Garden Seating Design

Designing a beautiful patio is no good if you have not got somewhere to sit and enjoy it. However small your plot there must be enough space for at least one chair out there.

There are masses of different types of garden seating on the market but it can be difficult to find something that suits your space perfectly. You could be adventurous and try making your own. Designing and building your own garden furniture is something most of us would never contemplate inside our homes but outdoors the possibilities suddenly become more accessible and exciting.

If you do decide to build your own then think imaginatively, can your seat be multi purpose? In a small area, space is at a premium and storage is inevitably an issue. Look at what you already have in your garden, are there any existing walls that face the sun and the garden? If so, you can simply design a squarish, chunky bench out of block or render. Construct the actual seating base out of decking planks on hinges, so it can double as a lid, the inside of the seat can then act as a hidden storage area.

For sculptural and practical seating concrete is a versatile material, you can mould it into just about any shape you want and paint it any colour. Some people think it looks wonderful in its natural raw form, slightly industrial and brutal but a perfect contrast to the warm, soft tones of timber. If you do go for the concrete option. thing carefully as it is very permanent and once it is in place you will have a job moving it.