An outdoor sofa set is a bit of a must-have right now. The way we use our gardens has changed – we want it to be an extra room of our house (well it has needed to be over the last couple of years) and an attractive living-room-like space with sofas, dining areas, coffee tables and fire pits or patio heaters where we can socialise and make our time outside as comfortable as possible. But what we put in our garden also has to look natural and blend harmoniously with our outdoor space and keep looking good whilst being out in the elements. This is why faux rattan is a great choice for your garden.
As beautiful as it is, natural rattan is best kept inside in the conservatory – it really isn’t hardy enough to withstand our wonderful British weather and will quickly damage and rot if left outside. Just as damp and wet is detrimental to it, the sun is too – UV rays will fade and weaken it pretty quickly….and this is where poly, also known as PE, rattan comes in.
1. It looks great!
There’s no denying that poly rattan can look like the real thing – good quality PU rattan furniture is handwoven around powder-coated aluminium frames to look as natural as possible with an authentic look that blends in with the natural colours of the garden. Plus, with showerproof cushions a rattan sofa set brings an instant living room style to your outdoors – throw a contrasting blanket over the back of your grey rattan corner sofa for chilly evenings and add a stylish cushion or two for a designer look. In addition, a coffee table is often included with a rattan garden sofa set and can be styled as you would indoors with outdoor candles and lanterns or other decorative pots and plants.
2. It’s hardwearing and long-lasting
A poly rattan garden sofa is very hard-wearing and with just a little TLC will last for many years. Because of its longevity, it makes buying poly rattan a very sustainable choice – you are not buying ‘throw-away’ garden furniture that needs to be replaced after two to three years, but one that can be enjoyed for years to come. Whereas a natural rattan garden set will need oil applying to help preserve it, a poly rattan one won’t.
3. It’s low maintenance
Looking after your faux rattan garden furniture couldn’t be easier. Simply brush your poly rattan table and chairs down regularly to stop a build-up of dirt, dust, leaves and debris and bring the cushions in during heavy rain – it’s that simple. Despite being hardy, we still recommend you cover your rattan garden furniture to prolong its life and during winter months when it’s not in use, it’s a good idea to store in a shed or garage.
See our fabulous collection of garden furniture, including a wide selection of PE rattan sofa and dining sets.