Time to step outside and chill out in the sunshine, says Sam Wylie-Harris

Once a casual fling when blue skies beckon, al fresco living has become a lifestyle choice – with a focus on fashioning garden furniture as much as your indoor living space.

As Lynne Lambourne, garden designer and sustainability ambassador for The Ideal Home Show puts it: “Gone are the days when garden furniture was an afterthought – 2025 is all about transforming outdoor spaces into stylish, functional extensions of the home.”

Moreover, she says the concept of outdoor rooms has taken off, with more homeowners treating their gardens as social entertaining spaces… rather than just a patch of grass and plants.

“One of the biggest shifts in garden furniture trends is the move away from traditional teak furniture,” highlights Lambourne, “which requires constant maintenance like pressure washing to keep it looking good.”

“Garden furniture such as sofas, loungers, and dining sets feature soft, rounded edges, making outdoor spaces feel more inviting and relaxed,” suggests Gierasinska.

Available in natural materials such as rattan, she says their sleek, modern finish complements a wide range of garden aesthetics, enhancing the overall flow of outdoor areas.

Gazebos reach new heights

Being outside makes us feel better both physically and mentally, underlines Darren Craven, head of plants at British Garden Centres. “So why not extend this time by getting a gazebo over your outdoor space?”

With a wide variety of options, he says you can choose from aluminium frames with louvre roofs to let the sun in – and showers out; to polycarbonate gazebos with aluminium frames… the material choices are huge.