After months of fevered anticipation, brighter days are finally here.
Temperatures are climbing, days are lengthening, and ice cream trucks are jingling themselves silly. Hello British summertime, oh how we missed you!
Countless experts have extolled the benefits of spending time in nature, from a mental uplift and feeling fitter to an improved sense of wellbeing. While it’s hard to coax yourself out in the winter months, come summer, we need little persuading to spend every waking minute in the sunshine.
While some embark on heroic adventures like the Three Peaks Challenge or days-long coastal hikes, being outdoors can also mean something as small and everyday as gardening or lounging on your patio.
If you have a garden, now’s the time to whip it into shape so it’s ready for months of entertaining, sunbathing and barbecuing. Jobs like tending to plants, clearing dead leaves, and painting fences should be ticked off now so when a heatwave hits, you can relax smug in your preparedness.
For those whose existing garden furniture or BBQ has passed the point of no return, it may be time to search for something new. From outdoor dining setups and hot tubs to compact bistro sets where you can sit with the weekend papers, there are plenty of outdoor furniture options to help you get the most out of your garden this summer.
If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. ES Best has the roundups and ideas to kitting out your outside space, from cheap and cheerful garden lights and outdoor cushions to higher-spend buys that will make your garden the envy of the neighbourhood.
To help you narrow your search, we’ve split up the gargantuan selection available according to the season’s hottest trends, from natural materials to headturning statement pieces.
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Cool curves
Whether you want cool, structural furniture nodding towards minimalism or like the idea of organic forms taking centre stage, it’s all about the curves chiming in unity with nature in 2025. Sharp edges? Don’t know her.
Soho Home Gaspard Outdoor Sofa, Pierre Frey, Cassis
You're never going to want to leave the garden with this sumptuous sofa in residence. From Soho Home comes the Gaspard Sofa, built for feeling comfortable in the outdoors. The curved design is wrapped in weather-resistant linen with extra deep seats so you can really burrow in.
The modular piece is built on a strong steel frame and is available in three, four and five-seater options.
You will need to wait up to 15 weeks for delivery, so don't wait to order if you want to enjoy it over summer.
Buy now £7494.00, Soho Home
Kave Home Colba polystone coffee table
Modern, chic and a bit like the bottom of an egg carton, there's no denying the beauty of this outdoor coffee table, made from moisture-resistant and lightweight polystone.
Measuring D100 x W100 x H30cm, it's at just the right height to put happy hour cocktails and snacks for your pals.
Buy now £599.00, Kave Home
Casaria Sun Lounger Wooden Ergonomic FSC-Certified Acacia Wood Rocking Deck Chair
This contemporary-cool meets natural-chic sun lounger has a sculptural design for ultimate comfort, whether you’re reading your favourite book or having an afternoon snooze. The organic look of the slatted acacia wood top complements the curved base, and its all naturally moisture-resistant and scratch-resistant. Lounging never looked so stylish.
Buy now £102.95, ManoMano
Charles Bentley 3M Garden Hammock With Wooden Arc Stand One Person – Cream
Kick back and relax in the summer breeze in a hammock that will transport you straight to the Caribbean. Held on a bowed wooden base, the cotton canvas is cool and breathable to lay on all day, if the mood takes you.
Buy now £159.99, Debenhams
George Home at ASDA Black Novaro 4-piece sofa set
Petite outdoor spaces and smaller gardens can still accommodate sofa sets - just on a more compact scale.
This lounge set from George Home manages to blend the pretty and the practical perfectly - its black steel frame offers a cool industrial edge and is corrosion-resistant, while the poly rattan weave is also waterproof. Pull up a pew.
Named day delivery is available for a small additional fee.
Buy now £549.00, George Home
Natural beauty
Rattan has always been an outdoor furniture winner, but consider other raw materials like wood, rope, jute and string. The latter is especially nice for garden accessories like coasters and chair backs.
Rattan Direct Rattan Garden Day Bed Sofa Set in Chocolate and Cream
A sectional sofa for outdoors allows you to configure the pieces to suit your space and the occasion best.
You can turn Rattan Direct’s set from a U-shaped sofa to a giant daybed or separate them and put a coffee table in between for a casual conversation pit. As well as the bases, the set comes with said coffee table with a tempered glass top, free scatter cushions and a free set of outdoor covers to keep it protected against bad weather.
The company offers speedy delivery with next-day options available.
Was: £2349
Buy now £1649.00, Rattan Direct
La Redoute Ambre FSC eucalyptus sun lounger
A wooden sun lounger adds a wonderful organic feel to the garden, and eucalyptus wood is a great choice, being insect and fungi-resistant. This particular wood is also FSC-certified, so you can purchase with the knowledge that it’s sustainably sourced.
Expect to treat it with a layer of oil once or twice a year to keep it looking shipshape. We love the four reclining positions and big wheels, which not only deliver a retro vibe, but also make it easy to move around.
Buy now £148.49, La Redoute
Sol 27 Outdoor Aaraf Sol 72 Outdoor with Solid Wood Outer Material
Your very own home bar inspired by the tropics - every hour is destined to be a happy one with this set ready to go in your garden. The steel frame bar comes with a set of stools, all wrapped in rattan to make it feel and look natural in an outdoor setting. The durable piece promises to steal the show at every BBQ and garden party you throw from now until October. Requires self-assembly.
Buy now £384.99, Wayfair
Habitat 2 Seater Bamboo Garden Bistro Set - Natural
Looking for a space-saving bistro set for a compact balcony or small-but-perfectly-formed patio? Call off the search. This stylish rattan set from Habitat is a durable and dashing duo of chairs and a matching side table for outdoor natters and nibbles. Add a rug underneath and some rustic lanterns for an ambient outdoor hideaway.
Buy now £260.00, Argos
Sky Line Design Jute Outdoor Rug
Luxurious beach house vibes come to mind with this natural jute outdoor rug. Recreate holiday glamour with this tasteful and understated option that is guaranteed to suit any outdoor space.
Jute is known for being fairly coarse but this natural material is also hard-wearing so it’s ideal for your high-use areas, is very low maintenance and will withstand the elements. It would work well positioned in the centre of a sofa set, or on the edge of a patio.
The fabric often has a golden shimmer in the light so pick up a selection of metallic-toned garden accessories - lanterns, tableware and planters - to make the most of your outdoor living space.
Three sizes available from £59.99
Buy now £59.99, La Redoute
Go boldly
If you think the unexpected red theory worked in interiors, just wait until you see it in action outdoors. A zip of any bright colour can add boldness and a sense of play to all types of outside spaces. It’s not for everyone, but if the shoe fits…
Habitat 60 Wyatt Rattan Chair - Blue
If you need any proof that electric blue adds something special to a garden, just look to Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech or Mexico City's Frida Kahlo Museum. Both incorporate swathes of the hue in their venues.
Bring some of that arty magic home with Habitat's rattan chair, offered in a can't-miss-it cobalt. With a wide seat, high back and armrests, it's the perfect perch to sit back and smell the roses. Made from 100 per cent rattan.
Buy now £160.00, Argos
Grand patio store Garden Bistro Set
Working with a small space? Even a small table and chairs can heighten the pleasure of being in the garden. This bistro-inspired design comes in a selection of colours but we like red for adding a pop of colour to the surroundings.
Buy now £95.98, Amazon
Anthropologie Maeve Scarf Printed Floral Indoor Outdoor Cushions
Sometimes, all you need to perk up existing furniture is a good cushion. We've fallen headfirst for this floral/animal/striped look that brings maximalism into your outside space. Available in four patterns.
Buy now £38.00, Anthropologie
Perch & Parrow Take-a-break Lounge Chair with Footstool in Orange
Every garden needs a good seat. Perch & Parrow's taps into the bold and beautiful trend with this rope chair wound across a strong steel frame. While it's comfortable enough to sit on as is, a nice outdoor cushion and a throw wouldn't go amiss. Set it up beside a side table to keep drinks and snacks within arm's reach.
It also comes in black, grey and hot pink.
Buy now £145.00, Perch & Parrow
TORVA Folding Adirondack Garden Chair
Adirondack-style chairs are the cheat's way to making your garden or balcony feel like a resort. This fold-up design comes in black, orange, green and grey but blue is our choice for enhancing sunshine feels.
Buy now £171.79, Amazon
George Green Metal Slat 3 Piece Bench Set
It's pistachio-everything these days, whether you're stuffing Dubai chocolate and pistachio cream into your shopping cart or adding the hue to your summer wardrobe rotation.
Continue the theme into garden furniture. George at Asda has this lovely galvanised steel table and bench set, ideal for enjoying meals in the summer weather.
Buy now £299.00, George
Keep it green
The modern shopper is a mindful shopper. People are waking up to the fact that pieces made from recycled materials - think wood, metal, straw - can be as lovely, if not better, than new. If you like furniture that comes with a story, this is the trend to buy into.
Look for rechargeable accessories that eliminate the need for batteries.
Moda Furnishings Ellis Lounger
Looking plucked straight from a country spa retreat, Moda Furnishings' sunlounger makes a persuasive case for spending sunny weekends in the garden. Durable aluminium is the starting point, serving as the foundation for cream-coloured water-resistant cushions on which to recline. Sunbathing, as we all know, is thirsty work so this lounger comes with a matching side table to keep hydration by your side.
Buy now £449.00, Moda Furnishings
NBB Recycled Octagonal 8-Seater Picnic Table - Black
A picnic table offers a more casual alternative to an outdoor dining set, and this one can seat up to eight people. The glossy black design has been crafted from 100 per cent recycled plastic with a wood-grain effect finish, meaning it’s practically maintenance-free and won’t wear, rot or splinter like timber will. Despite the material, it’s sturdy and will stay put in moderate winds.
The plastic comes from waste that would have otherwise been piled into landfill, so you’re doing the environment a favour too.
Buy now £748.88, Robert Dyas
Keter Eden Bench 265L Outdoor 60% recycled Garden Furniture Storage Box
Games, table accessories, seasonal decorations - storage in the garden is key for all these things that you don’t want cluttering up the house. Keter makes it doubly functional but sticking storage in the base of this garden bench so it can serve as useful seating when you’ve got people round. It holds up to 265L and is made from maintenance-free 60 per cent recycled resin.
Find more waterproof garden benches here.
Buy now £129.80, Amazon
Dunelm 2.7m Recycled Polyester Cream Carousel Parasol
Crafted with 100 per cent recycled polyester, this pretty parasol brings to mind tropical beach resorts. The brolly operates via a crank mechanism for easy opening and can be tilted to offer shade from the sun wherever it is in the sky.
Find a sage green version here.
Buy now £100.00, Dunelm
20 Warm White Carnival Solar Festoon Lights
Lighting is crucial in setting the tone for your evening summer festivities where these festival-worthy bulbs give you a warm white glow. They illuminate automatically with a built-in sensor and are powered through a solar panel. There are eight settings that include a flash, chase or static illumination.
Buy now £29.99, Lights4Fun
Put it anywhere pieces
This being England, you can never guarantee sun, no matter what the forecast says. Furniture and accessories that you can enjoy indoors as well as out could turn out to be the ultimate investment in the face of our temperamental climate.
Addison Ross Block Bobbin LED lamp
The demand for cordless lamps shows no sign of dimming, and now luxury homewares brand Addison Ross has thrown its hat into the ring.
Its offering is a 30cm tall model that echoes the playful curves of its bobbin shakers with an LED light at the top and a simple USB-C port for charging at the base.
A full charge offers 10 hours of light, which you can adjust through three light levels to help you create the right mood - and it comes with some charge straight out of the box ,so it’s good to go straight away.
It's perfect for illuminating twilight feasts or making your conservatory feel more inviting without running wires everywhere.
Buy now £125.00, Addison Ross
Anthropologie Mabel Indoor/Outdoor Side Table
A beautiful table like this is for more than just snacks. The colour, design and glazed earthenware finish create a focal point too; hard to achieve on balconies. It's made to withstand the outdoors, but should be brought in during inclement weather.
Buy now £168.00, Anthropologie
Habitat x Scion Indoor Outdoor Bean Bag with Handle - Lintu
Kids and adults will love sprawling around on this fun beanbag chair, part of Habitat's collab with design brand Scion. It comes with a top handle to make it easier to move around the garden in search of the next sunlit spot. The canvas polyester cover is showerproof too, so it won't mind a bit of rain if you forget it outside.
Buy now £45.00, Argos
Dunelm Keter Cool Bar Ice Bucket Table with Lights
Sunsets may be much later in the evening, but poor light can send us retreating back indoors before we're really ready.
Keep the party going a little longer with this clever, cool box table that has an ice bucket in the base to store cans and bottles. As the table's surface lifts up, it illuminates, so you've got a light too.
The bonus? It's completely made from recycled plastic, so you've got sustainable brownie points there too.
Buy now £99.00, Dunelm
Cox & Cox Indoor Outdoor Rattan Mirror
No matter how big your garden, most of us could always use a little more space. Trick the eye into thinking it's bigger using an indoor/outdoor mirror. It's also a nice feature to include if you're throwing a garden party. Cox & Cox's is made with a looped rattan frame, helping it to blend in with natural and organic settings.
Buy now £195.00, Cox & Cox
