The tulips are on the kitchen table, the rhubarb crumble is bubbling in the oven, there’s purple sprouting broccoli to go with the roast. Seasonally speaking, you feel up to speed. What you may not realise is that, although snow is predicted for some areas in the coming days, this is peak time to prepare your patio for summer parties.
Outdoor furniture buying habits have changed recently as gardens became year-round entertaining spaces and the quest for robust and comfortable living room-style alfresco seating intensified. Since spring 2020 the garden furniture collections have launched ever earlier and sold through in record time.
Andrew Tanner, head of design at Habitat, says he is already seeing a surge in demand. Highlights of the new season include a bamboo-effect four-seater sofa set (£400). “Multi-purpose pieces which work inside as well as outside the home continue to be popular, especially Instagrammable quirkier styles which make a real statement, such as cocoon benches and egg chairs like the Dove [£500].” You may have to join the queue.
The tendency for outdoor collections to launch earlier extends from the high street up. OKA released its 2022 garden range on February 1, more than a month earlier than in previous years, driving growth in the firm’s outdoor furniture and accessories category, which was up 600 per cent in 2021. New additions include its first outdoor cushion covers, the showerproof Huaca and Contorno (£95).
Comfort in a garden couch is non-negotiable. The corner sofa or U-shape couch, which makes efficient use of compact spaces, is a preferred configuration for those planning to entertain outdoors. At Moda, searches for rattan corner sofas are up by 1,838 per cent. The Halo U-shaped couch, with coffee table and armchair, seats up to nine (£3,570). Last year the statement chair — to sit alongside the garden sofa — emerged as a popular outdoor addition. One of B&Q’s 2021 bestsellers, the Apolima egg chair, is being relaunched in grey for spring/summer 2022, with a mini matching version for younger family members.
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Those who secured their garden sofa set last year are looking for new accessories to dress it up this season. Jamey Seaman, outdoor furniture business leader at Ikea UK and Ireland, says: “Following a 30 per cent rise in outdoor cushions compared to 2021, we’ve introduced new scatter cushions this year, including the £9 Tofto cushion cover.” At the Rugseller, the stars of the garden collection are the mid-century style indoor-outdoor rugs from Orla Kiely, from £199. Tasha Green of Weaver Green says this year’s sales have already been stronger than in 2021. Demand for outdoor blankets, from £45, is up, with bestselling colours likely to run out soon. “We have seen a significant increase in sales with our blankets — they are huge and can fit three people comfortably underneath them on a bench or sofa.”
Pretty new outdoor rugs have just landed at Homebase, costing £20. Samuel Platt, the company’s creative brand manager, says: “More than ever, we’re seeing our customers make their outdoor spaces an extension of their homes — it’s become a space to decorate and to style. This season it’s all about the accessories, the details and accents.” Accordingly, the superstore is offering an admirable collection of decorative lighting, planters and outdoor paint to transform benches, sheds and fences. There’s a good reason for Homebase’s commitment to the outdoors for spring/summer 2022 — three of its ten bestsellers last year were garden furniture.
At Amara, the online source for luxury home brands, buyers are more focused on finishing touches than last year, with solar lighting the real success story. Grab a woven lantern for about £50 while you can and check out the chic portable lamps, such as the Tala x Farrow & Ball design, £271. If those are outside your budget there are solar lights at Homebase starting from less than £10, with Cool Flame hanging lanterns priced at £15.95 for two.
While the most popular furniture comes in cosy woven designs, there are stylish alternatives for the modernists among us, courtesy of specialists in colourful metal furniture such as Jennifer Newman. Her tables, chairs and planters are made from no-rust aluminium, and she has added to her collection a side table/stool called Splash (£630). Go Modern now stocks the contemporary Italian brand Fast, which makes aluminium garden furniture including the Mosaiko coffee table (£510). Another option is a vintage French metal garden table from Merchant & Found (£185).
Whatever your preference, now is the time to buy. With this being the first restriction-free spring since 2019, whatever the thermometer says competition for the best outdoor designs will be hot.
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Weaver Green Moroccan-inspired woven Kasbah Smoke rug, 150 x 190cm, £138; weavergreen.com
Above left: Scion Nuevo geometric indoor-outdoor rug, 140cm x 200cm, £199; therugseller.co.uk
Right: Kasbah Ink floor cushion, made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles, coming soon, £185; weavergreen.com
John Lewis cradle rope garden sofa, £850, with matching lounging armchairs, £480 each; johnlewis.com
B&Q’s Apolima egg chair comes in a mini version for kids, £170; diy.com
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Mosaiko coffee table from the aluminium garden furniture collection by Fast, £510; gomodern.co.uk
Danetti’s Palm outdoor garden bar and ice bucket, £699; danetti.com
Ugilt three-seater lounge sofa with chaise, £450; jysk.co.uk
Ugilt hardwood trolley, £100; jysk.co.uk
The Splash side table/stool is from Jennifer Newman’s collection of colourful contemporary furniture, £630; jennifernewman.com
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OKA’s new Contorno outdoor cushion cover, £95; oka.com
Moda Halo 2B extended corner sofa with coffee table and footstools, £2,685; modafurnishings.co.uk
Spot Flower Floral rug in Dandelion Yellow by Orla Kiely, 140cm x 200cm, £199; therugseller.co.uk
Monochrome Bedarra bistro table by OKA, £395; oka.com
The four seater bamboo-effect garden sofa set from Habitat includes a couch, two armchairs and a coffee table, £400; habitat.co.uk
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Woven outdoor mat from Homebase in grey geometric pattern, made from recyclable polypropylene, 120cm x 180cm, £20; homebase.co.uk
Homebase’s popular Alexandria four-seater L-shaped wicker couch with glass-topped table, £425; homebase.co.uk
