Summer is still a way off but now is the perfect time to start thinking about getting your patio ready and researching the market if you’re looking to buy new garden furniture for summer 2023.
If you like to entertain or enjoy a family meal al fresco, then an outdoor dining-style table is the perfect solution. You can bring the comfort of entertaining inside to the outside of your home with Garden Tables from Lazy Susan.
No matter how big or small the space, we offer a range of outdoor tables, from 2-seater bistro sets to our large 10+ dining sets. Our classic styling is designed to compliment your garden and never go out of style.
The collection features round, oval, square and rectangular shapes in a choice of our antique bronze, slate grey and white painted finishes.
All constructed from high-grade sand cast aluminium, it is designed to be durable and fully weather resistant, so you can leave it on your patio safe in the knowledge that it will not rust, warp or rot.
What size garden table should you buy?
When it comes to what size garden table is best for your patio, this is a subject we’ve covered in detail in a number of articles. Our recent what size garden table should I buy post is a great place to start if you need a little help with measuring up, etc.
The starting point though is to measure the length and width of the outdoor space you have free for dining, that part of your garden, patio or deck that is completely free from any obstacles such as planters, walls, steps, etc.
If you can fit the table dimensions plus the additional 150 cm all the way around (as shown in the diagram below) to allow for safe working space - room to sit, walk around and pull chairs out safely - and the garden chairs themselves, then you’re good to go.
The dimensions for our garden tables can be found on the product pages for each set or table. Just scroll down and it is after the gift section in the description box.
Now of course every garden is different. There could be planters, a BBQ, a fire pit, a pizza oven, a wall, other pieces of outdoor furniture such as a sofa, different shapes of patio/decking, etc. All factors need to be taken into account.
The measurement assumes total free space where the table and chairs can be placed and used. However, by following this guide you will get a set that best ‘fits’ the free space in terms of scale (not too big or small) and function (comfortable to sit with space to get up and walk around when in use).
You may feel you can work with a little less working space, for example, push a table a little closer to a wall or the edge of a patio maybe. This is just a guide and our best recommendation.
If we take our June Garden Table as an example (above), on its own it is 150 cm long by 95 cm wide. Add onto that 75 cm for the garden chairs and 75 cm of safe working space and you need a totally free space of 300 cm by 245 cm for that set to best “fit”.
You’ll see in the table above we also have a column for recommended floor space, and the total dimensions are listed for each garden table in the Lazy Susan range.
What shape garden table should you buy?
Again, we have covered this subject in depth in a number of posts and our how to buy the right shape garden table post looks at this subject in-depth. However, to summarise:
- Rectangular Garden Tables
Whilst rectangular tables are the more common shape inside the home, at Lazy Susan we generally sell more oval-shaped tables. A rectangle table creates a more formal setting and our range features 8-seater extension tables that open up to accommodate 10/12 people. The long narrow shape is perfect for large patios with a focus on entertaining as you can sit the hosts at each end to create a more formal feel. A rectangular table will often help to “emphasise” or create a more streamlined look, by placing it on a rectangle-shaped or square paved patio, creates a clean look. - Square Garden Tables
A square table always looks great on an L-shaped, square or rectangular patio but it can be difficult to make it work on anything round or curved. It is also a great solution for a more intimate 4-seater as you all have equal space but any more than 4 and it can be tricky/unbalanced. The main advantage of square garden tables is you can push one side against a wall or in a corner. Another trend we’ve seen emerge in recent years is for customers to purchase 2 x 4-seater square tables that they can push together when the need arises (as the customer has done in the photo above). You can position them apart to create different seating zones to catch the sun at different times of the day and then push them together to create a larger rectangular set for BBQs or garden parties. - Round Garden Tables
Round garden tables tend to work best on small patios and balconies, and they are perfect for smaller intimate gatherings of 4 or fewer. They add a cosy Parisienne Café feel that you just don’t seem to get with other shapes. That said, a large round table is also great for parties where you want to keep the conversation flowing between all guests as they make it a little easier for everybody to see each other and pass food and drinks. For a curved patio or small garden or even a patio/garden where you want to zone it and serve multiple functions, then a round table is a great option. They have the advantage of no awkward corners but will still provide a good amount of tabletop surface space. They’re great for socialising and entertaining, and you can usually squeeze a few more people at them if need be a little easier as nobody has to sit at a corner. - Oval Garden Tables
An oval-shaped table is a great all-rounder, similar to a rectangle table, however, whilst the footprint is similar, visually it uses up less space because of the rounded corners. Oval tables are also a great fit on the narrow or shallow patios popular with house builders, hence why they’re our best-selling shape. They perfectly combine the semi-formal seating of a rectangular with the more casual dining style of a round table. There are again no awkward corners but it will still provide a good amount of tabletop surface space and is easier to squeeze in a few seats if necessary.
Our best-selling garden tables
If you’re unsure which set is right for you, then maybe what others have purchased will provide a little inspiration.
This is our current top ten garden tables from the last 12 months:
1. June Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Our June in antique bronze is a mid-range family-sized 150 x 95cm oval cast aluminium garden table. Available as a 6 and 4-seater set, it features a beautiful lattice table top with a double-helix border.
2. Mia Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Mia in antique bronze is a compact 88 cm round cast aluminium garden furniture set. Available as a 4 and 2-seater set, it features a rounded braid centre with expanding spiral lattice.
3. June Garden Table in Slate Grey
Our June in slate grey is a mid-range family-sized 150 x 95cm oval cast aluminium garden table. Available as a 6 and 4-seater set, it features a beautiful lattice table top with a double-helix border.
4. Catherine Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Our Catherine in antique bronze is a family-sized 208 x 103cm oval cast aluminium garden table. Available as a 6 and 8-seater set, it features our trademark intricate woven metalwork.
5. Alice Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Alice in antique bronze is a mid-range 120 cm round cast aluminium patio table set. Available as a 4 and 6-seater set it features a lattice table top with an intricate woven border.
6. Mia Garden Table in Slate Grey
Mia in slate grey is a compact 88 cm round cast aluminium garden furniture set. Available as a 4 and 2-seater set, it features a rounded braid centre with expanding spiral lattice.
7. Anna Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Anna in antique bronze is a compact 80cm round cast aluminium garden table. Available as a 4 or 2-seater set it features a central expanding spiral lattice design with a detailed diamond-shape border.
8. Catherine Garden Table in Slate
Our Catherine in slate grey is family sized 208 x 103cm oval cast aluminium garden table. Available as a 6 and 8-seater set, it features our trademark intricate woven metalwork.
9. Frances Garden Table in Antique Bronze
Frances in antique bronze is a larger family-size 150cm round cast aluminium metal garden table. Available as a 6 and 8-seater set it features our trademark lattice work on the tabletop.
10. Alice Garden Table in Slate
Alice in slate is a mid-sized 120 cm round cast aluminium patio table set. Available as a 4 and 6-seater set it features a beautiful lattice tabletop with an intricate woven border.
Shop the Lazy Susan Garden Tables collection for Summer 23.
If you have any photos of our top 10 Garden Tables on your patio, then we’d love to see a few snaps for our Do Some Good charity campaign. You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or email them to us at [email protected].