TAKING IT OUTSIDE

Be it a lounge or dining area, or a space to relax by the pool, the right furniture makes all the difference

- KAREN BOOTH

Imagine settling into the comfy embrace of a deep-seated modular outdoor lounge, a designer rug beneath your feet, stylish scatter cushions at your back and a coffee table before you. Or how about sidling up to a good friend on a bench seat pulled up to a timber-topped outdoor dining table? Maybe your dream outdoor experience takes place on a large beanbag on a sunny patch of lawn, or stretched out on a lounger by the pool, the canopy of a cantilevered umbrella keeping the UV rays at bay and a side table keeping your wine glass within arm’s reach.

Selecting outdoor furniture isn’t just about finding pieces that will weather the elements (as essential as that is), nor is it about making sure the colours coordinate with your decorating scheme (also important). What really matters is how comfortable it is, whether you enjoying using it, and if it helps create the kind of outdoor lifestyle you want.

Let’s take it as read that you want your new lounge or dining setting to be well made, easy to clean, and capable of taking whatever Mother Nature dishes out — and for quality, you might have to be prepared to pay that little bit extra. If you’re furnishing multiple spaces that can represent a significant investment, so you want pieces that will last for years to come.

While there are practicalities to consider — for example, timber furniture needs restaining or oiling, so if you’re not much for maintenance, opt for something that only needs an occasional wipe-over — how you plan to live outside should be your guiding factor. Also, to create appealing, liveable outdoor areas they need to be furnished and decorated with a degree of panache and take into account the interior living spaces they adjoin.