Benches

No longer are benches destined for a life abandoned in a park or walking path, with so many buyers exploring the value of adding a bench to their own garden or outdoor space. And benches aren’t just for the great outdoors – with indoor benches becoming a sensation for innovative dining solutions, creating a rustic finish in even the most modern of homes.

Typically, many of the benches we see out and about are adorned with the names of those remembered fondly, overlooking popular beauty spots or viewpoints. But with many outdoor and garden retailers stocking benches which range from affordable standard designs through to the more extravagant swinging benches and benches equipped with high end features and add-ons, many of our members are now looking at benches as an investment into their own garden.

The best benches currently available to buy

Let’s start indoors, with the novelty of using long benches as additional seating in a porch or entrance way, and as seating around a dining table in modern homes. The idea of a modern style is that everything inside it showcases exactly what it’s purpose is, and what better way to furnish a dining table than with a long wooden table and benches which reminisce of times gone by in workhouses and factories, under a celebration of rustic natural beauty and industrial charm.

Not yet widely available in high street retailers, bench style seating for indoor dining rooms is currently a phenomenon which can be picked up at more high end retailers and furniture designers, with many high streets stores tending to stick with traditional chairs.

Moving outside now, we head to our garden centres and outdoor furniture retailers who specialise in offering a plethora of different benches – from simple planked pieces of wood stuck together, to more intricate designs, carvings and creations.

Where to put your outdoor bench

Deciding where to place your outdoor bench will ultimately influence the style and design you go for – whether you decide swing seat is best to fill a large empty space, or whether a simple bench
opposite your finest flower bed is more appropriate. One of the most innovative designs you can buy – and yet one which has existed for centuries in one form or another – is round benches which are assembled around the base of a large tree, to maximise enjoyment and the ability to bask in the shade of the tree from all angles. These benches are commonly made from metal in order for them to be easily adjustable to different tree sizes when brought off the shelf, although some woodwork and outdoor furniture providers offer these benches to be custom-made for your garden.

If you’re choosing your bench as somewhere you want to lounge and enjoy some peace and quiet in your garden, consider those which come with bench seating – or else look at purchasing this separately to optimise your comfort and seating experience. Remember that benches are often made from either wood or metal – to leave them strong enough to withstand the elements outside – and so can be quite hard on your back and glutes. Cushioning may just provide the relief which takes your bench from practical to comfortable.

Buying the best benches

When you go to purchase your bench, you need to first consider the size you want, and then the design. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, many garden centres and outdoor retailers sell their benches fully assembled, so heading to the store will give you an opportunity to browse the benches in their finished state, and determine which is the best for you.