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The best garden sofas for getting your patio summer-ready
We're alfresco day dreaming
Increasingly, we're treating our gardens as another room of the house, blurring the divide between inside and out. So, creating the perfect outdoor living space – with a garden sofa for relaxing on and a BBQ for cooking up a storm – is just as important as having blossoming flower beds and a verdant vegetable patch. And taking the time to choose the best garden furniture for your space can make all the difference.
So, the Good Housekeeping homes editors have found the most stylish garden furniture for enjoying those longer days and lighter nights. At a glance, these are our top picks:
Best garden furniture sets to buy in 2025
All these sets have been picked by our senior homes and lifestyle writer, Megan Geall. She scours homeware must-haves for a living and is constantly writing about the leading furniture brands, so knows what to look for when it comes to investment pieces.
If it’s flexibility you’re after, then this is modular four-seater is a great pick. It's made up of two garden sofas and comes with a footrest-come-coffee table and side tables, so everyone will have somewhere safe to pop their drink.
The green metal frame looks fresh and will tie in seamlessly with any surrounding shrubbery.
With a low oval table, this set lends itself perfectly to chilled evenings with plenty of drinks and nibbles to go around. The frame is made of acacia wood and the set boasts a two seater sofa as well as two armchairs.
This is the one we'd turn to for bigger households and summer gatherings. A three-seater and two-seater combine to create a sizeable corner sofa, and there are two stools – so everyone can crowd round the accompanying table as needed. The rattan effect looks good, too, which means no compromising on style or substance.
This is one of our top picks for affordability. The corner sofa has a side table on one end and comes with an additional coffee table. It’s ideal for maximum comfort and alfresco fun, without a huge price tag – so there’ll be plenty of loose change to invest in a chic outdoor rug and twinkling outdoor lighting scheme.
This offers versatility in a different way to your typical modular furniture, as the set comprises one two-seater sofa and two armchairs. There’s a table too, and the wicker weave stands out against the black of the frames to timeless effect.
M&S Royalcraft Paris 8 Seater Rattan Garden Cube Dining Set
Cube dining sets are an excellent way to save space in your garden as the chairs and stools can all be neatly tucked under the table when not in use. With eight seats included, this set is perfect for evenings entertaining guests.
Drinks in the sunshine have just stepped up a notch with this low-seated, corner coffee set. You can comfortably fit four people – five, if you squeeze in – and the high backrest offers support while you lounge.
The sofa comes as part of the Riveo collection, so you can add matching sets to the rest of your garden, and it has a two-year guarantee for peace of mind.
If you have a smaller garden, you won’t want a large garden sofa taking up precious space and that’s where this classy bistro set comes in. With two rattan chairs and a matching table with a tempered glass top, it provides a cosy spot for chilled dinners or afternoon tea breaks.
The set also includes a lighting bundle worth over £170, featuring a trio of Solar LED Candles, two Solar Lanterns and 20 Festoon Lights – everything you could need for alfresco summer nights.
This stylish two-seater sofa is made from responsibly sourced acacia wood. The compact design would make an ideal reading or sun-bathing nook, while the on-trend rope detail makes a feature out of its sloping arms.
What's the best garden furniture to buy?
Garden furniture – sofas in particular – is expensive, so you want to know you’re buying a piece that will bring you joy for years to come. Aesthetics aside, here are our key criteria to consider when you’re shopping.
Size
Think about how many people you want to squeeze in on your sofa – and not just on a day-to-day basis. If you host a lot of BBQs or parties, you’ll want room for friends and family.
In that case, a modular design may work well, as you can reconfigure it to suit the occasion – whether you just want to languish on an L-shape with a good book or you're looking to fill every available seat for your al fresco get-together.
Equally, if your garden is on the bijou side, check any furniture dimensions before you buy, so your sofa doesn't overwhelm your space.
Fabric and weatherproof qualities
Most garden furniture is designed to be weatherproof to a certain extent, but it’s always worth protecting it to prolong its lifespan. You can buy a cover, which will also help keep it pristine and reduce the need for a wipe-down every time you head outside.
Metal and plastic frames should be okay left outside underneath a cover, but wood is worth packing away over winter to reduce the impact of changing temperatures and humidity. And, even if cushions are designed to be water resistant, it’s also worth taking them indoors between uses to protect them.
If you don’t have indoor storage space, then be sure to consult manufacturer guidance before you buy, so you know if the furniture can stay outside all year round. And if you plan to store your furniture in a garage, check how easy it is to move.
Comfort
This is the fun bit really – look at the cushions that come with your chosen sofa, and if there aren’t any, or if you think it needs a splash of colour, it’s time to shop. This is our shopping editor's pick of the best outdoor cushions.
Additional garden furniture
Garden furniture is expensive, so if you buy it as a set, you may get more value for money. Some come with items such as coffee tables or footrests, which can also double as an extra place for guests to perch. Again, it all comes back to how you’re planning on using your garden.
Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.
Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.
Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
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