See Your Outdoor Furniture Design
Looks Before you build

Solid Timber Long Dining Table

The essential centrepiece for a new home build. A long solid table seats eight to twelve, so it carries Christmas lunch, birthdays and every ordinary weeknight meal outdoors without needing a second setting borrowed from inside. Once it is in place, most families find the indoor dining table becomes reserved for formal occasions only, with everyday meals moving outdoors permanently.

Placement

Directly off the indoor kitchen and under a pergola or the roofline, so food travels a short distance and the table is never out in rain or the harsh afternoon sun. Keep at least 900mm clear behind the head of the table for a person to pass with a tray without disturbing seated guests.

Materials & durability

Kiln dried teak or spotted gum with stainless fixings and mortise joinery. Oil once a year for honey tones or let it silver naturally. Heavy timber will not blow over and outlives cheap flat pack frames by decades. A single board top, rather than glued panels, resists cupping in humid coastal air far better over a twenty year lifespan.

Space it needs

Allow 4.5m x 4m of paving with 900mm behind every chair.

Round Woven Cane Dining Setting

A four seat round setting for coffee, breakfast and small courtyards. Round tables carry conversation better than rectangles and let people squeeze in an extra chair when friends arrive unannounced. The lack of a fixed head or foot to the table also makes it a naturally informal setting, well suited to a courtyard rather than a large formal terrace.

Placement

Tucked into a sheltered courtyard or a shaded corner of the garden where morning sun lands but the wind does not funnel through. A nearby wall or hedge on the prevailing wind side stops light chairs sliding across paving in a gust.

Materials & durability

UV stabilised synthetic cane woven over a powder coated aluminium frame. Real rattan splits and greys within two seasons outdoors, so keep natural cane under full cover only. The synthetic fibre is extruded with UV inhibitors through the full cross section, so colour does not simply wear off the surface as sun exposure builds up.

Space it needs

3m x 3m clear circle around a 1.2m diameter table top.

White Aluminium Extension Table

The flexible workhorse of coastal homes. It sits at six seats every day and pulls out to ten for entertaining, so a modest terrace does not have to carry a banquet table year round. The extension leaf typically stores inside the tabletop itself, so there is no separate panel to find storage for between uses.

Placement

Poolside or on a beach house deck where crisp white keeps the palette light. Keep it back from the pool edge so wet feet are not squeezing past chairs. A minimum of 1.2m clearance to the coping is worth holding so chairs can be pushed back fully without anyone stepping into the water.

Materials & durability

Marine grade powder coated aluminium with a compact laminate top. Rust free, salt tolerant and light enough for one person to reposition ahead of a storm. The laminate top also resists sunscreen and chlorine staining far better than a timber veneer surface exposed to the same poolside conditions.

Space it needs

Plan for the extended length plus 900mm circulation on all sides.

Bar Height Table & Stool Setting

Standing height seating that puts guests at eye level with whoever is cooking. Perfect where the BBQ and outdoor kitchen are the social centre rather than a formal sit down meal. The higher sightline also makes it easier for the cook to keep talking to guests while turning food, which a low table set away from the bench cannot offer.

Placement

Along the outdoor kitchen bench or a raised ledge under the patio roof, always on the dry side of the cooking zone and clear of grill smoke. Position stools so the prevailing breeze carries smoke away from seated guests rather than across them.

Materials & durability

Powder coated steel or aluminium stools with quick dry sling seats and a stone, concrete or tiled bench top that shrugs off spilled marinade and hot pans. Sling seats with drainage mesh dry within minutes of a rain shower, unlike upholstered stool cushions left on a bench overnight.

Space it needs

650mm of bench width per stool and 1.1m of standing room behind.

Modular L-Shape Corner Lounge

The single most used piece in most new builds. A modular corner lounge seats a whole family for TV, drinks or an afternoon nap and can be split into separate pieces as the yard evolves. Because each module is a separate unit, the same pieces can be reconfigured into two smaller sofas later if the household or the layout of the terrace changes.

Placement

Under the main roofline or a solid patio so the deep cushions stay dry. Face it toward the garden, pool or view, never toward the fence. Angling the long arm of the L toward the main outdoor television or fire feature keeps every seat within comfortable viewing distance.

Materials & durability

Marine ply or aluminium substructure, quick dry reticulated foam and solution dyed acrylic covers. Cheap polyester covers fade to chalk in one summer. Reticulated foam is open celled, so rainwater drains straight through the cushion rather than sitting inside it and turning musty.

Space it needs

3m x 3m minimum, with 450mm between the sofa front and the coffee table.

Formal Facing Lounge Suite

Two sofas facing each other with armchairs on the ends. The most conversational layout there is, and the right choice when the outdoor room is used for entertaining adults rather than sprawling. The symmetrical arrangement also photographs well and tends to suit homes where the outdoor room is used for hosting rather than everyday family lounging.

Placement

On a level terrace anchored by an outdoor rug so the setting reads as a room. Symmetry needs a strong backdrop such as a wall, hedge or balustrade. A centred coffee table between the two sofas, rather than an offset one, is what keeps the formal symmetry reading correctly from every seat.

Materials & durability

Powder coated steel frames with woven backs, tight tailored cushions and a stone or marble look coffee table that will not lift in wind. Tailored rather than loose cushion covers keep the tight lines of the upholstery from sagging or shifting after repeated use.

Space it needs

4m x 4m so the walkways between pieces stay above 700mm.

Two Seat Loveseat & Side Tables

The right answer for balconies, courtyards and narrow side gardens. A loveseat plus two small tables gives a genuinely usable sitting spot where a full lounge suite would block every path. It suits apartments and townhouses just as well as larger properties, since the whole setting can fit into a footprint barely wider than a single doorway.

Placement

Against a warm wall on a balcony or a sunny pocket of the front yard for morning coffee, with planting to soften the hard edges. A potted screening plant beside the loveseat also breaks sightlines from neighbouring balconies without needing a fixed privacy screen.

Materials & durability

Oiled hardwood or aluminium with slip on cushion covers you can bring inside. Small pieces are the ones most likely to be exposed, so favour timber and mesh over deep foam. Slip covers with a zip closure are quick to remove for washing, which matters more on small exposed pieces than on sheltered lounge seating.

Space it needs

2.2m x 1.8m, including 600mm of walking space in front.

Canopy Daybed with Curtains

A resort style retreat for reading, napping and shade on demand. The canopy makes it usable at midday, which is exactly when open lounges are abandoned. A wide mattress base also comfortably fits two people lying side by side, which a standard sun lounge cannot offer.

Placement

On a pool deck or lawn edge oriented so the curtains block the western sun. Keep it out of prevailing wind or the drapes will never sit still. Tying curtains back with a simple rope cleat on calm days keeps fabric from constantly brushing against the mattress.

Materials & durability

Hardwood or aluminium posts, marine grade canopy fabric and a water shedding mattress. Detach and store the fabric over winter to double its life. The mattress cover typically uses a quick dry foam core wrapped in solution dyed fabric, so a sudden shower does not leave it saturated for days.

Space it needs

3m x 2.5m of level surface, plus room for the curtains to swing.

Adjustable Poolside Sun Lounges

The pool essential. Reclining backs let one lounge serve for sunbathing, reading and dozing, and a shared side table keeps drinks and phones off the wet paving. Multi position ratchet backs typically offer four to six angles, enough range to go from fully flat to upright reading position without buying two different chairs.

Placement

Along the sunniest coping run with a 1.2m walkway behind them so nobody has to step over legs to reach the water. Facing loungers slightly toward the northern sun path, rather than square to the pool, keeps sunbathers in direct light for longer through the day.

Materials & durability

Batyline or Textilene sling seats on anodised aluminium. Slings dry in minutes, resist chlorine and never hold the mildew that upholstered pool cushions do. The anodised finish on the frame also resists the pitting that chlorinated splash water causes on untreated aluminium within a season or two.

Space it needs

A 2m deep paved strip, 800mm per lounge side by side.

Sculptural Curved Sunbed

Part furniture, part sculpture. One curved sunbed sets the mood of a minimal pool terrace where a row of matching loungers would look like a hotel. It works best as a single deliberate statement rather than paired, since its impact comes from being the odd, sculptural piece on an otherwise clean deck.

Placement

As a deliberate focal point at the end of an infinity edge or against a clean rendered wall, where its silhouette reads against sky or water. Positioning it where it is visible from the main living room window extends the sense of design intent from inside the house.

Materials & durability

Rotomoulded polyethylene or gelcoat fibreglass, solid through colour so scratches do not show. Fully weatherproof and heavy enough to stay put. The rotomoulded process leaves no internal seams, so there is no joint for water to work into or for stress cracks to start from over years of sun exposure.

Space it needs

2.2m x 1.6m of uncluttered surface so the shape can be seen.

In-Water Ledge Loungers

Loungers designed to stand in 200 to 300mm of water on a tanning ledge, so you cool off and sunbathe in the same seat. A favourite with young families watching kids swim. The shallow water also gives toddlers a safe play depth right next to the loungers, keeping the whole family in the same zone of the pool.

Placement

Only on a purpose built shallow ledge or Baja step. Decide on them before the pool is poured because the ledge has to be built in. The ledge is typically finished in a non slip textured tile, distinct from the main pool floor finish, so its edge is clearly visible underwater.

Materials & durability

One piece rotomoulded polyethylene with UV inhibitors and no fabric or fixings to corrode in chlorinated water. With no metal fixings anywhere in the piece, there is nothing for pool chemicals to attack over time, unlike a metal framed lounge left permanently wet.

Space it needs

A 1.8m deep tanning ledge fits two side by side comfortably.

Hanging Rattan Egg Chair

A single seat retreat that adds movement and a little theatre. Ideal in a reading corner or as the piece teenagers claim as their own. The gentle swing motion also makes it a popular spot for an afternoon nap, doing double duty as both a chair and an informal daybed for one.

Placement

Hung from a structural pergola beam or a dedicated steel stand, well clear of glass, planters and walkways for the swing arc. Allow the full swing radius as genuinely clear space, not just the footprint of the chair at rest, since a moving chair needs considerably more room than a static one.

Materials & durability

Synthetic rattan over a steel ring with a load rated chain and swivel. Check the beam and fixings, not just the chair, and keep the cushion under cover. The swivel bearing should be rated well beyond the combined weight of chair, cushion and occupant, since dynamic swinging loads exceed a simple static weight rating.

Space it needs

A 1.5m clear circle with 400mm above the seat for the chain.

Timber Swing Bench Seat

Relaxed two person seating with a gentle rocking motion. It suits verandas and front porches where you want somewhere to sit and watch the street or garden. The slow back and forth motion also makes it a favourite spot for settling a baby to sleep on a warm evening.

Placement

Under a covered veranda with a solid roof above and at least 500mm behind the backrest so it can swing without hitting the wall. Position it where it catches the evening breeze rather than tucked into a still corner, since the swinging motion is most enjoyable with a little natural air movement.

Materials & durability

Oiled hardwood slats with galvanised chain and load rated ceiling eye bolts fixed into structural framing, never into lining board alone. The eye bolts should be through bolted to a structural rafter or a dedicated blocking piece, since the repeated dynamic load of a swinging bench will eventually pull straight out of unreinforced ceiling lining.

Space it needs

A 2.4m long veranda run with 1m of clear space in front.

Outdoor Bean Bags

The most flexible seating you can buy. Bean bags drag to wherever people gather, whether that is a firepit, a movie night on the lawn or the shady side of the yard. Their low profile and soft shape also make them a natural favourite with children, who tend to claim them ahead of any formal chair.

Placement

Lawn or paving around a firepit, but store them in a bench or garage between uses. They are the piece most often ruined by being left out in rain. A dedicated storage bench or lidded box near the gathering area makes it far more likely they actually get put away rather than left out overnight.

Materials & durability

Solution dyed acrylic or marine vinyl outers with quick dry mesh inners and drainage grommets so a downpour runs straight through. The polystyrene bead fill inside the mesh inner does not absorb moisture the way loose foam fill does, so a bean bag left out briefly recovers quickly once dry.

Space it needs

1.2m x 1.2m each once someone is sprawled in it.

Ottomans & Woven Footstools

The quiet problem solver. An ottoman is a footrest, an extra seat when guests overflow, a side table with a tray on top, and often hidden cushion storage as well. Its low, unobtrusive form also means it can be pulled into almost any layout at short notice without dominating the arrangement.

Placement

In front of the lounge on the same rug, or pushed to the edges of the terrace when you need the floor space clear. Keeping a pair rather than a single piece gives more flexibility to split them apart when extra individual seats are needed.

Materials & durability

Woven synthetic over aluminium, or upholstered marine ply with a lift off lid. Choose one with a hard top option if it will double as a table. A lift off lid on a hollow ottoman also gives dry, ventilated storage for spare cushions or throws that would otherwise need to be carried inside every evening.

Space it needs

600mm square each, 450mm clear from the sofa front.

Built-In Bench Seating with Cushions

Permanent seating that maximises a small courtyard. Because it hugs the boundary it frees the centre of the space and seats far more people than loose chairs ever could. It also removes the need to store or rearrange furniture entirely, since the seating itself never has to move out of the way.

Placement

Around a courtyard perimeter, along a retaining wall or wrapping a firepit terrace, ideally under eaves or a shade sail. Building the bench with a slight forward lean on the backrest, rather than dead vertical, noticeably improves comfort for long evenings of sitting.

Materials & durability

Rendered masonry or stone with a timber capping and loose quick dry cushions you can carry inside. The structure is permanent, the soft parts are replaceable. A timber capping board also gives a warmer surface to sit against directly than bare rendered masonry, which stays cold well after sunset.

Space it needs

450mm seat height, 500mm deep, 600mm of length per person.

Firepit Lounge Chair Circle

Low slung chairs arranged around a fire table to turn the yard into a winter and evening room. Fire extends outdoor living by months in most climates. The circular arrangement also naturally draws conversation inward, working almost as well for a large group as it does for two people on a quiet evening.

Placement

On non combustible paving at least 1m back from the pit edge, away from the house eaves, overhanging branches and the prevailing wind. Leaving a clear gap between each chair, rather than pushing them into a tight ring, makes it easier for people to get up and add fuel or fetch drinks without disturbing others.

Materials & durability

Powder coated steel or aluminium frames with spark resistant acrylic cushions. Avoid loose synthetic throws and fully upholstered bases close to flame. Cushion fabric rated for outdoor fire pit use is typically treated to resist melting or scorching from stray embers, unlike standard outdoor acrylic.

Space it needs

A 3.5m diameter paved circle for six chairs and a fire table.

Woven Garden Hammock

Pure relaxation for very little money or floor space. A hammock reads as holiday the moment it goes up and stores in a cupboard when it is not in use. It also demands almost no maintenance beyond the straps themselves, since the woven body simply comes down and folds away in seconds.

Placement

Between two mature trees or a purpose built frame in dappled shade, with a 3m clear fall zone and nothing hard underneath. Soft groundcover, mulch or lawn beneath the swing zone is worth maintaining permanently rather than paving, given how a hammock is inevitably used by more than one person at a time.

Materials & durability

Weatherproof polyester or treated cotton rope with galvanised or stainless hardware. Rated tree straps protect the bark and spread the load. Wide webbing straps rather than rope around the trunk are what actually prevent girdling damage to a mature tree over several seasons of use.

Space it needs

3.5m to 4.5m between anchor points, hung with a generous curve.

Bar Cart, Buffet & Storage Bench

The support pieces nobody plans for and everybody needs. A buffet gives you landing space for platters, the cart moves drinks to wherever the party is, and the bench swallows cushions the moment it rains. Together they solve the everyday clutter problem of outdoor entertaining far more effectively than any single piece could alone.

Placement

Against a wall or fence next to the dining setting so it never obstructs circulation, and under cover so timber tops and stored cushions stay dry. Wheeled pieces are best kept on a hard level surface, since castors bog down quickly on lawn or loose gravel.

Materials & durability

Sealed hardwood or aluminium carcase with lockable castors on the cart and drainage holes plus a gas strut lid on the storage bench. A gas strut lid, rather than a plain hinge, means the bench can be left safely propped open while loading or unloading cushions with both hands free.

Space it needs

A 2.4m wall run, 500mm deep, clear of every walkway.

Floating Pool Furniture & Cabana

The showpiece. A shaded cabana platform paired with floating pool loungers is what turns a good backyard into somewhere guests genuinely do not want to leave. The combination also photographs as the single most striking image of the whole property, which is often what a new home build is trying to achieve in its outdoor space.

Placement

Cabana on a wide section of pool deck oriented to afternoon shade. Floating pieces need a deep, obstacle free area and should be lifted out before storms. Storing floating loungers in a poolside cupboard or bench overnight also keeps chlorinated water from staining paving beneath them.

Materials & durability

Hardwood or aluminium cabana frame with marine canopy fabric and a cushioned platform. Floating pieces use welded, drop stitch construction rather than seam glued vinyl. Drop stitch construction, the same technique used in inflatable paddleboards, gives a rigid flat platform on the water rather than the sagging surface typical of cheaper glued inflatables.

Space it needs

A 3.5m x 3.5m cabana footprint plus 4m of open water.

Powder coated aluminium

Powder coated aluminium is light, rust free and the best value for coastal sites. The frames are typically extruded then powder coated in an electrostatic booth and stove-cured, which locks the finish on far more durably than a sprayed paint coat and lets it shrug off salt air for a decade or more with just an occasional rinse. Put the dining setting closest to the indoor kitchen; the lounge can be further away, since aluminium's light weight also makes it easy to reposition seasonally without scratching the paving underneath.

Teak and eucalyptus

Teak and eucalyptus age to a silver grey and need oiling to stay honey coloured. The natural oils in quality teak also make it one of the few timbers that can sit outdoors untreated indefinitely, so the silvering is a cosmetic choice rather than a maintenance requirement, and a light sand followed by teak oil in spring will bring the honey tone straight back. Face lounge seating toward the best view or the pool, not toward the fence, and angle it slightly off the direct sightline so conversation naturally turns inward rather than everyone facing the same direction in silence.

Woven resin wicker

Choose UV stabilised synthetic weave over a metal frame, not natural cane. Natural cane and rattan look similar in a showroom but break down within a year or two outdoors, whereas resin wicker woven over a powder coated aluminium or galvanised steel frame is built specifically to handle UV, rain and pool chemicals without cracking. Shade the setting you use at 1pm, not the one you use at 7pm, since the low sun of a summer evening rarely needs blocking while unshaded midday sun will fade cushions and warp resin arms within a season.

Concrete and stone tables

Concrete and stone tables are permanent and heavy, ideal in windy yards. A polished or honed concrete top sealed with a penetrating stone sealer will resist wine, oil and sunscreen stains, and the sheer mass means a table like this never needs tying down or storing before a storm the way lightweight furniture does. Anchor each zone with a rug, a change of paving or a pergola so it does not float visually against the surrounding hardscape, since a heavy stone piece set on an undefined patch of lawn or paving tends to look stranded rather than intentional.

Cushions that survive weather

Solution dyed acrylic fabric with quick dry foam, plus a storage bench. Solution dyed fibres carry colour all the way through the thread rather than as a surface coating, so the fabric resists fading and mildew far longer than printed outdoor fabric, and open-cell quick dry foam lets rain drain straight through instead of pooling inside the cushion. Leave a clear 1m path around every setting so people are not squeezing past chairs, and store spare cushions in a ventilated bench rather than a sealed tub, since trapped moisture is what actually causes mildew, not the rain itself.