With so many different styles and materials to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which is the right type of garden furniture set for your outdoor space.
We’ve recently published a series of articles that explored what garden furniture is best for a small, city or country garden, and we tried to keep those posts objective, which is tricky, as we truly believe that our furniture is the best.
A recent article in one of the UK’s leading newspapers gave their take on this subject. We won’t name names because the article was poorly written. It offered next to no advice in terms of the “what” and “why” you should purchase a specific type of garden furniture set or outdoor furniture material. Instead, it simply promoted a number of leading high street retailers.
Nothing wrong with that, if that's what they intended to do. However, the cynic in me would question the validity of the article and the title was definitely misleading, so it left me asking is this a paid-for PR puff piece or just lazy journalism where they’ve picked the obvious 'big' brands?
Now I, nor Lazy Susan, are not saying that there is anything wrong with the garden furniture sold by many of the leading high street and DIY/Home stores. Some of them have some very good sets. However, I would say (from personal experience) that some of them also have some not so good stuff.
What we would say as a garden furniture retailer is please shop around. Look at the independent specialists, and do a little research. For the high street names, it is a seasonal item. Christmas is finished, so the trees and decorations are moved to the sale section, and out comes the BBQs, hot tubs and outdoor furniture.
What they are good at is offering outdoor furniture that is on-trend. But trends come and go. So, even if the furniture is constructed from a material that is built to last, will it still look good on your patio in 3 or 4 summers to come? It is also only a small part of what they sell too, so again, the cynic in me would question if they have the chops to ensure they’re selling, and customers are purchasing, the right pieces for their outdoor space?
We will use this article to justify why we think a Lazy Susan garden furniture set is the right purchase decision. And, hopefully, we can put a little substance behind it, so that you have the info necessary to make an informed purchase, not an impulse buy.
At the end of the day, our gardens should always be seen as an extension of the inside of our homes, so we should look at decorating them just as we would any other room. That’s how you create a garden that you’ll get the most use and enjoyment from. And, maybe most importantly, another “room” that functions the way we want it to function.
Why buy a cast aluminium garden furniture set?
The high-grade cast aluminium that we use in the construction of our garden furniture range gives us furniture that is both beautifully crafted and maintenance-free. Pieces that look great on your patio but are designed to stand up to the elements, and will live at the heart of your garden, and family life for that matter, for many a summer to come.
Our garden furniture sets are made from high-grade sand-cast aluminium which is powder-coated to produce a beautiful yet highly durable finish. It won’t rust or rot and can be left outside, uncovered even, through the harshest of winters.
Our designs are timeless and classic, so they won’t go out of style. The traditional sand casting process we use to build them is combined with modern production techniques to ensure the finished product is of extremely high quality.
You can find out more about how we make our cast aluminium garden furniture sets on our how it is made page.
Outdoor furniture made from cast aluminium has numerous benefits over other materials such as wood, iron, resin or rattan:
- It will not pit, rot or rust
- Low maintenance
- Long-life guarantee
- Designed to be left outside all year
- Protective painted finish
- UV & water-resistant
- Easy to assemble
- Safe to ship
- Aesthetically stylish and sophisticated
- Ergonomically designed
- High-quality look, finish and feel
It is, in our humble opinion, the best garden furniture money can buy, and our recent what garden furniture is best for the UK climate article goes into much more detail about why we truly believe that statement.
The Lazy Susan collection features a comprehensive range of 2 Seater Bistros (such as our Londo Rose set pictured above), 4 Seater, 6 Seater, 8 Seater and 10+ Seater Garden Furniture Sets.
The collection is further complemented with a range of coordinating Garden Benches, Sun Loungers, Parasols, Lazy Susans and Garden Cushions, and our sets are available in a choice of Antique Bronze, Slate Grey and White.
Shop our full Garden Furniture Collection.
Why buy a garden table and chairs set?
Regular readers of this blog will know that when choosing what type of garden furniture set is right for your outdoor space, we always advise that you think about how you use the space.
For example, if you just like to sit back and relax when the sun shines, then maybe a garden sofa set would be the best solution? However, if you prefer to light the BBQ or eat al fresco, then a garden table and chairs set is much more conducive.
The big advantage of a garden table and chairs over an outdoor sofa set, for example, is you can purchase for the number of people you want to sit and best fit to the space you have in terms of a shape (round, oval, rectangular or square) and size of available free space.
Our what shape garden table should I buy has all the info and advice you’ll need to get that decision right for your garden, and it includes diagrams and a dimensions table so you can calculate the perfect fit.
Of course, if you have a large garden, then you can purchase a number of different pieces and create zones for different functions such as outdoor dining, relaxing, maybe a garden bench in a quiet reading corner and so on.
If, on the other hand, space is limited, then you need to pick a set that works a little harder, and does all of the above.
A garden table and chairs set is a more sensible solution as you can use it to eat, work, craft, whatever it is you like to do outside, weather permitting of course. Our outdoor seating will still provide hours of comfort, especially when paired with our garden cushions.
If you’re unsure of what to buy, then we would recommend you start with our garden furniture 101 article. This is a great intro guide to everything you ever wanted to know about garden furniture but were afraid to ask.
Why buy a garden parasol?
We feel a Garden Parasol just helps to finish off our garden tables, plus you can save over 50% on the RRP when you purchase them as a bundle with our garden furniture sets.
For example, if you purchase with our 6 Seater June Set (pictured above) you can get our 2.7-metre parasol for only £89.50. That’s a saving of £110.45 off the RRP.
A parasol is more than just a stylish feature though, they’re designed to keep harmful rays off you, your family and any guests. Our parasol umbrellas are available up to 3.5 metres in diameter and feature a crank handle for ease of opening and closing. They can also be tilted so you can position them to keep the sun off and out of your eyes.
The umbrella is constructed from a quick-drying waterproof acrylic fabric, so if you do encounter a few showers at your next garden gathering, which let’s be honest is highly likely during the British summer, then they’ll provide you with a dry place to shelter from the rain.
Our parasols and bases are available in our antique bronze, white and slate grey finish, and we have a range of bold umbrella colours such as blue, terracotta, stone and green.
The parasol itself is crafted from cast aluminium, while the guts of the umbrella are ribbed with a tough flexible fibreglass. Pair with our parasol bases for the perfect finishing touch to your Lazy Susan garden furniture set.
Shop our full range of Garden Parasols & Bases.
Why buy cushions for your garden furniture set?
Garden Cushions are another accessory that just helps to finish our garden furniture sets off. They aren’t essential, our garden chairs feature ergonomic curves that provide ample comfort and support. However, pair it with a cushion and it ups that comfort. Plus, you can again add them to a set as a bundle deal and make some big savings.
Available to perfectly fit all our Garden Chairs, Benches and Sun Loungers, they’re made from a waterproof fabric that won’t fade in the sun, and can therefore be left outside in all conditions.
Although, whilst water-resistant, we would advise you to store them indoors when not in use as it keeps them clean, dry and ready to use. If they do get wet or dirty you can easily remove the fabric via a zip to wash/freshen up.
For further details on how to maintain, please check out our how to care for our outdoor cushions article.
Our cushions can be tied to our chairs to keep them in place, and they come in a choice of our stylish red, terracotta, navy and stone colourways.
Shop our full Garden Cushion Collection.
Why buy a Lazy Susan for your garden furniture set?
We love a Lazy Susan, so much so that named the company after them!
They’re the perfect way to share food with friends and family, and they look great on our Garden Tables.
If you’re interested in the history and why we’re called Lazy Susan, then please read our most popular blog post; The origins of Lazy Susan.
A Lazy Susan revolving turntable is the perfect way to safely pass drinks, food and condiments around your garden table. Cleverly designed, these serving platforms are constructed to fit comfortably on our six-seater tables and up.
Available in a choice of our antique bronze, white or slate grey finishes, and crafted from our signature high-grade cast aluminium, our beautiful turntables are constructed in a lattice silhouette that perfectly accents our furniture.
Designed for serving, they also make the perfect centrepiece and are great for accessorising with outdoor candles, plants, ornaments, etc.
Shop our full range of Lazy Susans.
Why buy a set from us?
So, that’s our collection, leaving the big question; why should you buy our garden furniture sets over other styles, materials and retailers?
High-grade sand-cast aluminium in a classically British style is our speciality here at Lazy Susan. We have dabbled with other materials over the years, such as lightweight steel and poly-rattan, but we just keep coming back to our trusted and much-loved core material.
As we discussed in our recent what garden furniture is best for the UK climate article it just has so many advantages over other materials.
Now, you could say of course you’re going to tell us that it’s the best, and that’s true. It is what we sell, and we want to sell as much as we can, we’re a business after all.
No outdoor material is perfect too, they all have advantages and disadvantages over each other. It is about finding the material, style and type that is best for you, your outdoor space, and how you use it.
When Michael Scott founded Lazy Susan, he did an incredible amount of research and testing before settling on cast aluminium.
To truly sell a product, you have to believe in it, and cast aluminium gave the perfect combination of form, function and the performance he was looking for.
He wanted pieces that could stand up to the elements, required minimum maintenance, but most importantly look great on the patio. But he is justified in his decision by the incredible number of satisfied customers in our customer Photo Gallery and Product Reviews.
We now offer a comprehensive range of metal garden furniture sets to meet all requirements, including a variety of furniture to complement your garden tables and chairs, accessories and upgrade bundles on our sets that save you big discounts off the RRP.
As a relatively small family-run company within the furniture industry, we are able to closely monitor the quality of our products and customer service throughout the production process.
We don’t have the constraints of a large DIY/Home store or garden centre that buy and stack high, so we’re 100% focused on a refined garden furniture offer.
In order to maintain our reputation as a trusted, customer-centric company, we offer all our customers a 1-year guarantee on all our garden furniture sets in the rare occurrence of any design or manufacturing related faults.
Mistakes do sometimes happen with delivery, etc, but at Lazy Susan we’re committed to service and take pride in customer satisfaction and the high quality of our products. If there is a problem, just speak to our Customer Service team and they’ll be only too happy to help.
Our quality aluminium furniture stands out from other outdoor furniture materials primarily due to its weather resistance. It is easy to maintain, needing only a wipe over with a clean, damp cloth, and it will not rot, warp or splinter. This makes it the smart and cost-effective choice if you’re looking for garden furniture that will withstand the elements.
Our cast aluminium furniture is something we believe in so much, all of the Lazy Susan staff have our garden furniture sets in their own gardens. So, if you have any further questions regarding the Lazy Susan Garden Furniture Collection, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.