When garden furniture was focused around dining sets with just seat pads, there was little need for a cushion you could leave out all summer – it was easy to bring then in when not in use and store inside.
However as the trend for ‘outdoor living’ took hold, along came all manner of corner sofa sets, daybeds and double cocoons to the market. One thing they all had in common – cushions, lots of them.
Although the corner sofa’s and daybeds added to the garden party experience, the idea of bringing in all those cushions became a chore at the end of the day, along with the practical issue of where do you store all these cushions?
This was not just a problem for the domestic market, it was also a real problem for hotels and clubs looking to offer a comfortable outdoor environment – many just left the cushions outside and they became dirty and matted.
The answer came in the form of ‘season proof’ cushions. Here were cushions you could leave outdoors all summer. The secret was waterproofing the cushion covers and sealing the fabric joints, whilst at the same time incorporating a vent to allow any moisture to vent out.
Initially there was a real premium to pay for ‘season proof’ cushions, but over time the additional cost has reduced.
Now many manufacturers offer such cushions. The thing to check out is comfort.
Take the Norfolk Leisure LIFE range. The corner sofa is a stunning piece of high quality garden furniture. The cushions certainly achieve the goal of being ‘season proof’. However, the cushions are a bit rubbery to the touch and in summer they can make you feel a bit sweaty! – solving one problem caused another. We are now advised a new range of cushion cover will be available going forward.
On the other hand Bramblecrest and LG Outdoor (Leisuregrow) came straight to the market with really comfortable and practical cushions.
If you want to try these sets out for comfort, please come to our Showroom, where we have products from all three of the manufacturers mentioned.
