Garden Furniture

Luxury garden furniture from Heal's is built to the same brief as the indoor pieces – properly engineered, properly finished, properly made. The collection covers teak loungers, woven dining sets, cast aluminium and powder-coated steel from Skagerak, Fritz Hansen and Cane-line, designed to weather British seasons rather than retreat from them.

FSC-certified teak is the gold standard – it weathers to a silver patina without losing structural integrity, and can be left out year-round. Powder-coated steel and cast aluminium also handle British weather well. Avoid untreated softwoods, which rot within a few seasons, and rattan that isn't explicitly graded for outdoor use.

No – teak is one of the few timbers that genuinely doesn't need winter storage. The natural oils in the wood resist water penetration and decay. The colour will lighten to a silver grey after a year or two outside; if you prefer the original honey colour, an annual application of teak oil maintains it but isn't structurally necessary.

Teak from a reputable supplier should last 25-30 years outdoors with minimal maintenance. Powder-coated metals last 15-20 years before the finish needs touching up. Cushions are the wearing component on outdoor seating – budget for replacement covers every 5-7 years even with covered storage.

A dining set guarantees consistent dimensions and finish and is usually cheaper than the individual pieces summed. Building piece by piece works better for larger gardens where you want different zones (a dining area, a lounge corner, a sun-lounger spot) to have their own character without the whole garden looking like a showroom display.