Designer Fiona Leahy on the art of alfresco dining - interview

First, you need durable furniture to dine outdoors.

- SOPHIE BAYLIS

You don’t want to be dragging the table and chairs inside every time it rains. I have some lovely vintage aluminium chairs that sit outside all year round. For comfort, I add super-thick seat pads made of dark green velvet with a pale pink trim from Dedar.

I love the drama of a long, rectangular dining table. For years, I had one in reclaimed wood. I’ve replaced it with something more modern in black aluminium. It looks stunning and is easy to maintain.