Outdoor Garden Furniture Blog UK – Rattan Sets, Garden Sofas & Patio Ideas

September 14, 2026

How Much Does a BBQ Cost in the UK? 2026 Price Index by Fuel Type

The honest answer to what a barbecue costs in Britain is that the purchase is the smaller half of the question, and Furniture in Fashion sets out the part buyers can control. No UK public body publishes a barbecue price index by fuel type, so this 2026 report contains no invented figures and examines cost structure instead. Charcoal is consumed entirely at every cook and the appliance is mechanically simple; gas is metered by burner time but has burners, ignition and a regulator that wear; electric removes fuel storage and is often the only type permitted on a balcony. Materials decide longevity in a climate where the Met Office records rainfall in every month, with stainless grade, enamel integrity and cast iron grate care mattering most. Storage footprint is a genuine cost in small gardens, where a wheeled gas unit occupies armchair sized ground all year....

September 14, 2026

Fire Pit Tables: UK Search & Sales Trend Report 2019-2026

Fire pit tables have become fixtures in British gardens because they extend the usable evening season rather than because they are fashionable. Furniture in Fashion examines how the product works in practice: gas models that light instantly and produce no smoke, which suits the close quarters of terraced gardens, against wood burning designs that give more heat and atmosphere but require space, attention and awareness of Clean Air Act smoke control areas administered by local councils. The report explains why a fire pit table displaces a conventional coffee table rather than joining a layout, why manufacturer clearance distances should never be trimmed to seat more people, and why weight is an asset in exposed gardens. It maps garden sizes from small terraced patios to roof terraces against workable fire features and seating, and argues that small patios should choose between dining and fire rather than attempting both....

September 14, 2026

UK Garden Furniture Colour Trend Report 2026: Grey Dominance & Its Challengers

Grey continues to dominate UK garden furniture, and Furniture in Fashion argues the reason is the patio rather than fashion: once paving moved to grey porcelain, sawn sandstone and concrete, grey furniture became the finish that disappears into the background. Our 2026 report identifies three credible challengers and where each one works: warm sand and taupe, which add warmth without introducing a colour buyers tire of; deep green, which performs best in small gardens because it borrows from the planting; and charcoal or matt black, which brings indoor architectural discipline outside at the cost of showing pollen and dust. We set out colour as a maintenance decision, comparing what each finish shows, how it weathers and what upkeep it needs, and explain why untreated teak quietly reinforces grey dominance by silvering outdoors. Practical guidance covers matching frames to paving and fencing and keeping colour in storable cushions. Shade canopies and winter storage are covered too....

September 14, 2026

Garden Table Dimensions UK: Seating Chart & Parasol Hole Standards

Furniture in Fashion sets out how UK garden tables should be sized, and the answer is perimeter arithmetic rather than surface area. Allowing around 60 cm of table edge per diner converts any table dimension into a realistic seating count, which is why a nominal eight seater with narrow ends often behaves like a six seater in practice. Round tables seat by circumference, so diameter increases add capacity more slowly than length does on a rectangular top. On parasols, we confirm that central table apertures are commonly drilled for poles in the 38 mm to 50 mm range, usually supplied with a reducer ring, and that the table aligns the pole while a weighted ground base carries the wind load. Our seating chart covers round, square and rectangular sizes, alongside the clearances British patios actually need: at least 90 cm behind every seated side, and a level surface to prevent table rock and parasol lean....

September 14, 2026

Hot Tub Britain: Survey of 2,000 Households on Ownership & Use

The water, not the tub, is what catches British households out, according to a new siting analysis published by UK furniture retailer Furniture in Fashion. The report sets out the physical and regulatory realities of installing a hot tub in a typical UK garden: water weighs a kilogram per litre, so a filled tub imposes a permanent static load of well over a tonne that a standard domestic deck is not designed to carry. It explains why outdoor electrical work falls within Part P of the Building Regulations and requires a qualified electrician, why access through a side passage is the most common practical obstacle for rigid shell tubs, and why service clearance at the equipment panel is the dimension most often forgotten. The analysis also argues that privacy screening and a short lit walk from the back door determine winter use more than garden size does. Furniture selection for the splash zone is covered in detail....

September 14, 2026

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Shed? UK Rules Explained 2026

In most cases you do not need planning permission for a garden shed in England: outbuildings are normally permitted development under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. In this 2026 explainer, Furniture in Fashion sets out the conditions that catch householders out rather than the principle that rarely does. Height, position and coverage decide it: a shed must be single storey with eaves no higher than 2.5m, overall height capped at 4m for a dual pitched roof or 3m for any other form, dropping to just 2.5m within 2m of a boundary, and outbuildings must not cover more than half the land around the original house. The report also covers the tighter rules on designated land and for listed buildings, the effect of Article 4 directions and title covenants, and the separate building regulations thresholds including Part P for electrical work....

September 14, 2026

A Brief History of the British Garden Shed

The British garden shed began as an estate potting shed and still carries that brief in its proportions, which is why a standard shed door struggles with a modern lawnmower. Furniture in Fashion's 2026 report traces how suburban housing expansion, allotment culture and the loss of coal stores and usable garages turned a working horticultural building into a near universal storage structure. The analysis explains why apex and pent roof forms are site decisions rather than style choices, how overlap timber, shiplap, coated metal and plastic each age and fail differently, and why base preparation and a 30 cm clearance around the building determine shed life more reliably than the specification does. It also sets out practical guidance on sizing a shed for its largest item rather than its average one, on ventilation for each material, and on keeping the building as garden overflow rather than household overflow....

September 14, 2026

The State of the UK Garden 2026: Furniture, Material & Colour Trend Report

British gardens are now furnished like rooms, and that shift explains most of what is changing in the category. In this 2026 report, Furniture in Fashion sets out how outdoor spaces are being planned with defined seating, dining and storage zones, why powder coated aluminium keeps gaining ground in a temperate maritime climate the Met Office describes as wet year round, and why colour has moved toward sage, clay, charcoal and natural timber that sit behind planting rather than competing with it. The analysis explains why storage has become a primary purchase instead of an afterthought, what to check underneath synthetic rattan weave, and how fire features have extended garden use into spring and autumn evenings while changing the seating around them. It also maps balconies, courtyards, terrace patios and narrow side returns to furniture that genuinely fits, with the circulation clearances households most often sacrifice....

September 14, 2026

UK Fence Height Rules Explained: 2 Metre Limit & Planning Permission

Fences, walls and gates in England can generally be built to 2 metres without planning permission, and to 1 metre where the boundary adjoins a highway used by vehicles, as set out by the Planning Portal. Furniture in Fashion explains the details that cause most problems: height is measured from ground level on the higher side of the boundary, trellis counts towards the total, and permitted development rights can be removed by estate planning conditions, Article 4 directions, listed building status, leases or restrictive covenants in title deeds. Our analysis tabulates the common UK boundary situations and what to check for each, separates planning permission from ownership and maintenance questions, and covers the High Hedges provisions that apply to evergreen hedges rather than fences. We also set out why screening close to a seating area achieves more privacy than a taller boundary. We close with the three checks to make before ordering fence panels....

September 14, 2026

How Often Do Britons Eat Outside? Survey of 2,000 UK Adults

How often a British household eats outdoors is decided by the garden, not the forecast. In this analysis Furniture in Fashion examines the practical conditions that determine outdoor dining: whether the table can stay out, whether the paving is level and continuous, how far the plates have to travel from the kitchen, and whether there is light after dusk. The report states plainly that no survey fieldwork was carried out and that no frequency figures are claimed, despite the question in the title. Instead it sets out the clearances outdoor dining actually requires, including the 90cm to 105cm of circulation needed behind each chair, and matches table sizes from a 70cm bistro round to a 200cm rectangle against seating capacity and the paved area each needs. It closes with practical guidance on sheltering seating against the house, covering rather than storing furniture, and sizing a table for ordinary weeks rather than one summer gathering....

Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor Garden Furniture Blog UK – Rattan Sets, Garden Sofas & Patio Inspiration

Shop Modern Outdoor Garden Furniture Ideas UK – Rattan Sets, Garden Dining, Patio Furniture & Outdoor Trends

How Much Does a BBQ Cost in the UK? 2026 Price Index by Fuel Type

Fire Pit Tables: UK Search & Sales Trend Report 2019-2026

UK Garden Furniture Colour Trend Report 2026: Grey Dominance & Its Challengers

Garden Table Dimensions UK: Seating Chart & Parasol Hole Standards

Hot Tub Britain: Survey of 2,000 Households on Ownership & Use

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Shed? UK Rules Explained 2026

A Brief History of the British Garden Shed

The State of the UK Garden 2026: Furniture, Material & Colour Trend Report

UK Fence Height Rules Explained: 2 Metre Limit & Planning Permission

How Often Do Britons Eat Outside? Survey of 2,000 UK Adults

Subscribe to our newsletter

Twitter Feed

Subscribe to our newsletter