Every new year, new me ritual involves plans and intentions to make a few positive changes in our lives by becoming healthier, advancing our careers and spending more time appreciating our families.
But what about our gardens? After all, they work hard to provide us with a safe and comfortable space where we can zen on a lawn chair in the mediocre British sunshine. So don’t they deserve to be kept on-trend as the new year rolls in?
We have compiled this short and sweet guide on our prediction for the hottest garden furniture trend for 2018, we’ll give you a hint… it’s rustic!
Rustic furniture will always hold a sacred place in garden furniture royalty for always upholding a classic charm to every outdoor garden space however, it got superseded by ultra-modern hollywood styles but 2018 is the comeback for more traditional materials like hardwood and rattan.
Rattan
Now there are two types of rattan – synthetic and natural. Synthetic rattan furniture is made from durable materials such as PVC, making it maintenance free, rot resistant and allows it to withstand hot UV, heat, cold, chlorine and salt water, but the same can’t be said for natural rattan.
Synthetic rattan is very easy to maintain, just lightly brush away any debris and dust and wash it with warm soapy water and a soft sponge and it’ll be good as new! It is important to note that you should never use strong cleaning agents with harsh chemicals on any garden furniture you have, as it can seriously damage its surface.
However, if you do own natural rattan, the best way to maintain it is by removing loose dirt and dust with a brush and washing it by creating bubbles in a bowl with water and washing up liquid and lightly dipping a cloth into the bubbles, making sure not to soak the cloth too much.
Rattan is one of our favourite ways to achieve natural rustic charm in a garden with it’s handmade weaving and dark oaky tones. We especially love this Bridgman Sussex dining set in dark coffee.
Wood
Hardwood garden furniture like teak or pine are probably the most popular of all outdoor interior on the market and is another one of our favourite ways to achieving rustic charm.
Teak contains natural oils which form a protective barrier against weather which means it does not need regular maintenance as long as it is kept covered over the winter and softly brushed when the colder seasons have ended.
Our best tip when maintaining hardwood furniture is to make sure that is treated every 3-6 years to rejuvenate the wood as untreated, hardwood naturally ages into a grey colour.
We found this beautiful Westminster Grace 3 Seater Sofa that combines our love for rattan and hardwood in the most authentic rustic way.