Somewhere To Sit
Gardens should be places to relax in as well as to work in and although a deckchair or lounger on the lawn is a good way to while away a few sunny hours, a patio or balcony garden room should be designed for relaxation and recreation, planned and furnished to become an enticing place to eat or drink al fresco.
No patio or balcony garden is complete without somewhere to sit and the style and materials of the garden furniture used can have a profound effect on how the feature is perceived. No matter how cleverly designed and well constructed the patio, an inappropriate table and chairs can spoil the effect while well chosen seats and tables can make even a mediocre patio look good.
Material Matters
Patio furniture varies widely in price and quality and there should be something to suit every taste and pocket, especially if you shop at Argos garden furniture or B&Q garden furniture as they have a huge stock to choose from. The starting point however, should be what looks right rather than a prejudice about a particular material or concern over price. It may be better to buy one really good piece of furniture rather than several cheaper pieces, but sometimes inexpensive furniture is perfectly adequate for a particular situation.
Plastics and resins are often dismissed but some types make strong garden furniture that lasts well and is easy to wipe clean, stack and store. If those qualities, especially portability are important don’t dismiss these materials.
Wooden garden furniture is always a popular choice but here you probably do pay for quality. Hardwood garden furniture that is well made to last for years is not cheap and it can be heavy to move around. It will also require annual cleaning and treating with suitable oil or preservative if its colour is to remain strong and bright.
Cast iron garden furniture is still available and looks right where a period atmosphere is being created but it’s extremely heavy to move. Cast aluminium alloy imitations look as good yet are light and easy to move and dont rust. They are worth the extra cost.
Aluminium alloy furniture is usually painted or coated in a special resin. White is a popular colour but it shows dirt easily. Browns, greens, even blues are colours that do not show the dirt so readily and look stylish too.
