Sorry, this part of the web site is not available in your country. DoneDeal is a web site for people in Ireland and Northern Ireland. safety reasons, and to avoid confusion, we do not allow access from other countries. If you want to contact a user about their ad, please call them instead. You find their phone number in the ad. If you are in Ireland or Northern Ireland, please send an email to support@donedeal.ie with the following information: We will use the information to update our security filter. Thank you for using DoneDeal.ieIt's long been a standing joke among gardeners that we invest in a great bench and then never sit on it. True, we are always grovelling around on all fours weeding and pruning, but the real reason is most garden benches are too uncomfortable. That is why I am so excited by the recent arrival of all-weather garden sofas. There is none of the usual hassle of lugging them outside the moment spring arrives, they are maintenance-free and last for ages.
- Eight of the best garden chairs Fabrics, which were developed for yachts, can be left out all-year round, while Teflon-coated fabrics will tolerate light showers. As well as allowing us to relax, stretch out and enjoy our gardens more, another reason to create an outdoor lounge area is the smoking ban, which leads to that irritating split between inside and outside groups at parties. If you provide a comfortable space outside, everyone is happy to mingle. A design to suit your home A garden sofa makes a large statement and is an expensive investment, so it is important to get right. Unless you go for the totally waterproof fabrics, the sofas will invariably be without cushions for the cooler months of the year. They must look good "naked", and on those "so-so" days should ideally be comfy to use without cushions. You must be able to store the cushions conveniently close by for when we get periods of non-stop rain. The first wave of garden sofas and chairs were predominantly made from a plastic type of imitation wicker.
The styles tended to be boxy and cuboid, and though they might look fab with a modern Spanish villa, they don't look so good around old stone properties. The styles have been copied en masse and are produced in the Far East. There are a few, however, which have great style and are different. It's a highly individual Spanish design with bold curves on the arms and will not look out of place outside in the winter garden, or with an older house. Point UK also sells the more traditional styles that have the air of the Lloyd Loom about them, if you want to play really safe. • Getting your garden furniture right with rattan: Our guide to the best rattan garden furniture For wow factor and great design it is worth visiting the Go Modern website (gomodern.co.uk). It is exhibiting a few pieces on its stand at Chelsea this year. The Amalfi is an Italian design and is made from polished teak with steel feet and has a definite feel of understated luxury. A couple of chairs and a sofa in this would set you back £6,000 or so.
Flow is another style from Go Modern. These look just like modern indoor sofas but are totally waterproof as the cushions are made from nautical fabric. This comes in a leather or a fabric type finish which feels soft to the touch, despite its totally waterproof characteristics. I can see these working in modern city gardens but elsewhere they might be tricky to fit in. The Kartell sofa and chairs (01753 866333; urbansuite.co.uk), are set to be a design classic. They are made from moulded polyethylene and could be furnished with jazzy cushions for extra comfort. They come in a range of colours and cost £515 and £339. , also available in many colours and with the added surprise of being able to be lit up. Habitat does two outdoor sofas, Catalina is a long-legged all-weather black rattan sofa (and chair) and the Winchester lounger has a more laid-back style. Ikea comes up trumps cost-wise. Its Arholma range of modular units in brown plastic rattan is £59.99 for a middle module and £79.99 for a corner one and looks similar to other blocky styles that are vastly more expensive.
A difference is the Ikea ones are only recommended to be left out in the summer (so should tolerate light rain). The cushions are thin and portable, practical but not lavish. The other style, Ammero, comes in beige or brown plastic rattan. It is a chair/sofa hybrid, lighter looking, with a clean modern design. There are various sized sofas and chairs from £69.99. Many ranges of furniture have low tables, ottomans or footstools to complement larger pieces. Though I think it can work better if you try to avoid the showroom suite effect. Graham and Green (0845 130 6622; grahamandgreen.co.uk) do round woven natural wicker "pouffes" (60cm diameter) for £30. Ideal for a footstool or occasional sitting. They need to come in when it's wet, though. Making your seating area really usable is not just a question of shelling out on wonderful furniture. The other big factor is location. At home, our main area where we gravitate for a cup of coffee or glass of wine, is directly outside the kitchen, where we spend most of our down time.
So it makes sense to make our premier chill-out zone as close to this as possible. Shelter from wind, so your papers don't rustle and flap, and privacy are other important factors in choosing your site. Shade and warmth The other factor is climate control. Sunshades and heat may be required and both can be tricky elements. The simplest approach to shade is the parasol and the Coupe parasol base is in the form of a modern planter which you could either plant, fill with pebbles, or fill with water and floating candles. You could even use it as an ice bucket. It will take most shades that are up to 3m in diameter and comes from Go Modern in white or black. A pergola, partially cantilevered out from the building, is another solution. Removable fabric can be attached over the beams on sunny days. Heating your space so you can enjoy summer evenings is a controversial topic, but a small open brazier emits a glowing warmth without the emissions of gas-powered patio heaters. Browse the Mode range (0844 463 8034, mode.co.uk).