The weather has been pretty unpleasant of late. We can’t decide if we like it minus temps and dry or milder temps and rain? Probably the latter. But roll on summer we say!
To put us in a more sunny frame of mind, the Lazy Susan team have been discussing our favourite garden table accessories.
This is a subject we’ve touched on in a number of posts recently but the garden table is an area that is often overlooked. We pop them on our patios but only style them when we’re using them.
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However, that misses a trick in bringing a little personality and style to the space. A well-placed piece of decor will elevate your garden table, creating visual interest, adding character, and giving you a finishing touch much like it would on a dining or kitchen table inside the home.
And much like interior design, garden table accessories can be both practical or purely aesthetic (often both) but, regardless of which, they can help create a theme and provide a focal point that draws you out of the house when the sun shines to sit and enjoy the space.
Lazy Susan’s top 10 garden table accessories for summer 2023
If you’re a little unsure of what will work, then we have had a little vote in the office and compiled our top 10 garden table accessories for summer 2023.
1. Natural Flowers
Nothing beats a well-placed plant or flowers as the centrepiece of a table, regardless if it is inside or out. If you’ve got a green thumb, then find a nice pot and create your own with your favourite seasonal blooms. If not, then there are some great options that can be ordered online and delivered to your door.
Some of the team's favourites are the Outdoor Spring Garden Planter from Waitrose Florist (above) and the excellent Patch Plants who have some fantastic options with their Small Fibrestone Cylinder Pots (below) getting our vote for creating a great garden table centrepiece.
2. Garden Lanterns & Lamps
A garden table lamp or lantern is one of those accessories that are both practical and stylish. A good one will add interest during the day but serious wow factor when the sun goes down.
The Wood & Stainless Steel Garden Oil Lamps from Za Za Homes on Not On The High Street are a great example and would make a wonderful contrast against our antique bronze finish. Available in 3 different sizes, they look great, provide a wonderful warm glow and will burn paraffin-based oil or citronella if you need to keep the bugs away.
Another favourite with the Lazy Susan team is the stylish Malvern Outdoor Lantern Bundles from Lights 4 Fun. They look great and coordinate perfectly with the classic styling of our furniture range.
3. Lazy Susan Turntables
A Lazy Susan Turntable is more than just a handy serving platter. Of course, that is their primary function, however, they also make for a great platform from which to build a centrepiece for all-round interest.
4. Garden Tableware
If you like to eat outside then a garden tableware set is a must-have accessory. Many will simply use what they have inside but if you really want to take your next BBQ up a notch then an outdoor-specific table set is a win-win.
The Alfresco Dining Company have a fab range of garden tableware that looks super stylish in pieces that are specifically designed for outdoor use. Their Animal range (shown above) is made from a shatter-resistant blend including bamboo and melamine so it has a premium feel and features a different Yvonne Ellen playful animal illustration. This is traditional picnicware but with a contemporary twist.
5. Outdoor Candles
A good garden table accessory should combine style with practicality and outdoor candles definitely do both. If you want to maximise the use of your patio on a warm summer's eve then lighting a candle will create the perfect ambience. Combine a few different pieces as the customer has done above and create our own centrepiece.
Of course, you also can go LED but our preference is definitely to stick to the real thing and elevate it with a holder such as the Romadedi Candle Holder Set on Amazon.co.uk or the Parasol Tealight Candle Holder from John Lewis below, both of which would sit perfectly at the centre of our garden tables
5. Garden Table Grill
OK, not something you’d leave to add interest and style all year round but a garden table grill will most certainly draw people to your outdoor dining area. Here at Lazy Susan, we’re big fans of Korean-style BBQ and this a great way to bring that experience to your next garden get-together.
The VonHaus 1200W 8 Person Raclette Grill & Stone ticks all the boxes on this trend, it would sit perfectly at the centre of our 6+ seater sets, and as they say
You and up to 7 guests can experience the charming joy of grilling, searing and frying your own food directly at the dining table. Simply gather your selection of ingredients, then sit back and relax as guests take control of creating their own mouth-watering gourmet feast. The set comes with two interchangeable cooking plates; a natural stone surface which gently seals in flavour and moisture for maximum taste, and a non-stick grill for finishing food with a deliciously streaky sear.
Of course, if Pizza is more your thing, then we also have our Cozze Pizza Oven (below).
7. Garden Table Art & Ornaments
Why not express your creative side and add a stylish piece of garden art to your garden table? Again, you could look to make something or upcycle/repurpose something from the inside of the home.
However, shop around and you can find some wonderful ornaments on the likes of Amazon, Etsy and Not on the High Street. A couple of our recently discovered faves are the Namaste Solar Garden Light from Coopers of Stortford (above) or the super stylish Small Modern Art Spheres from Ferney Heyes (below).
8. Garden Terrarium
Garden Terrariums are getting our vote for the new must-have garden table accessory for summer 23. They are low-maintenance and space-saving. They create a simply beautiful centrepiece and they allow us to grow plants that we might otherwise struggle in our natural climate without a greenhouse.
The Lazy Susan team are big fans of some of the build-your-own kits from the likes of Tropical Glass (above). However, if you want to purchase an outdoor-specific one, then they’re a little harder to find but the Terraform Laboratory on Etsy (shown above) has some simply stunning Handmade Waterproof Glass Terrariums that would look beautiful planted up and positioned as a garden table centrepiece.
If you need some info on building your own terrarium, then the videos below from Burke's Backyard and Worcester Terrariums are a great place to start:
9. Outdoor Table Heater
When you think of patio heaters you think of those big ugly metal contraptions they place outside restaurants and pubs. However, there are some great smaller options that will not only create a nice warmth when the sun goes down but also look great at the centre of our garden tables
The Höfats SPIN 90 Table-Top Fire from Harbour Lifestyle (above) is a great example of stylish good looks paired with a functional garden table heater. You simply pop it in the centre of your table, fill it with bioethanol, ignite and pop on the glass cylinder to keep you and any guests warm and relaxed when the sun sets.
Looking for something more plug-and-play, then the Kettler Kalos Plush Electric Table Top Heater (above) get a big thumbs up from us. Made from robust stainless steel it will pair wonderfully with our metal garden tables. It is stable, safe, easy to use and will provide 1500W heat.
10. Garden Table Parasol
Last on our list is the humble Parasol. Purchase it as a bundle deal with your Lazy Susan garden table and you have the perfect accessory for whatever mother nature might throw at you in the summer. A passing shower or bright sun in the eyes of guests, our tilting waterproof parasols will give you shade and shelter. Plus, they look great and help to frame our tables, making them even more inviting if that’s possible.
Shop our full range of garden tables and accessories.
If you have any photos of your Lazy Susan garden table with stylish accessories or a stunning centrepiece then we’d love to see a few for our Do Some Good charity campaign. You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or email them to us at [email protected].