When I was young, nobody I knew had outdoor furniture. We just sat on grass, a blanket or, at best, an old canvas deckchair. Nowadays, we regard outdoor living space as an extension of our homes – and furnish it accordingly. My own outdoor furniture is looking rundown so I’ve been exploring some new options. As you can see, there’s something for every pocket!

In order to keep it’s good looks, outdoor furniture needs to be made from weatherproof materials. These include wood, wrought iron, aluminium, plastic and various types of stone.

WOODEN FURNITURE

PROS: Wooden furniture is hard wearing and looks nice and natural in a garden environment. It can be stained, oiled or painted for the effect that best suits your landscaping – and your lifestyle.

CONS: Much of the wooden furniture available in New Zealand is made from hardwood sourced from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The milling of such woods contributes to deforestation. Look out for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label or the Tropical Forest Trust label, which indicates the seller’s commitment to good practice and using sustainable materials. The best option of all is locally made furniture, using macrocarpa or eucalyptus.

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: Look for well-made furniture and avoid any that doesn’t have neat, closely fitted joints. Loose joints indicate it may fall apart quickly. Re-oiling wooden furniture each year will help prolong its good looks and lifespan!

ALUMINIUM

PROS: If you want something light and easy to move around, aluminium is a good option. It’s relatively long-lasting – at least 10 years in most cases – but won’t be quite as enduring as wrought iron or steel. Aluminium furniture doesn’t rust!

CONS: Aluminium is light and can be prone to flying about during strong winter gales so it makes sense to consider storing it inside during inclement weather.

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: I’ve noticed aluminium furniture often comes with plastic-mesh seating. In red, black or grey this is great, but if it’s white, it can get discoloured. I find an annual application of mould remover is helpful, as well as a regular scrub with soap and water.

PLASTIC FURNITURE

PROS: Simple modern plastic outdoor furniture is surprisingly resilient. If you’re planning a big function – such as a wedding or party – outdoors, plastic furniture can be a cheap and cheerful option when bought in bulk.

CONS: Inexpensive plastic doesn’t have quite the aesthetic appeal of some other materials. It’s lightweight so it’s not always very weatherproof. Some types of plastic warp and crack in the sun.

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: Wipe down plastic furniture with a damp cloth. If you want your pieces to last more than a season, it’s advisable to stack them and store under cover when not in use.

WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL

PROS: This type of furniture looks very elegant, and suits sleek, stylish Mediterranean outdoor rooms especially well. Designs in wrought iron furniture tend to be relatively timeless and although it may be expensive at the outset, a good quality setting should last you a lifetime.

CONS: Older-style wrought iron can sometimes be rigid and uncomfortable although modern designs (right) take a much more ergonomic approach with chairs that mould beautifully to the shape of your body! The addition of a nice comfortable cushion can make all the difference too.

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: Wrought iron furniture will benefit from a regular wash and brush down. Modern pieces need next to no upkeep, but you can refurbish vintage wrought iron furniture using good quality enamel paint.