Buying Furniture For a Small Garden
If you’re looking for garden furniture to fill a small garden, patio, decking area or balcony, you will first need to decide what is essential to you. This will be different for everybody. List the items that you need in order of importance, then start from the top.
If you will be doing a lot of alfresco dining you will probably need a table and chairs set. A table with six chairs is considerably bigger than one with just four so think carefully about how often those extra two chairs will be needed.
When shopping for garden furniture sets, make sure that the chairs will go all the way under the table so that you can pack it away it as much as possible when it’s not in use. Alternatively get chairs that will stack on top of one another so you can put them to one side if necessary. Keep a look out for tables that will fold away or where the top can be detached in case you decide to store it.
High backed chairs take up less space than chairs with armrests and will be easier to stack. You can always make them more comfy with seat cushions.
The majority of garden parasols can be closed down so shouldn’t take up much space. The most bulky part of a parasol is usually the base so be sure to get a table with a hole in the centre for a parasol if you are keen to have one. The hefty base will sit neatly in the redundant space under the table.
If your space won’t allow for a full dining table, you could always opt for a small bistro style table with just two chairs or even four chairs. These are particularly useful for balcony spaces. There are some lovely bistro tables available.
If you prefer to use your outdoor retreat for a spot of sun worshipping, reading and time out, you might want to forgo the table and chairs for a sun lounger. There are loads of comfortable sun loungers with staggered height settings. Try to find one that will go all the way to 90 degrees or better still fold away completely so you can optimise your garden space when it’s not in use.
There are some excellent small bbq’s available these days. Again, think how many people will be eating and limit the surface area to what is absolutely necessary. You could always do a couple of rounds.
If you’re keen to have a lot of greenery in your small garden, consider climbing plants that will line the walls or fences without intruding on the functional space of the garden. Potted plants are also good for small spaces as you can control the amount of space allocated to them. If you have a balcony, make the most of every inch by hanging window baskets over the edge, this way you’ll get all the beauty of the flowers without them infringing on any of your precious space.
