When you’re creating your perfect garden, nothing is more important than your outdoor seating.
Aralia Landscape Architects share their Top Factors to Consider when selecting your Outdoor Seating….
1. How many people?
How many people are you looking to accommodate? If you’re a large family, circular dining tables and chairs could be perfect for you. A sofa is also an excellent alternative, as it provides comfortable seating that fits a lot of people.
2. The Main use
What seating you need is really dependent on what you intend to use it for. Do you love entertaining? Then large sofas could be perfect for you. Love sitting outside with a coffee in the morning? Go for a standalone piece or a couple of chairs. Whether you’re using your outdoor seating for relaxation, entertaining, dining or style; decide what will be the main use for it, in order to get the most out of your purchase. Some seating pieces are perfect for multiple uses, such as these Bespoke Hanging Chairs, which are perfect for children to play on, as well as being great for relaxing.
3. Access
If you have a roof terrace then you will need to be able to fit your furniture through your house in order to get it to your garden. Failing this you can contact a designer in order to get a professional delivery and build completed for you.
4. Private vs Public
Love Nest Beds like this one are perfect for creating more secluded and private outdoor seating. Placing a set of Couple Chairs with a mini table, like the set shown below, is another alternative in order to create an intimate and separated area.
5. Weather
Consider the climate when selecting your outdoor seating. If you live in a sunny area (lucky you!) then you may not have to think about this as much, but if your garden faces rainy and windy conditions, then you have to select your material accordingly. We would recommend materials like the latest ‘rattans’ which are made of polypropolene. These work perfectly as they are both waterproof and UV resistant, so they can be left out throughout winter and summer without damage.
6. Style vs Comfort
Another aspect to consider is whether your seating is for comfort, or predominately for style. Those going for statement pieces may overlook comfort in place of style, choosing to select more adventurous bespoke pieces like the chairs below. However, If you’re looking for comfort, we think nothing beats an outdoor sofa.
7. Maintenance
How much maintenance are you willing to put into your garden and outdoor seating? If you are low maintenance then the latest polypropylene rattans seating are perfect, as they involve almost no maintenance. Seating built from woods like teak and oak also work well, like the Cantilevered oak bespoke bench shown, as they require very little maintenance.
8. Space
It is so important to be clever with your space! If you have a smaller garden maximise your space by incorporating bespoke items which will fit your space perfectly. If you’re struggling with space another great alternative is to make your seating multi-purpose, like the curved oak bench below, which contains a log store underneath it.
If you’re looking to install a piece of bespoke outdoor seating into your garden then contact Aralia on:
t. 01279 721461
e. info@aralia.org.uk
