As part of our ongoing Garden Furniture Focus series, we’re taking a detailed look at our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables range.
Last month our focus was on our Catherine Oval Garden Table and the compact Anna Garden Bistro Table, so the team and I felt that Frances would offer a nice contrast in terms of both shape and size.
Frances is a 150 cm round cast aluminium metal garden dining table that’s available to purchase as 6 and 8 seater sets depending on what you need. It’s been one of our best-selling sets for the last 3 years or so, and this is backed up by hundreds of positive customer testimonials and photographs.
Featuring an intricate lattice-work table top (details shown in the tech illustration below), Frances will create a stunning focal point on your patio. The circular shape combines intimate dining-style function with comfort at an excellent price point. It’s the perfect set for those with a large family or who like to entertain.
Constructed from our high-grade cast aluminium, for its size it is lightweight at around 26kg, but rest assured that no sacrifices have been made in terms of quality and durability.
If you’re not sure which shape or size of Lazy Susan garden dining table is right for you, or what will work best on your patio, then hopefully this article will not only introduce you to our Frances range but also provide advice on how to make the right purchase.
About our 150 cm Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
We’re less than a month away from the official start of the summer season, so now is the ideal time to purchase new patio furniture.
Our popular ranges such as Frances are in stock, and we can guarantee delivery in time for (fingers crossed) warm summer days.
Frances is available in a choice of our Antique Bronze, Slate Grey or White painted protective finishes.
Our Antique Bronze 6 Seater and 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Tables continue to be one of our best selling sets. Our timeless black finish with subtle bronze stippling delivers a classic style that contrasts perfectly with your patio.
If you want to mix it up a little and put a modern twist on timeless design, then our contemporary Slate Grey 6 Seater and 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Tables (pictured above) combine modern sophistication with our trademark elegance.
Alternatively, you could add a little romantic charm with our White 6 Seater and 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Tables (pictured above).
We tipped white to be one of this summer's hot trends in our recent top 20 garden furniture trends for summer 2022 article, and from this customer photo, it is clear to see why!
The Lazy Susan collection is centred around our design ethos of classically styled outdoor furniture constructed to sit in your garden in all weather.
Each Frances set combines durability and weather-resistant materials into a dining style outdoor table that is both practical and for your patio.
The larger sizing of the 150 cm diameter table means that you can comfortably sit up to 8 chairs, and depending on what you need, it’s available to purchase as a 6 seater option (picture above) or 8 seater set (pictured below.
If you’re still undecided which colour is right for you and your patio, then please order one of our Free Sample Packs (pictured below).
The full Frances Round Garden Dining Tables range
Frances 6 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in Antique Bronze
Frances 6 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in Slate
Frances 6 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in White
Frances 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in Antique Bronze
Frances 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in Slate
Frances 8 Seater Frances Round Garden Dining Table in White
Why purchase a Frances Round Garden Dining Table from Lazy Susan?
We’ve published a number of posts on the Lazy Susan Blog that explore which materials, sizes, shapes and styles of garden tables are best. They’ll often weigh up the pros and cons of the various options, and we try our best to be impartial.
When our customer service team speak to those who’re unsure of what type of outdoor table is best for their patio, the advice is always to purchase a table based on the following 5 criteria:
- Purchase a garden table that fits with how you like to use your garden.
- Purchase a garden table that fits who likes to use your garden.
- Purchase a garden table that fits into the free space you have on your patio.
- Purchase a garden table that fits the shape of your garden.
- Purchase a garden table that fits with the style of your home and garden.
If you’re lucky to have a large garden/patio, then you have the option of purchasing a larger dining-style garden table such as Frances, which is perfect for entertaining friends and family.
The popularity of our larger 8 and 6 seater round outdoor dining tables is primarily down to them being the perfect size for entertaining and the intimacy that that shape of the table provides.
There’s no head at the table, everybody is equally spaced, and it helps the conversation flow (as shown in the photo below).
Size-wise, Frances is the perfect table for a large family, and with the average size of patio in the UK for a 5+ bedroom property being around 25-30 metres square, it will comfortably fit on the space in terms of scale and proportion, with lots of room to move chairs and retain good flow.
You don’t want it to fill the space, there needs to be room when both table and chairs are in situ for other items such as a BBQs, planters, etc, and you need to ensure have enough free “working” space so that people can walk around safely, etc.
Plus, no sharp corners make a round table much easier to pull up additional seating and squeeze a few more guests around if need be, while the curved edges also help to create the illusion that they take up less space, and can help to soften a large square or rectangular patio.
In terms of the actual footprint, there's not that much difference between a square or rectangular table, however, a circle will trick the eye into thinking there is, and although they do reduce the space a little, the overall effect is always a lot more dramatic.
If you’re undecided on which shape table is best, a circular table such as Frances is a great option for those with a good-sized garden/patio who like to share a meal such as a BBQ and drinks outside with friends and family.
It will sit perfectly on a large circular patio (as shown above), however, if you have quite a square/rectangular space, then a large round garden dining table can help to soften it, and create a dramatic focal point (such as below).
Frances Round Garden Dining Tables Tech Spec & Dimensions
Of course, the big question you need to answer before you purchase a larger size set such as Frances, is do you have the space for it?
The diagram above shows the recommended floor space we suggest for our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables, while the dimensions of the table itself are shown in the technical illustration below.
Our Frances table has a 150 cm diameter, so for you to comfortably sit 6 to 8 Garden Chairs you need an additional 75 cm of space around the table.
We would also recommend a further 50 - 75 cm of “working space” so that you have room to pull chairs out and so that you can safely move around when people are seated.
All this is shown in the first diagram (above) but please note that this is just a guide, you might think you can work with less space.
Every patio is different and you need to factor in other features such as walls, steps, BBQ, fire pit, etc.
If need be, draw it to scale on a piece of graph paper to help you visualise and plan the layout and this will help to calculate if the table and chairs will fit and the space will still function.
If you take the dimensions of our Catherine garden table at 150 cm and add on the 75 cm for garden chairs and 75 cm working space then you need approximately 300 cm diameter or 1.77 m² of free space (give or take) on your patio.
This sounds a lot, but the average size of a patio in the UK is around 20 - 25 m², so you can see why Frances is a popular choice, especially with larger family homes which will generally have a larger than average patio.
Why purchase cast aluminium garden tables?
Our Frances Garden Dining Table range is constructed from high-grade sand-cast aluminium, which has a number of advantages over other materials on sale in the UK.
It’s designed to not rot, pit or rust and our durable painted finish will protect the metal from the elements, so it's water-resistant and will not fade in the sun.
Cast aluminium is low maintenance and you don’t need to store it inside or cover it in the winter (although I do just to keep it clean and ready to use).
To keep it clean all it will need is an occasional wash down with warm soapy water and maybe a little car wax to keep its lustre and help rain bead and run off.
The design-ethos of our outdoor furniture collection are built around classic style in a modern package.
We offer pieces that won’t go out of fashion in a few summers.
Our traditional sand casting technique is combined with a sophisticated protective finish to create high quality and highly durable pieces of outdoor furniture.
You can find out more about how we make our cast aluminium on our how we make our furniture page.
When we started Lazy Susan we selected cast aluminium as our core material after much research and deliberation.
Our choice was made after rigorously testing a number of options but it proved to be the perfect solution for the UK climate.
It has a number of distinct advantages over other materials such as wood, steel, resin and 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’s a great material in terms of both durability and value for money and our recent what garden furniture is best for the UK climate article looked at all the advantages and disadvantages in detail.
Upgrade the garden chairs with your Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
Our Frances sets come as standard with our April Garden Chairs (shown above), which feature an intricate traditional metal-work design with overlapping arcs and a gently curved back with a lattice-work seat.
Weighing in at just 6kg it’s a lightweight chair that is easy to pick up and pull in/out. However, in our shop, there’s also the option with each set to upgrade to our Rose, Emma or Kate chairs (as pictured below).
When we designed our Garden Chair Collection, the aim was to create a range that combined comfort, stability, weather resistance and classic design.
Our chairs won’t go out of fashion, are ergonomically designed, compliment our garden tables and are designed to work with all our garden tables.
Save on accessories when you purchase our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
As well as the option of upgrading the Garden Chairs with Catherine, you can also add our fab bundle deals to your basket and save on our Parasols, Lazy Susans and Outdoor Cushions, with discounts of 30-70% off RRP.
You’ll find details of these bulk savings in the gift section (as shown below) on each of our Frances product pages.
How to style our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
Choosing the right garden furniture, as with any large purchase, comes down to a little research, and finding a set that fits with how you like to use your outdoor space.
Before you buy consider your budget, how much outdoor free space you have, how you like to use your garden and carefully take some time to measure up to see what will fit.
You want to find a garden dining table that fits on your patio and compliments your property and the wider outdoor space. It should draw the eye (and you) outside and invite you to sit and use it.
You want a table that offers good scale and proportion with enough seating for the number of people who’ll regularly use it.
Once in situ, styling is key to creating an outdoor space that you and your family will love spending time in.
All our garden tables feature beautiful intricate metal work, and they look beautiful on their own, however, you will bring them to life with a few simple styling touches and accessories.
The key to styling our Frances garden tables is to put your own stamp on them. Make it your own just like you would a table inside your home.
The more your outdoor space embraces your style and is set up with how you like to use it, the more enjoyment you’ll get from it.
By adding outdoor accessories such as Planters, Cushions, Outdoor Rugs, Accessories, Lighting and Decor, you’ll bring it to life just like you would a room or dining table inside the home.
Frame the garden table with a parasol, tall planting or an outdoor structure such as a pergola to further enclose the space for privacy, shade and relaxation.
A good garden table should function as an extension of your home, and be the place you and your family spend time when the sun shines.
Our recent outdoor furniture styling tips for summer 2022 article has some of our favourite outdoor furniture styling tips so that you can get your outdoor table on-trend and looking fab!
How to assemble our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
Our Frances tables are shipped to customers as Ready To Assemble (RTA) and all our furniture is easy to build.
It is securely packaged for shipping but when constructed it has the strength and good looks you’d expect from quality garden furniture.
We provide clear instructions, parts and tools for the building, and all fixings are provided for you in a separate card ‘pop-out’ packet.
The video below shows how easy it is to assemble our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables:
When you see a crossed through spanner symbol in our assembly instructions, this means that at this stage of the process, you should only finger-tighten the bolts.
When all bolts are in place, then you can fully tighten with the spanner provided to ensure that all table and/or chair legs are fitted evenly and in the correct position.
If you do have any questions about assembly, then please don’t hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team.
Frances Round Garden Dining Tables Shipping & Delivery
As specified in our shop, delivery of our 6 and 8 seater Frances Round Garden Dining Tables is as follows:
Our larger furniture sets will be delivered by XDP, Simply Parcels or via the Pall-Ex network. Depending on the size of your order, this will either be a 1 or 2 man delivery. For all 2 man deliveries, your furniture will carefully be delivered to your garden, patio or outdoor space, ready for you to assemble. Please provide a mobile number when ordering, as this will allow the courier to update you with tracking and delivery times.
For orders being sent out with Simply Parcels, you will be contacted via text or email within 7/10 working days of your order to arrange with you a delivery time for your goods. For orders being delivered via XDP, we would expect the parcels to be dispatched from our warehouse within 3 working days and then delivered within 3 - 5 days.
For orders delivered through the Pall-ex network, your order will leave our warehouse within 7 working days of your order date, then be delivered by pallet and placed in front of your property, for you to take charge of. You will be contacted by the courier making the palletised delivery within 24 to 48 hours of the goods leaving our warehouse so that they can arrange the delivery with you.
What our customers are saying about our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
With hundreds of positive customer reviews, Frances is one of our best selling garden tables.
Here are just a few examples of what people have been saying about our garden furniture:
You can see all our 2700+ product reviews on our Trustpilot page.
Customer photos of our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables
As well as our testimonials we have some fab Customer Photos of our Frances Tables that can help you visualise what this beautiful set could look like in situ on your patio.
Help us Do Some Good when you purchase a Frances Round Garden Dining Table from Lazy Susan
For every customer photograph of our Frances sets that we receive, we donate to one of our charity partners.
To find out how you can get involved and to read more about the charities we've donated to, head over to our Charity page.
Contact the Lazy Susan Customer Service Team
The Lazy Susan team are always happy to answer any questions you may have.
If you would like to know more about our Catherine range, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01243 717197, or drop an email to [email protected].
We aim to answer all emails within 2 hours during normal office hours.
We can also send out samples of colours for cushion covers and the metal finish of our Mia tables, and you can order them on our Free Sample Pack pages.
Why purchase our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables?
Our Frances Round Garden Dining Tables are just one of the many stunning outdoor furniture sets in our collection.
If you decide Frances is the right set for you, then please measure carefully, and make sure it works in the free patio space you have.
Purchase the right size table and number of chairs for how many people you want to comfortably sit.
Our garden tables aren’t just for dining, we can be drawn to them for many reasons when the sun shines, from coffee with friends to a spot of crafting with the kids.
A good garden ding table such as Frances will form the focal point in your garden and the place you can enjoy food and drinks when the sun shines.
Designed to be comfortable to sit at for long periods of time, the material used in their construction is durable and weather resistant.
Shop our full Frances Round Garden Dining Tables range today.