I am trying to look forward to spring and summer while gazing out at the pouring rain. Any tips on furnishing a garden for all seasons?
A very interesting question indeed. I have to admit that I’ve barely been in the garden recently. It’s been too wet and grey. Or is that an excuse? I’ve lost count of the times I’ve told myself to get out there first thing with my morning coffee, yet more often than not the coffee comes with me back to bed. Now that the daffodils are out, however, the big change is happening.
As soon as these flowers poke their immensely happy-making yellow heads out of the earth, I’m outside, vase in hand. Maybe our garden furniture has a part to play, too? We keep only a folding metal bistro table and a pair of wooden chairs outside all year round. The other bits — the 1930s rattan lounger, the painted rattan Gothic chairs, the parasol and so on — get shoved away in October or November and won’t be out for a few more weeks at least.
I’ve started to think we need an upgrade — perhaps it will help entice me out of doors while the days are bleak. (And, I’m afraid, I don’t think we’ve seen the back of grey days in England just yet.) So let’s look together.
First off: wooden garden furniture. A great material to consider is teak, because teak wood furniture can be left outside year round. The natural oils present in teak are moisture resistant, meaning rain, frost and sleet won’t affect it. Some woods can warp, crack or discolour in bad weather, but teak is hardy and resilient to the elements.
I very much like the outdoor teak furniture made by Carl Hansen & Søn, a family-owned Danish furniture company, founded by master cabinetmaker Carl Hansen in 1908. These days the company produces many designs by leading figures of the Danish Modern movement, and collaborates with contemporary makers. The company’s AH502 Outdoor Dining Armchair is a lovely example of sleek, elegant design. Its solid teak construction will acquire a silver patina over time, which could be very beautiful.
Next up, metal. I think Hay, another Danish company, makes wonderful garden furniture. Joyful, colourful and well priced. What’s not to love? Its Palissade range , designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, is a good example. Simple and graphic, the Palissade chairs, benches, tables and loungers come in various colours and are made from durable steel, which again should withstand outdoor elements.
I’ve mentioned Jennifer Newman Studio in a past column and I’m going to do it again because I’m a big fan. Known for its bold designs, the studio creates contemporary furniture that withstands life in indoor and outdoor environments, and says its pieces “aren’t precious” (which I like a lot). The studio’s Angle range, with its pleasingly sharp lines, has been designed to be left outside year round with “virtually no maintenance required”.
Angle appeals not only for its wonderfully simple shapes and precise lines (it feels very River Cafe to me), but also because you can customise it. You can choose from a standard colour from the studio’s range, or commission pieces in any RAL colour you like. How fun.
Do also look to Italy’s Bonacina 1889, a historic company with prominent links to one of my decoration heroes, Renzo Mongiardino — he relied on Bonacina to supply furniture for his magnificent interiors (some of the most memorable of the 20th century, in my view).
Many designs by Mongiardino and Bonacina have now been recreated and adapted for outdoor use — and they use some innovative materials. The company’s Antica Out is a sublime dining chair, which looks as if it has been made from traditional rattan, but is in fact hiding a powder-coated aluminium structure.
Naturally, you’d expect me to select some antique and vintage garden furniture, so indulge me for a moment. I have a rare and well-publicised love for grotto and faux bois benches, chairs and tables. If it’s shaped like a shell or a haunted tree, I’ll have it. I’m thinking of one bench in particular that has stuck in my mind for a while: a rare 19th-century Scottish pottery garden bench, which sold at Bonhams in 2007, but you can still find pictures online.
I love its tree trunk base and its seat in mottled shades of blue, green and yellow. Perhaps not a year-round piece, but certainly a dream design in my book.
I’m a big admirer, too, of Regency garden furniture, with its graceful shapes and lines. William James Antiques & Interiors is currently selling a very attractive English wrought-iron garden bench with scrolled arms and a cross-railed back.
Layers of old paint give this bench a highly charming look, and with these layers of ancient paint and all those decades under its belt, does one really need to worry about another few winters? Really, it’ll only get better with more years and more love.
If you have a question for Luke about design and stylish living, email him at lukeedward.hall@ft.com . Follow him on Instagram @lukeedwardhall
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