The best outdoor spaces are the ones you actually use, and that comes down to comfort. In this guide we look at relaxed seating and lounging ideas for gardens, terraces and poolsides, with practical tips on layout and a few pieces we think earn their place outside.
Start with somewhere to sink into
Upright dining chairs have their place, but for long summer afternoons you want seating that lets you properly flop. A beanbag is one of the easiest ways to do that, and it can move with the sun around the garden.
The Original Outdoor Beanbag from Fatboy is built for exactly this: 6.65 kilos of instant relaxation, designed for the garden, the balcony or anywhere else you want to stretch out. Fatboy describe it as having one setting, relax, and that is about right. If you like a gentle sway, it can sit on Fatboy's Rock 'n Roll frame to make a rocking lounger.
A couple of tips for placing loungers:
- Follow the light. Notice where the sun falls in the late afternoon and put your most comfortable seat there.
- Give it a view. Face loungers towards the best part of the garden, not the back of the house.
- Leave room to move. Lightweight pieces are easy to drag into shade or gather round a table when friends arrive.
Make the pool part of the lounge
If you have a pool, think of it as another seating area rather than somewhere you only swim. A floating lounger lets you carry on relaxing once you get in.
The Original Floatzac from Fatboy takes the familiar comfort of the Original beanbag and makes it float. It is filled with quick-drying, water-resistant pearls, a strong mesh underneath lets water drain away, and two firm handles help you pull it out of the pool afterwards. Keep one by the poolside next to a beanbag and you have a lounge that works in and out of the water.
Build a sociable terrace
For a terrace or patio where you entertain, modular seating is a clever choice. It lets you rearrange for two people or ten without buying a whole new set.
Fatboy's Paletti range is designed around that idea of modularity, with seats, corner seats and hockers that can be combined into a lounge for more people than you might expect. The Paletti Table completes the set: a pallet base topped with a powder-coated aluminium inlay, turning it into a low coffee table that sits neatly alongside the seats. Use it for drinks, books or a sharing platter.
When planning a terrace layout, aim for a loose U-shape around a low table. It keeps conversation flowing, leaves an open side facing the view, and stops the space feeling boxed in.
Add the finishing touches
Once the seating is sorted, small things make an outdoor space feel like a room. Cushions and throws for cooler evenings, something to light the table after dark and a place to put down a drink all make people linger.
Our outdoor accessories are a good place to start, and if you like a bit of wit in your garden, have a look at the Seletti collection for playful pieces that bring personality to a table or terrace. Pick one or two colours and repeat them across cushions, accessories and planting so the space feels pulled together.
Think about the view from indoors
A garden is looked at from the house far more often than it is sat in, so treat your outdoor seating as part of the view. A bright beanbag on the lawn or a neat modular lounge on the terrace gives the eye somewhere to land from the kitchen window, and it is a reminder to head outside when the weather turns kind.
Ready to plan your own outdoor lounge? Browse our outdoor furniture or the wider outdoor collection online, or visit the shop in Somerset and our team will be happy to help you choose.
