A dozen slices of al fresco inspiration from the best designers in Britain
Amelia Thorpe shares her pick of the most beautiful outdoor furniture and accessories to help you make the most of summer.


Fermoie
If you've got the table, they've got the cloth.
Designed to bring added joy to alfresco dining, Fermoie’s collection of outdoor fabrics are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, making them water repellent, resistant to mould and mildew, and UV-stable so the colour stays vibrant and true. Tablecloth in Shell Grotto, £170 per m.
01672 513723; www.fermoie.com
Chesneys
The Large Smokeless fire pit with Slate Green steel panels, £634, offers the warmth and ambience of an outdoor fire with a clean-burn, smoke-free experience, thanks to its controlled combustion process, from Chesneys.
020–7627 1410; www.chesneys.co.uk
Warmth, light - and no smoke.
Andrew Crace
Beside the lake, beneath the trees...
Made in Hertfordshire by Andrew Crace, the Carlton six-panel seat is shown here painted in Nordic Sky, £9,640.
01279 842685; www.andrewcrace.com
Artorius Faber
Patio heaven.
York Handsworth English sandstone paving from Artorius Faber, £150 per sq m, combines hard-wearing qualities with subtle tones of grey and rust.
01935 847333; www.artoriusfaber.com
Amelfi
Brolly good.
Amelfi offers handmade outdoor cushions and parasols, custom made to your specifications. The sun-lounger cushions shown here cost £549 each, including fabric and insert.
07778 619417; www.amelfi.co.uk
Gaze Burvill
Outdoor kitchens are now a must.
British garden-furniture specialist Gaze Burvill manufacturers an impressive range of outdoor kitchen options, including the A La Carte Linear design shown here, prices from £25,000.
01420 588444; www.gazeburvill.com
Harrod Horticultural
Pure elegance.
Made from durable steel with a zinc coating to create an antiqued finish, the Southwold coffee-table set costs from £2,990 for a coffee table, two-seat bench with back and two carver chairs, from Harrod Horticultural.
0333 400 1500; www.harrodhorticultural.com
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Jamb
Made from solid English oak, the Saltram garden bench, £5,760 from Jamb, takes its design cue from an original piece found at the 18th-century Saltram House on the banks of the River Plym in Devon.
020–7730 2122; www.jamb.co.uk
An 18th century re-creation.
Holloways
An all-season affair
Designed in collaboration with the RHS, the Rosemoor dining set, £3,471, combines Edwardian inspiration with modern weather-resistant materials, including all-weather wicker woven onto aluminium frames and a toughened-glass table top, from Holloways.
01886 884665; www.holloways.co.uk
Indian Ocean
Soak up the sun on the Cove Luxe lounger, £2,870, in solid teak with a comfortable cushion in outdoor fabric, from Indian Ocean.
020–8675 4808; www.indian-ocean.co.uk
The Maldives meets the Home Counties?
Odd
Swing when you're winning.
Traditionally handmade in England and fully upholstered for sumptuous comfort, the Old Rocker, from £4,450, is modelled on an original 1930s swing seat, from Odd.
01865 416836; www.oddlimited.com
Neptune
Tucked away.
The round Harrington table is constructed from all-weather wicker with a tempered glass top. It’s teamed with six co-ordinating, cushioned chairs. The set costs £3,755 from Neptune.
01793 934011; www.neptune.com
Susie Watson
The Wrought Iron & Marble Top table, £2,100, makes an elegant addition to any garden, shown here with Wrought Iron Garden chairs, £480 each, from Susie Watson Designs.
0344 980 8185; www.susiewatsondesigns.co.uk
Heveningham
The Armchair with cushions in Sunbrella Natural outdoor fabric costs £2,269 from The Heveningham Collection.
01424 838483; www.heveningham.co.uk
Amelia Thorpe is a design and interiors journalist and regular contributor to Country Life. She spent the first half of her career book publishing, before jumping the fence to become a writer — a role that she adores. Amelia lives in London with her husband and two roguish dogs.
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