The Dating Game

I do like my play on words, so sorry if you're expecting to read something about 'dating' in reference to the activity you do when you're looking for a partner (that's certainly not needed here), but rather a different sort of 'dating' which is more related to gardens and gardening :-)

The garden sofa and chair set - I like this garden furniture a lot, it's like bringing out your lounge into your garden space. We've always toyed with the idea of acquiring a set but it's not the sort of furniture that would comfortably fit in with a rustic jungle setting, and seems more at home to a contemporary one. Most areas of our garden would not look right with such a furniture set, until recently that is, when we will soon have that space that would be appropriate for it.

We were looking in a garden centre the other day, checking out the different ranges, colours, and sizes of basically the same design. Not that we were going to purchase a set now but it's good to keep an eye on whatever particular set we fancy. There is usually a window of opportunity in the autumn wherein most garden furnitures are put on greatly reduced price, sometimes even more than 50% off, and that's the best time to purchase them. These things are rarely sold out of stock before the sales so then would be the best time to buy them. (And it is for this same principle that I very rarely buy any garden furniture at full price during the spring and summer, the only snag is you'll have to store them and wait till next year to use them but that's only a minor inconvenience.)

Going through the selections, and making a mental shortlist, I suddenly thought something. 'Hmmmm, I'm not so sure now about any of these', I said. And Gaz asked, 'How come?'. And then I replied, 'This design has been out for quite some time now, what if it soon becomes dated?'. And we both nodded in recognition. And so we went home shortly, back to square one.

So, will this furniture set likely to become dated soon? Now that is the question.

This sort of furniture is inherently expensive compared to other types of garden furniture, and you would expect that it would at least serve it's purpose (looking pretty and a comfy place to sit and relax) for many years to come, and for me that's ten years or more (Ok, that sounds a bit tight but hey, how often do you need to change your living room sofa?). So it's the sort of purchase you'd hopefully only do once and not do again for quite some time.

I like the design, the streamlined look and how comfortable it is to sit on and relax. And the material looks natural and easy to clean, durable enough to withstand outdoor conditions. But this 'look' has been out now for a few years and is steadily appearing in most people's gardens. Will it carry on remaining popular and in demand for many years to come? 

A bistro set, another one to consider and requires less space too. Difficult to sleep on it though, unless you have had too much red wine! (Photo from www.thegardencentre.co.uk)

I guess the answer to both questions is that only time will tell. Will it be a timeless classic as the quintessential black leather sofa or even the wooden garden bench (Ok, maybe not as mega timeless as that), or will it be a trendy signature piece definitive of a certain era, the nineties and the 21st century noughties?

Still widely available, is it timeless or simply 80's?

My prediction would be, it will remain fashionable for at least the next five years, if it goes further than that then again only time will tell. If you own one already then I think you'll be fine, however for the likes of us who is still considering purchasing a set, if we do would we end up buying something that's already halfway towards the end of a current trend?

'That' high back rattan furniture, very 70's!

Ultimately, whether a furniture will date or not it doesn't matter as long as you really like it and you'll enjoy using it. That's the important bit, not whether it is trendy or not :-)

As for me, I'm also starting to wonder whether this design is actually really 'me' or not (Oh yes, make that 'us'). I think that's also one of the (unspoken) reasons for our hesitation in the end. Certainly other designs and styles are also worth considering (maybe stick with the same material). There's plenty of time to browse, think things through and make a decision, I'm rather enjoying the process I must admit!



Blagdon Affinity Pond, a ready made pond to match your 'contemporary' rattan furniture. I'm a bit sceptical about this, I think it belongs up there with the '2 in 1 Pond and Table Set' i.e. a short lived fad.

Recently I spotted Gaz poring through the Habitat catalogue again, and I enjoy popping 'round the Conran Shop as there is one near where I work. Both avid admirers of the designs of their furniture (and occasionally acquire indoor furnishings from them) they sure do have lots of nice things, including outdoor furniture. And the range is more individual and unique too. Maybe I should just take the hint, after all they have autumn sales too... :-)

Posted in: exotic garden , Furniture , garden design