you are looking for something contemporary it will usually be made in metal or plastic. More traditional furniture is uasually timber or wicker.
STORAGE is always an issue. Do you have enough space to store your furniture over winter? Or consider furniture in a material that can withstand harsh winter weather. And cushions, where will you keep them? You might have to consider a purpose made storage box which will need a place in the garden design.
Don't underestimate the COST of good quality outdoor furniture. It has to be built to withstand being outdoors all year round. Like most things, the best quality is often the most expensive! Don't forget to allow for for furniture in your garden design budget.
Don't forget the COMFORT factor of your garden furniture. If you can try before you buy you can make sure that your new furniture gives you the correct degree of support and comfort.
Start thinking about your garden furniture early in the design process. Your garden designer can include your exact requirements in the design brief so that you don't waste your money buying the wrong furniture. The scale and proportion of the paved areas will therefore take into account the size of your furniture and where best to locate it.
Getting the brief right is key to ensure that you don't waste your money on a garden that doesn't suit your furniture or buying furniture that doesn't suit your new garden!
Discuss your requirements with Blue Tulip Garden Design. Further help can be found here 'Top Tips for Writing A Design Brief'
Louise took our tired, boring and disheveled excuse of a garden and turned it in to a garden to be envied! Louise took a lot of initial time and effort to listen to what we wanted and did not want, and came back with a project that excited us from the start. Louise was not afraid to challenge to ensure we achieved the end result but her knowledge and experience helped to create a truly stunning garden. Louise ensured both the hard landscaping and the planting created a natural flow from our converted barn to the adjoining woodland.She has a flexible approach to ensure she was able to work within both our timetable and budget and is completely transparent about costings from the start. Louise has a charming and approachable manner and has always been on hand to advise and guide us as the garden takes true shape. We don't think there are many plants that Louise does not know and she has sourced some elegant and colourful varieties on our behalf. We cannot recommend Louise enough if you want your garden to be an area of beauty and relaxation.
A Rural Garden in Woodford