Here at Lazy Susan, our summer peak season is in full swing and demand for our outdoor furniture is high. We are hoping to continue the year-on-year growth we’ve experienced but mother nature always plays a big part in that.
Of course, we’re only a few weeks into summer but the British weather is as fickle as ever. We had a couple of great weeks, nice and sunny, but we’ve seen some pretty heavy downpours over the last week or so. Sales are still strong but a bit of sunshine always helps.
We’re made of tough stuff though, the odd rain shower should never stop us from getting our outdoor spaces ready for a spot of outdoor dining and relaxation.
At Lazy Susan we think our outdoor furniture is perfectly suited to the UK climate. Our high-grade sand cast aluminium is weatherproof and if it does get caught in a sudden downpour, then it's quick to dry.
Our parasols are also constructed from a waterproof acrylic fabric, so definitely worth buying one if you purchase a set from us. Plus, as part of our bundle deals you can save up to 50% off the price (if purchased separately).
So we wanted to take another look at some of the key outdoor furniture styling trends for summer 2022. Styling techniques you can apply to your patio and garden with both new or existing outdoor garden furniture.
Not the pieces themselves, but more the overarching design philosophy. Our focus is primarily on outdoor dining but there are a whole host of exciting patio and garden design trends that we’re also excited about.
After all, if our industry is doing well, then we’ll be doing well too. The more we can encourage people to do more with their gardens, the more they’ll use them.
A few months ago we published our outdoor furniture styling tips for summer 2022 and this is a sort of follow-on from that. Ours is an industry that is constantly evolving, taking inspiration from the inside and applying it to our patios, blurring the lines between home and garden.
In that article, we looked at styling pieces such as outdoor soft furnishings, lighting, planting, etc, but here we want to focus more on 5 key outdoor furniture styling trends that will have your patio set up and ready to enjoy with family and friends this summer.
1. Make outdoor furniture the focal point
Much like a room benefits from a focal point in interior design, so too does your outdoor space. A focal point is simply an area (or areas) of interest, emphasis or difference in your garden and/or on your patio that will capture, hold the eye and draw you into the space.
Without a focal point, a garden can get a little messy or boring. You want to draw attention to features that are most interesting visually or appealing to use. Of course, that doesn’t just mean outdoor furniture, it could be anything from a large architectural tree or shrub to a water feature.
However, one of the significant outdoor furniture styling trends we are seeing emerge is homeowners pushing their furniture to the front and centre of the stage.
This is particularly successful on a patio within a larger space, or the whole garden, if space is limited such as you find in a yard-style plot or balcony. The key is to position our outdoor dining sets as a focal point. To frame and style them as shown in the customer photos above.
2. Bring the inside out and the outside in
This is one of those outdoor furniture styling trends that has made every latest trending or styling article we’ve published on the Lazy Living blog for probably the last 5 years or so. However, that’s for a very good reason. It has created a garden design revolution, to be honest with you, and it can be interpreted in a variety of different ways when it comes to styling.
The basic idea is to blur the boundaries between the inside of your home and the outdoor space. Creating a seamless transition that flows from inside to out and back again but feels like one. The end results should make your outdoor space more functional and comfortable to spend time in, while your inside benefits from the reclamation of more nature, space, light and colour flooding into your home.
There are a number of ways you can do this but the most successful can open up the space to feel like one, including materials (such as ceramic tiling) that can be used in both and furniture that blur the lines. Set up your patio like an extension of your home with our outdoor dining tables.
Accessorise and style them like you would any table inside the home, so they become not only beautiful to look at but functional pieces that extend your living space
3. Design your outside space around how you like to use it
When it comes to outdoor furniture styling trends one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen emerge over the last few years is a greater appreciation for how we can best utilise our outdoor spaces. Much of this was driven by the lockdowns but even before that, we were seeing attitudes starting to shift.
In the past outdoor furniture was maybe seen as a bit of an afterthought but now it is an integral design element. Even at the large garden design shows such as Chelsea, go back 6 or 7 years ago and it always felt second to the rest of the scheme. Now it is front and centre with leading designers being much more ambitious with the pieces they use in their show gardens.
To truly create a garden that functions as well as looks beautiful, the key is to design the space around how you like to use it. Purchase outdoor furniture that fits with the things you like to do in that space and you will get the most out of it.
If you’re working with a small space such as a balcony, then think about what you’re most likely going to use the space for. If it’s just to take in the view with a coffee in the morning, then maybe a Garden Bench would suffice. If you want to enjoy a spot of brunch or an evening meal then a Bistro set might tick the box. Maybe you can purchase a compact set that serves a number of functions such as a practical 2 Seater Bistro?
If you’re lucky enough to have a large space, then rather than just filling it with one large set, one of the biggest trends this summer is to zone it. Create a section for outdoor dining, relaxing and cooking. Maximise the possibilities.
4. Buy outdoor furniture for the long-term
We seem to have had a bit of a bee in our collective bonnet here at Lazy Susan about fads in our industry. Furniture that is made to satisfy the demand for something that’s hot for a summer or two. Recent examples would be the hanging egg chairs and box-like sectional sofas.
Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with those aforementioned pieces, in fact, there are some excellent models on the market. However, there are also imitators who bring a budget model to market. And again, if you’re happy to replace them after a few summers, then they’re OK too.
To us, that feels like a false economy though. Better to purchase quality furniture that is designed to leave outside. Weatherproof pieces that will last for maybe 10 years with little maintenance. Outdoor furniture that is classically styled, will work with your home and garden and won’t date in a few seasons.
5. Dine out in style
A recent study conducted by Furniture Village on dining habits showed that:
“While people’s eating habits have changed as the years have gone by, over half of Brits (58%) still feel it’s important for family and friends to eat meals around the dining table.”
We couldn’t agree more and a good outdoor dining table is simply an extension of that. If the sun is shining, there is nothing better than gathering family and friends around a Lazy Susan table for food and drinks.
An outdoor table brings people together in much the same way as an indoor dining table. It’s a great way to switch off, relax and enjoy time together.
If you’ve got any photos of our outdoor furniture in situ then we’d love to see them for our Do Some Good charity campaign.
You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or email them to us at [email protected].