Take A Seat, Vialii Style
At Vialii, when we design your garden we think about EVERY last detail. From the garden structure, where the sunny parts are, what plants will work best, what time you have to maintain the garden, what style you like, we think about it all. And one of the most important elements is the garden seat. We don’t just chuck in a garden bench and hope for the best. Here are some of the ways we have incorporated a seat or two into the gardens we have designed…
Our bespoke seat under our cherry tree was a perfect spot for a drink on our wedding day
Whilst a nice garden bench or a well designed table and chairs can be a real asset to a garden, sometimes that just isn’t enough. Whether it’s clever solutions where additional seating is required or a strong design statement within the garden we have some great ideas to share.
1. This bespoke seating was a combination of rendered blockwork topped with hard wood. Planting has been incorporated to soften the look and provide a lovely aroma as you relax there.
A bespoke rendered seat with hardwood finish
2. Timber seating has been built between these colourful troughs to provide additional seating to the decked area when entertaining. The benches are long enough to lounge on so throw down some comfy cushions on a sunny day for a perfect spot to lie or have a seat in the sun.
In-built seating in a colourful deck
3. A curving bench around an old tree is a perfect to maximise space and make a feature of nature’s finest offering. This meandering bench is both a wonderful focal point on the edge of the patio as well as a practical additional seat.
Curving bench under a tree
4. Another example of bespoke timber seat being a great way to maximise space on a decked area. Perfect for entertaining.
Perfect place to relax
5. If you prefer a more traditional look you can’t get much better than this dry-stane wall which incorporates seating. Perfect for a sunny corner of the garden. A wonderful use of natural materials and keeping some amazing skills alive.
Dry stone seating area
6. Here we added some timber seating between some natural stone troughs, again adding some valuable additional seating to the dining patio. A simple but very effective solution.
Benches between natural stone troughs
7. Our last seat to show you is not one that we built but we did include it in one of our designs. In the design for Provost’s Park in Bridge of Allan, we included an ecclesiastical garden as a reminder that the site used to be the location of the old United Presbyterian Church. These pews were salvaged from one of the other churches in Bridge of Allan and are a wonderful memento of times gone by.
Old church pews given a new lease of life
So if you want to rethink how you relax in your garden this summer, why not get in touch to discuss what would work best in your own garden.
Thanks for reading,
All at Vialii
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
The good summers we’ve experienced recently means we’ve seen an increase in requests from clients to incorporate comfortable areas for outdoor seating and entertaining. That’s meant we’ve been drooling over some great designs for garden seats. As this week is National Gardening Week (13th-19th April) we thought we’d help you get comfortable to enjoy your garden too.
A well designed and comfortable seating area allows you to really appreciate your garden
Garden Seats: Points to consider
Before you buy new furniture you need to work out what you use your garden for. Is it for relaxing in the sunshine (with plenty of suncream on of course!), long weekend lunches with family or for more formal dining alfresco? Do you use it during the daytime or evening and at what time of year? Do you have storage space to move it inside in winter or do you need it to withstand all the elements of a UK winter (and summer!)? You can get outdoor furniture covers that may help. Is your decking or patio strong enough to take the weight of the furniture plus your guests? How big an area do you have for the furniture and how many people will be using it at any time?
What material?
Rattan effect
Good points: lightweight, available in wide range of colours, weather resistant and easy to clean.
Bad points may snag your clothes (less of an issue with modern rattan effect). Darker colours may get hot in sunshine.
Metal
Good points: comes in traditional and contemporary designs. Can have folding parts to ease storage, can be lightweight.
Bad points: Some designs can be quite heavy, can rust if not weatherproofed by manufacturer.
A metal bench in a garden we designed & built
Wooden
Good points: durable and strong. Can be stained or painted your choice of colour.
Bad points: heavier, can be harder to store. May need to be treated annually to prevent warping.
Plastic
Good points: affordable, lightweight, weather resistant and normally can stack for easy storage.
Bad points: can warp with prolonged sun exposure, strong winds can lead to plastic furniture being “relocated” around your garden!
Caring for your garden seats
Rattan effect: remove cushions and wipe with a damp cloth. May be fine to leave outside over winter (check with manufacturer).
Wooden: waxed woods should be cleaned with a soft, dry cloth. Hard woods can be scrubbed with warm soapy water. They may require annual treatments with oil or stain. It’s a good idea to keep in shade when not in use in summer to prevent the sunlight warping.
We built this garden room with a hidden rear storage area for the seat cushions
Metal: use warm soapy water but nothing abrasive to prevent scratches. Can be cleaned with a pressure washer on a low setting. Dry thoroughly to prevent water marks.
Plastic: use warm soapy water but nothing abrasive to prevent scratches. Can be cleaned with a pressure washer on a low setting. Good idea to keep it in the shade to prevent warping when not in use in summer.
Home made garden seats
At Vialii we are always keen to have a go at making our own. We’ve done some larger scale fixed seating areas like on these recent client projects:
Troughs for planting with integrated seating made for a multi-functional patio
We integrated a seat into the dry-stane dyke in this garden
Plus we’ve designed secluded areas perfect for a simple bench:
This bench is in the ideal area to watch the garden change with the seasons
And it just wouldn’t be a Vialii furniture blog if we didn’t mention some up-cycling would it? From a pallet seat to a stump stool there is plenty you can create.
Hopefully we’ve given you some inspiration to get your garden seats organised for maximum enjoyment this year. If you’d like to discuss your options for creating a bespoke seating area in your garden please get in touch.
Thanks for reading,
All at Vialii
Transformers – Gardens in Disguise! Part 1
We love pretty much all aspects of running our own gardening business. Even doing the admin is enjoyable as it can give us an excuse to hide indoors with a cuppa and a cat on our knee on a rainy day! But one of our favourite things about being both garden designers and landscapers is that we get to see the transformations through from beginning to end and we LOVE seeing the end result and how much the garden has changed from the sad space we first visited. So here is the first in our series of blogs on some of our favourite garden transformations…
A Garden for Entertaining, Bridge of Allan
Before: an ugly garage wall needed to be disguised as well as the rest of the garden being overhauled.
Before: an ugly garage wall and monoblocked patio
After: we used square-profile timbers to clad the back of this garage and instantly create a modern, stylish screen. A new patio as well as a deck with bespoke seating created different areas for entertaining.
After: a stylish screen provides a lovely backdrop to the new patio
A Japanese Garden, Bannockburn
Before: the garden had poor access and few redeemable features.
Before: the garden desperately needed a makeover
After: we transformed the garden into an oriental paradise complete with water feature and bespoke pergola.
After: a tranquil Japanese garden packed with interest
A Low Maintenance Garden, Stirling
Before: a waterlogged lawn and no seating areas meant this garden was rarely used.
Before: the garden was boggy and lacked interest
After: beautiful sandstone was used in both the patio and the troughs which incorporate extra seating and soft planting. The lawn was raised and a gravel finish keeps the garden low maintenance.
After: a large sandstone patio for entertaining is a key part of the new garden
A Contemporary Terraced Garden, Stirling
Before: this inaccessible sloping garden was unmanageable for our clients.
Before: the garden was inaccessible and overgrown
After: we used chunky sleepers to create terraces at interesting angles and shapes with wildlife planting to soften.
Before: the garden was inaccessible and overgrown
If you are interested in discussing how we could transform your own garden, please get in touch for a free design consultation. To see more of our garden transformations click below:
Garden Transformations, Part 2
Garden Transformations, Part 3
All at Vialii