THE LIVING IS EASY
Whether your garden is an urban courtyard or a vista of sweeping lawns and borders, the right garden furniture will help you design an inviting outdoor room you’ll love using all summer long
Having worked hard to create a beautiful garden, you deserve to spend time relaxing in it, which means that furnishing your outdoor room is almost as important as selecting the ideal planting combination. So how should you go about choosing the right garden furniture? Firstly, look at your space and decide who will use it and when. Never compromise on style, comfort or longevity and don’t be constrained by what you think will fit in with your surroundings: contemporary furniture and statuary can look stunning in a period setting; likewise, a bistro set surrounded by planting in terracotta pots will transform a modern courtyard.
Here, Holloways’ interior designer Annie Blackledge shares her tips for creating the perfect outdoor room.
Small spaces
Pretty cottage gardens, sunny courtyards or cute modern plots – whatever your small space, think big! If you’re longing for an outdoor sofa, but don’t have room for a large modular version, there are plenty of other options. The Clementine, with its vintage Lloyd Loom charm, is perfectly at home in a cottage garden, surrounded by clusters of oversized terracotta pots filled with summer planting. The Scandinavian lines of the edgier Hellesgarden also sit well in more modern spaces, while the Allium garden sofa is as comfortable as it is compact, and looks great by a pool.
If you love dining outside, the Boscombe bistro set is timeless – its elegant curves provide the ideal spot for breakfast or a sundowner or two after a day spent working in the garden.
Urban terraces
Contemporary furniture, modern sculpture and clever lighting help create a chic, industrial vibe in urban gardens. The Goa table, made from space-age
HPL, has a gorgeously mottled top with a bronze patina. Pair this with Lisboa chairs in Anthracite, and you’ll create an outdoor room which can be used during the day or night, as smart as anything indoors.
“A sunny terrace cries out for the Santander outdoor sofa,” says Annie. “Rope detailing, super-comfortable cushions and curves in all the right places make for luxury lounging. It’s great surrounded with galvanised planters filled with architectural plants, striking garden art and solar lighting.”
Country gardens
With sweeping lawns and established trees and shrubs, country gardens o er the chance to create di erent seating and dining areas. Position statuary or an antique urn to lead the eye from one to the other. “Staddle stones, stone troughs and water features create a sense of place in your garden,” says Annie.
Elegant dining areas call for the Derby table, generous enough to seat 10 or more. It looks fabulous with Lisboa chairs or handwoven wicker Avila chairs.
“Teak tables like the Louvre or Derby are always timeless,” Annie adds. “The wood mellows to a silvery grey as time goes on and just gets better with age.”
If you’d rather cut back on unnecessary maintenance, the Chedworth has all the charm of a teak table, but none of the work: its ceramic top and comfortable chairs are totally weatherproof.
“Dress your outdoor table as you would your dining table indoors,” says Annie. “Beautiful tableware, flowers and proper glasses make all the di erence.”
Large gardens
In large gardens, create a separate seating area using lighting and planting. The elegant Harrington sofa, with matching armchairs and footstool, is quintessentially English. It looks like willow but is woven from the latest allweather materials and is as much at home at a London townhouse as in a showstopping garden in the shires.
Add a teak Stanway co ee table, an outdoor rug, cushions and a favourite vase filled with blooms from the garden, and you’re set for summer.
For more information, tel: 01886 884665; holloways.co.uk