Easily organise an affordable at home outdoor wedding

Wedding celebrations seem to be getting ever more elaborate these days, but anyone can create a joyous yet affordable ceremony and reception without paying a small fortune in the process. If you, or a generous parent, or an even more generous friend, have a large enough home and garden, you can personalise the event and save venue money as well.

Creating the ultimate home wedding without breaking the bank

The key to successful home-based weddings is the personal touch. You’re celebrating the day in a totally unique way, so why not put your own stamp on the whole event? The more you add your own style, the more memorable it will be for every guest, so feel free to get creative right from the start. Using contemporary garden furniture, for example, will add elegance and style, and party games can help to start the fun off.

Preparing for the big day takes time and hard work, of course, so you will need to be organised. It will help if you have friends and relatives who can assist with jobs such as cleaning the house and garden in advance and decorating rattan garden chairs and every rustic dining table so they look utterly perfect. Incorporating stylish candles, personalised party favours and a wide range of fresh flowers is a must.

If there is someone who can take care of the food on the big day so much the better, but if not it’s a good idea to brainstorm options with a select group of individuals. You may wish to give the whole wedding an overall theme, and the food can reflect this. If you have an expansive reclaimed wood dining table, you can adorn it with a tempting selection of finger foods based on your personal concept. Popular food choices include hog roasts and huge pans of curry, all washed down with beer straight from the barrel and a wide selection of wines.

Make sure everyone’s dancing the night away

Great music can enhance any occasion, and at a wedding the choice is crucial. You’ll want the guests to relax while eating, but of course, you’ll want them dancing when party time comes around. Whether you hire a local band of professional musicians or you choose a playlist from a streaming platform, you need to be specific about which songs work and which ones don’t. When you clear the rattan furniture to make room for a dance-floor, make sure it gets filled.

If the garden usually consists of little more than a garden table and chairs, you’ll need to find additional seating to make the occasion comfortable for everyone. An outdoor sofa or two is an excellent idea, and a dining table and bench laden with goodies will prove immensely popular. If you are able to provide a selection of Scandinavian chairs and reclaimed wood chairs then so much the better. Mixing styles is not a problem with a home-based wedding, because it just adds to the personalised feel.

The garden itself can become something of a focal point for the whole occasion. As the evening starts to draw in, the sense of festivity can be enhanced with row after row of twinkling outdoor lights in trees and bushes and draped along fences. Candles in jars and strategically placed tea-lights will also add to the atmosphere. A rattan sofa provides a convenient area for relaxation, and if you have a wood dining table inside the home, don’t be afraid to bring it outside. Finally, you’ll be able to continue the festivities later than usual because you don’t have to empty a hired hall by a set time. Always let the neighbours know in advance, of course, but remember the best advice is to invite them along anyway!

Metal garden furniture: how to choose and clean it

Just like in the home, there are trends for garden furniture too. If you are seeking out comfortable, affordable and stylish garden furniture then the first thing to do is read our guide to metal garden furniture.

Trends for the Coming Year

If there is one word that sums up trends in metal garden furniture for the coming summer season it is this: bold.

Bold in colour and in shape, opt for garden furniture that makes a statement. And rather than just thinking dining sets, consider adding a slouchy day bed to the garden or an informal, yet stylish hammock.

Garden Bistro Set

Top of the list is a quaint and bijou garden bistro set. Perfect for keeping on the patio or close by the house, a bistro set is ideal for summer morning breakfasts and brunches.

By nature, they are slimline and compact, a form of informal al fresco dining. This metal garden furniture comes as a two-seater set or a four-seater dining set.

Colour

The garden can be awash with colour and that’s no bad thing. Pretty blooms, their colourful heads bobbing in the summer breeze is the perfect backdrop for the al fresco small round table and chairs.

In terms of colour for metal furniture, you may want to consider your choice carefully…

Stand our colours – if you want your garden set to stand out, choose white or even this clay coloured garden bistro set. Surrounded by colour, especially green, lighter coloured garden furniture can really stand out.
Meld into the garden – if you don’t want ‘stand out’ colours, opt for colours that blend or complement the green of the garden. Darker colours work well, with black being a favourite.

Convenience, versatility and ease of storage

It sounds a great idea having an al fresco dining set, perfect for all the family. Great for entertaining, there is no denying that well-chosen and stylish garden furniture is ideal.

But, it comes at a price – space. No matter how big or small your garden, then is no denying that at times, garden furniture gets in the way. Also, when the colder months of winter come around, protecting garden sets and furniture from the weather and sub-zero temperatures can prove problematic.

Not with metal garden furniture. All our metal garden bistro sets are lightweight, ideal as they are prime examples of the versatility that is folding furniture, allowing you to put them in an outdoor storage box of some sort. When not in use, fold away and either store in the garden, the garden shed, the garage, the garden storage box or pop it in the boot of the car to enjoy a picnic on your next day out.

Add Style

As well as furniture, there are also all kinds of accessories you can add to your garden to give it an extra zing of style.

Create a pretty dining area al fresco with sweet-scented climbing plants, as well as potted plants adorning a wooden shelving ladder. Leant against a wall, it can be used to show off tea lights as well as a place to store other outdoor items and equipment.

Keeping Metal Garden Furniture in Great Shape

Storing through the winter months ensures that the weather doesn’t corrode or damage your metal furniture. Maintenance is simple and straightforward – all you need is a few spare minutes and a bucket of warm, soapy water and a soft cloth.

Wash the chairs of debris and grime and leave to dry in the sun… they really need nothing more.

The Perfect Garden Party Furniture For a Small garden

With the Bank Holiday coming up, get your garden ready for an early summer party. If you have a small garden, there is no need to worry! These ideas will get your garden party ready in no time.

An large dining set is the perfect option to entertain guests in a small garden. The Poole Large Outdoor Dining Table is proof your outdoor space can be just as stylish as your indoors. It’s perfect for catering a garden party.

Alternatively, if you are really short of space, a small bistro set looks fantastic. This way you and your guests can chat outside and just need to move inside to eat dinner. A couple of matching chairs placed beside the table is great for both parties and chilled summer evenings when you just want to sit outside with a drink.

When it comes to food, a BBQ is normally the way to go as soon as the weather is warmer. But why not go for a Mediterranean inspired menu. Colourful skewers look great and are easy to pair with anything you like.

Your party doesn’t need to be completely outdoors. Open the door to the garden so the space will be maximised by having the dining area and the garden for entertaining. If it’s a colder evening, or you are having a more formal dinner inside, its nice for guests to have a space to flow into outside for before or after dinner with a glass of wine. If you have a smaller open plan kitchen diner, it’s also easier to keep your guests entertained outside whilst you finish off the food.

This works fantastically if you have a garden sofa for a cosy night with some throws. Drape them over the ends of the sofa and stock up on plump cushions for a comfortable and welcoming space to chill. To maximise the effect, add tea light holders or hang lanterns for a summer evening haven.

Shop the Alum Bay Grey Rattan Garden Furniture Set with Rising Table

To find the perfect party garden furniture for your outside space, take a look at the Modish Living website or get in touch with our team.

All you need to make your small garden look fabulous

Small Round Table and 2 Chairs Bistro Set in Blue

Your garden often becomes the hub of spring and summer entertaining. But sometimes the task of getting it summer ready can seem a little daunting, especially if you are limited for space. Here are a few of our top small garden design ideas for creating the perfect summer spot with plenty of character.

Space Saving Tables

The best place to start is with a garden set. This is a great way to create a focal point with your design and often an inspiration for the rest of your space will stem from this.

An extendable table like this beautiful St Ives Outdoor Oval Extending Dining Table makes the perfect outdoor set for a small garden as its extendable features give the option of keeping the set small and minimalistic but can also seat a larger group when required – it’s a win win!

The Southport Patio Bistro Set is also a fabulous option. Crafted in weatherproof rope surrounding a powder-coated aluminium frame that gives it a lightweight look and feel, this patio table and chairs are all about enjoying your outside space in style. This lovely 2 seater bistro set is ideal for smaller areas or for something a little bigger, the matching 4 seater patio set is the perfect fit.

Accessories

Adding accessories to a garden helps bring the inside of the home out. Adding potted plants and flowers will help give the garden depth and will actually make the space feel larger. Accessorise your small garden with beautiful textured cushions, hanging fairy lights, lanterns and candles to bring your space to life and create a gorgeous summer haven. As most of these items will be along the wall or on the table and chairs, it will feel cosy but certainly won’t feel small.

Add splashes of Colour

When using colour, try to make them pop. If you have brick walls in your garden, you could painting them with fresh white to create a more open space with a pretty boutique feel. The white will also make potted plants stand out and the green look beautifully vibrant.

Another great addition to any garden is a shelf ladder. These have been popular in interior design for a number of years but are now making their way into the garden, and they are truly stunning. A rustic shelving unit is perfect for adding character and charm as well as providing additional storage. If you want to create a low maintenance garden or don’t have any grass, these are also a great option for popping in a few little pots. Alternatively, decorate in the summer and wrap them in fairy lights for a magical finish.

To find the perfect furniture for your garden, take a look at our garden furniture collection online.

Our latest obsession: clever storage ideas

Zinc Top Aldsworth Outdoor Storage Box for garden tools and furniture

We’ve all been there – scrambling around to hide clutter and mess when unexpected visitors call. And how times have you felt like tearing your hair out when it seems there is nowhere to put (hide!) anything? This is why clever storage ideas are our latest obsession – because the right containers, offering the right solutions in the best style for the space are essential.

We find the most effective storage solutions lay in pairing the right type of storage furniture to the items that need to be contained – and that means taking a room by room approach. But, as you would expect, no matter what option suits you best, it should always be stylish as well as practical.

Hallway storage ideas

Shoes, boots, wellies, coats, hats, scarves, umbrellas… there are a plethora of things that need to be on hand yet stored away in the hallway. With so much already going on, it’s hard to know which storage option to plump for to minimise the clutter.

We have a collection of clever storage ideas solutions in the form of chic, rustic and quality rattan furniture such as the Rattan May Wooden Storage units with rattan drawers – super handy for separating family things to help that morning school and work routine run more smoothly. Another fantastic storage solution for the hallway is to add a rustic style Winchester wooden trunk, perfect for throwing in shoes and bags to keep the hallway clutter-free.

Bedroom storage ideas

Again, there are several items that routinely need storing in the bedroom that you need quick and easy access to from time to time, but you don’t want cluttering the space, especially if you’re looking for small bedroom storage ideas.

Anything from blankets and bed linen to towels and even clothes can be stored in this stylish wooden blanket box. Crafted in solid reclaimed wood and chunky in style and appearance, there is a satisfying quality to reclaimed furniture, and what’s more, high quality wooden bedroom furniture that will last a lifetime is the best investment you can truly make.

Living room storage ideas

The living room is the place where you go with visitors and guests to relax and enjoy each others company and so storage solutions in here need to be both practical and stylish. If you love the warm and welcoming qualities of the modern rustic style – plenty of wood and exposed brickwork, beams etc. – then rustic furniture with a modern edge, such as contemporary coffee tables will fit into your design scheme beautifully.

The Farringdon range of reclaimed wood furniture also offers storage perfection. The reclaimed wood coffee table is the perfect platform for drinks and nibbles, whilst having spacious drawers for all kinds of clutter to be thrown into and hidden from view – it’s great for storing the remote controls, drink coasters and magazines too.

Garden storage ideas

The outdoor space of your home should not be overlooked and has much paraphernalia that needs to kept tidily away both during the summer and winter. Whether you’ve been lounging on your rattan outdoor chairs or busying yourself with the bedding plants, you are no doubt looking for garden storage ideas beyond a shed.

An outdoor storage box crafted in faux rattan is an ideal solution. Weather can damage outdoor furniture even those made from the hardiest of plastic, metals and wood, but a faux rattan cushion storage box is hardy and can cater for much more than just cushions. Gardening gloves or smaller gardening implements like a hand trowel can be safely stored so you know exactly where to find them when the time arrives.

Storage doesn’t have to be boring – take a look at our range of stylish storage furniture options available and have your home clutter free and stylish in no time!

Add a Stunning Woven Texture in Your Home With Rattan Furniture

Rattan dining chairs with reclaimed wood dining table in dining room

For anyone keen on styling their home, an understanding of the seven principles of interior design is essential. Space, line, form, light, colour, pattern and texture emphasise the focal point in a space. That means adding a key element that draws attention to itself.

Texture is an easy way of adding emphasis to a room or space, both in the home and in outside areas too.

Rattan Texture

Rattan is a fast-growing plant that is sustainable and once dried and woven, produces furniture and other items that is not only of exceptional quality but superior strength too. It can have a smaller, more delicate weave or pattern or, as in some cases we illustrate below, it can be larger, chunkier and more robust in its finish.

Rattan Furniture For Outdoors

Because of its strength and ability to withstand all kinds of weather, rattan garden furniture is an increasingly popular choice in garden furniture across the country.

Trends for the outdoor space for the coming summer season is for a laid-back approach to rattan garden furniture – opt for loungers or hammocks, bringing a relaxed approached to seating in the garden.

The rattan sofa, both stylish yet neutral, will work well on the patio or in the conservatory, with the weave of the rattan inviting people to take a seat and relax a while too.

For a higher chair that is both relaxed seating and perfect as an al fresco dining chair, there is a range of rattan garden chairs that fit the bill. As well as texture, rattan pieces tend to bring earthy yet neutral tones to a space, perfect for any garden space. We like to think of rattan furniture as deceptively simple.

Perfect For The Conservatory

Rattan is a material commonly associated with the conservatory. Deceptively lightweight but brilliantly robust, rattan doesn’t warp or weaken with heat hence, a firm favourite for the conservatory or the orangery.

Dining in Style

Rattan isn’t just for the patio or the conservatory. As a material, it is a stunning addition around the dining table.

No matter what your style – contemporary, rustic, industrial or farmhouse country chic – the wood dining table, complete with large weave rattan high-backed dining chairs and soft, cream coloured cushions is simply perfection. Where else will you find a dining table with such character?

Rattan in the Bedroom

Want something different but still within budget? Want a bed frame that makes a statement, packs a punch but without being overly quirky or so eclectic that it is a bespoke piece that is too individual to be part of any design scheme other than its own?

A rattan bed frame is the ideal solution – different without being ‘odd’, it has a warmth to its appearance, as well as being stylish and the centre of attention.

In our minds, there is no doubt that rattan is one of the best materials for use in and outside of the home, offering an elegance, stylish woven texture that is perfect, no matter the design or trend.

How to choose the perfect garden furniture set

Small Round Table and 2 Chairs Bistro Set in Clay

The garden is an important space so it’s essential to search for garden furniture sets that will blend in as part of your home. As soon as the finer weather arrives, you want to be out enjoying the sun and fresh air in style and comfort.

It is far more pleasant when you have the right garden furniture set. Take a look at this right-point guide to choose the best garden furniture.

Plan It!

Just as you would make a considered purchase when it comes to furnishings for the interior of your home, it should be no different when it comes to the garden.

How do you want your outdoor ‘room’ to look? How many rattan garden chairs will you need to make the space welcoming and comfortable? Do you have a style or a theme you would like to emulate?

Seating

Once you have calculated the space and the requirements, you now need to look at seating. There is a range of seating options in various materials.

If you plan on moving seating around, you will want a lighter weight material such as rattan garden furniture. Wooden or metal furniture can work just as well, and can be fixed into position too.

Easy Care Materials

You want to spend the summer enjoying your garden, not repairing things, cleaning furniture, or spending hours keeping something looking good. Our garden furniture sets come with easy-care fabrics suitable for outdoor use which is worth the investment several times over.

Don’t forget storage

Those large L-shaped outdoor sofas look great but how will you protect it over the winter? To extend the life of garden furniture, when not in use, it should be stored away in a place that is not overly damp.

Be Bold

Garden furniture doesn’t have to be ‘all the same’. Just like your home, the way you use your garden could be very different to how your neighbours or friends do. And that’s why being bold and personal in your purchases really work, like this stunning industrial style dining table.

Quality

If you do nothing else from this list, do this one: choose quality items that are well-designed and built to last. Choose materials that require little, if any, maintenance. Hardwoods are better at withstanding weather and although they are more expensive, they are well worth the investment when considering a garden furniture set.

By looking after your garden furniture, storing it away in winter and keeping it clean, you will get years of use from it.

Don’t Forget the Details

Accessories are just as important in the garden as in your home. Why have fantastic furniture but nowhere for your guests to put their drinks? As well as a garden coffee table, consider adding outdoor rugs to brighten up the patio, throws for when the evening turns cooler and pleasant lighting to set the ambience.

Consider Dual Purpose Items

Storage in the garden can be useful over the summer months. Throwing outdoor cushions, throws and rugs into a storage bench is ideal for when there is the occasional summer downpour.

Also, don’t forget to add a welly storage close to your garden to keep all your boots dry and clean.

Once you have the right garden furniture, you will enjoy summer days and nights in the garden. Enjoy!