To ask you what garden furniture you have

[flapperdapper]

Apologies, not really an AIBU, but posting here for traffic and not sure where else to post. So we have just had a patio laid. It's not too big, about 330 x 280 cm, but I am very excited as previously our garden was just taken up by a trampoline and some plastic chairs! Now I don't know what garden furniture to get - a coffee set (sofa, 2 chairs and table) or a dining table and perhaps a bench. What do you have in your garden that you really like and think works well? And what material (wood, metal, faux rattan)?

A pub type wooden table with benches seats attached. I wanted something that could be left out in the rain that would not rust or be ruined. I have a parasol that can be in the middle of the table or it stands alone, and can be tilted

Well, how do you want to use your garden? Are you an eat-outdoors-a-lot family, and have people over for BBQs (get a dining set) or are you a relax-with-a-book-and-a-cuppa type (get a coffee set).

We have a hammock (love hammocks for relaxing), a couple of metal foldaway tables and chairs for eating out, and I'm about to invest in a bench/coffee set type thing or relaxer chairs and a parasol. The fold-up metal tables and chairs are useful because you can store them. We don't have a large patio so haven't got a wooden dining set that would have to live out permanently because it would need to be moved for grass cutting all the time. I personally am not a fan of those rattan outdoor sofa things but that's just me.

Picnic table, small bistro set, wooden bench. And folding stuff in the shed. I like to have a lot of options! I do like the sofas but all mine is designed to stay out in the rainy part of the country I live in!

Depends what you will use for.

We have an 8 person dining table, glass with chairs that are also sunloungers and we have a couple of footstools too. We eat outside a lot.

We also have some bench type seating down one wall.

I love our chairs but wouldn't get glass again, its a PITA to keep clean.

wooden table and 4 chairs. Also a bench and 2 loungers. Its either just nice enough to sit out to eat, very hot enough for the loungers, or wet/cold and we avoid.

I agree. Think about how you will use the space and then what sort of styles you like and will fit in best with the style of garden you have (modern, traditional, ornate, plain, wood, metal, plastic). Then what budget you have and how many people you need to accommodate and you have your answer.

I have a large dining set at one end and a small bistro set in another area because that’s what works for us. All in a traditional style because we live in a period house with a mature, cottage style garden. We did have a sofa set up too but never used it so re-landscaped that area and sold the furniture.

We have a wooden table with a hole for a parasol and 4 metal chairs with tie on cushions which we store in the shed, these are very comfy and great for eating outside. 4 foldaway camping chairs which we use as spares and round the firepit. Also a bench that we don't really use but it looks nice!

A wooden table with a bench and a summerhouse with a rattan style modular corner settee and table inside.

We have a faux rattan set for 4 with a coffee table on the decking, and also a 1m glass circular table with 4 metal chairs. We are a family of 4, and it’s usually just used by me when my friends visit for coffee, or my teen if he is studying outside. We don’t tend to dine al fresco as our kitchen table is beside the double doors that open into the garden.

We have a wooden rectangular table with 6 chairs and a parasol, a bench with a fire pit in front and will be getting a swinging bench seat at some point.

Good luck getting any at the moment!!

I have a sofa, bistro set(needs replacing as beginning to split but not a lot available at the minute) a hammock and two loungers.
I don’t like to eat outside so I haven’t bothered with a dining set.

Depends on the size, layout, position of garden and how you want/ intend to use it.

We've got a North facing garden with a patio at either end plus a side patio. House is on a hill but with fairly tall buildings/ high Victorian garden walls so the sunlight hits different areas at different times of the day/ year. Plus when it's hot it's nice to sit in the shade!

On the sunniest patio at the end we have a permanent wooden table and benches for meals plus a small summer house (full of garden junk so not as glamorous as it sounds).

On the side patio which gets the sun up to lunchtime We've got one of those rattan chair/sofa/coffee table sets which is nice for morning coffee! It's also quite lightweight so we can move it down to the lawn to catch some more sun in the afternoon.

Tiny patio outside the kitchen door has a small permanent set of 2 aluminium chairs and small table. That is really just decorative as it gets nearly no sun though I sometimes sit there first thing for some fresh air when the kettle is boiling!

There is also another lightweight table and 4 chairs set (looks like wrought iron but is actually plastic) which gets moved around. I think it's on its last legs now and won't be replaced.

Probably too much stuff but I like having different seating areas and styles. There are also some folding chairs and sunbeds but they rarely come out of the shed.

It's my birthday on Friday and I've asked for one of those hanging egg chairs!

I have a 6 seater table with parasol, 2 sun loungers, a small table with 2 chairs and a bench, all in different parts of the garden. It is all metal with removable cushions. I recommend metal, it is so much easier that our previously wooden furniture as it only needs an occasional wash despite being 5 to 10 years old.

8 person dining table where the chairs are sofas on one side and stools on the other. That way, I can use if for napping as well as eating

Also a few loungers and folding chairs in the shed.

We're clot into eating outdoors, much prefer the patio doors open on a sunny day, so just have chairs and little coffee tables

I have a cast aluminium dining table and 4 chairs and also a bench and coffee table. Cast aluminium is great as it can be left out all year round and still looks good after many years with just the occasional wipe down.

one of these in orange www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-salsa-2-seater-garden-sofa/mineral/p3809618 with matching blue chairs (cheap from Morrisons) small table and a rug

We have 'sofa' type chairs which can stay out in all weather, they came with a little table that contains the cushions. We love the fact that the chairs are comfy and we can sit back and chatter for hours with friends and a bottle or two of wine. Food is eaten on trays on our laps. A table and chairs just wouldn't be so relaxed in my opinion. We have a fire pit and it works for us.

We have the Catania sofa and dining table set from Made.com. It is a bit unusual as it’s a corner sofa (plus two benches) but with a dining table rather than a coffee table. We didn’t have space for a lounging area and separate dining area so this does both.

Having said that there are now quite a few on the market with adjustable tables which would be even better eg:

mazeliving.co.uk/maze-lounge-pulse-corner-dining-set-with-rising-table-taupe?gclid=CjwKCAjw1uiEBhBzEiwAO9B_HSOIebgQ9e6gaBLbhUwyjfhEVAdB2o8Eqg3KI9rPZjOeS7Niz4ZCDhoCQzIQAvD_BwE

www.whitestores.co.uk/vogue-aluminium-casual-dining-3-seater-sofa-set-with-rising-table-bench-cws2526.html?product=W18163#fo_c=575&fo_k=8db87756f98b96b8423f209e902efba9&fo_s=gplauk&gclid=CjwKCAjw1uiEBhBzEiwAO9B_HcbhKKGcowerpjRvK4zcyFSVvP1v2yPPv43NjJlunvaK_Sq3nrbOlhoCCZwQAvD_BwE

Downside of all these type of options is 1) you need somewhere to store the cushions, they take up a lot of space and 2) depending on what it’s made from, you may need a tarpaulin over the lot in the winter, which is very unbeautiful. Ours is painted metal and “polywood” so in theory should be fine but the metal has some joints which rust, so tarp it is....

but they are so comfy it’s worth the hassle...

in short: I would definitely recommend some sort of outdoor sofa, with a dining table (ideally adjustable height)

Heavy wrought iron table with chairs and a matching bench .Then a few reclining Lafuma chairs for sunbathing, relaxing.

Bench we made out of scrap pallets. Hammock chair that hangs from the apple tree. The table is an old cable drum. Almost everything in our garden is made from old scrap stuff including flower beds, potting benches, the shed and boarder planks.

@LavendulaAngustifolia
I would love to see pics, if you have any?

I'm loving the idea of doing something like this and I can't stomach spending £1000 minimum just so people can sit outside with furniture I know won't last or doesn't even look conformable.