Hannah Williams

Lutyens benches: A timeless garden addition

Originally known as the Thakeham, Lutyens benches were designed for Little Thakeham, an estate featuring a private abode and gardens crafted by Sir Edwin Lutyens at the turn of the 20th century. Now, regarded as one of the architect's finest projects...

Our Lutyens benches are the perfect blend of sophistication, elegance, and endless comfort. Delicately designed to resonate with the idiosyncratic, artistic vision of Sir Edwin Lutyens – a renowned British architect - these benches are an absolute must when it comes to elevating any garden or outdoor space, whether it be a quintessential English garden or a contemporary, high-end patio.

Investing in one of these charming benches will add the elegance and class to your outdoor area that you’ve been searching for. With their distinctive style, paired with the gorgeous blends of high-quality teak wood and its decorous design, you can embrace its beauty for many years.

Why are Lutyens benches a popular bench choice?

Due to its stunning, eye-catching design, Lutyens benches are one of the most popular bench styles in the UK. Doused in the highest-quality teak and their enduring appeal, it’s no wonder teak benches are a popular choice for garden furniture, especially Lutyens! Teak wood is renowned for its durability and long-life guarantee, which is why many people seek to find benches like these to enhance their garden space. Additionally, ethically sourced grade A teak like this can withstand any weather element, maintaining its exquisite beauty all year round.

Lutyens benches are considered to be a premium feature, due to the fact they are carefully crafted from top-quality materials and have a distinguished design. It has been said that Lutyens are inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which produced a high demand for furniture made from natural, high-quality materials. So, with that in mind, Lutyens aren't just a 'standard bench' they are a prominent and decorative piece of art, which is why it's not uncommon to see these wonderful creations being used as focal points.

What is the typical lifespan of a teak garden bench?

What’s more, teak is saturated with natural oils giving it a glorious golden hue, its fine grain merely enhances its graceful appeal. As the teak matures over time, this golden hue will gradually develop into a stunning silver-grey patina, naturally adding even more charm to your outdoor area. Therefore, not only is grade A leak heavily on the eyes, it is also highly durable and naturally highly resistant. 

Authentically crafted Lutyens benches should require very little maintenance in order to preserve its perpetual charm. Nonetheless, like all furnishings in an outdoor environment, these benches will require some maintenance now and then. For this, we highly recommend purchasing a simple teak protection kit, which we provide here at The Garden Furniture Centre. These kits are easy-to-use formulas that provide you with all you need to ensure your Lutyens bench keeps its state-of-the-art feel for years to come.

So, why not include a pinch of eternal luxury in your garden – ideal for those moments of relaxation we all love?

Bringing indoors outdoors

It’s that time of year again when the day gets a little longer, our evenings are filled with golden hues, we hear the gentle natters of neighbours in their gardens, and we spend more time outside than we do inside! After a long winter, it couldn’t come at a better time. Here, at the Garden Furniture Centre, we understand the need and want to have your outdoor space ready for this glorious season. So, sit back and pour yourself your favourite beverage while we tell you all about how you can bring your indoors, outdoors.

Lounge under the sun

Sometimes all we need is the sun, a glass of wine, and the perfect serene set-up. Unfortunately, we can’t offer you the sun or indeed the wine but we do offer top-quality, stylish and highly comfortable lounge suites and sets. See our sophisticated Sienna range, guaranteed to provide you with endless comfort while maintaining its structure and style. With sleek teak armrests and highly durable frames, this range is sure to give you a lifetime of luxury! You can truly bring your living room outdoors with this range, with sofas, armchairs, coffee tables and even sun loungers on offer, we have no doubts that you will be able to create the ultimate garden lounge area for you and your guests to enjoy.

Perhaps you fancy something a little more exotic. We offer a timeless Fiji Pipe range that is not only eye-catching in design but also exclusive to the Garden Furniture Centre! This set will surely make your friends and family envious. What’s more, the frames and delicate weave on this set are 100% recyclable, making it sustainable and heavenly all at once. The generous seating space and wide armrests are topped with sumptuous olefin cushions that have firm seat pads and soft hollow fibre giving you ultimate relaxation all round.

If you’re looking to bring your living room out into the sultry summer air then be sure to explore our variety of lounge suites and sets on our website.

Alfresco dining

The smell of BBQs in the air, glasses clinking and music softly playing. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Dining outside is one of many things we all look forward to when the longer evenings ooze in, and that’s why we have an array of outdoor dining sets available for you to choose from. One of our most popular is the Bari Teak Bar Armchair Set, thoughtfully crafted from reclaimed teak, each set is rich in character and unique in design. Additionally, this Bari set is built with a robust and scratch-resistant ceramic tabletop, so it will keep its contemporary look for years to come. The Teak Bar Chairs are made to withstand harsh weather conditions, so even when those inevitable summer storms creep in, you don’t have to worry about your dining set getting ruined. This set is the ultimate way to elevate your garden dining space and create a dinner party experience your guests will remember.

You may be looking for something to spice up your poolside. That’s where our Cambusa dining set comes in. This set radiates elegance and class giving you the optimum dining area for hosting lavish parties. These Cambusa sets are produced by HIGOLD, in a stylish yet sturdy powder-coated aluminium frame that’s easily cleaned and will maintain its appeal over time.

Golden hour cooking

What’s better than an indoor kitchen? An outdoor one of course! You can totally transform your garden with our gorgeous range of Outdoor Kitchen units and equipment. Our spectacular Bari Outdoor Kitchen range is one of our most favoured products and it’s not difficult to see why! Finished with a beautiful teak exterior while also being fully efficient, this kitchen set is designed to give you a lifetime of delightful cooking experiences. Each countertop is manufactured out of high-quality ceramic, meaning it is resistant to UV rays, scratches and extreme temperatures! This range comes with an assortment of modular kitchen units from BBQs to wine cabinets, fridges, and even the kitchen sink! With our Bari Outdoor Kitchen range, you can build your dream kitchen with just the click of a button.

If you’re looking to create the ideal outdoor area ready for those glorious summer days then look no further than the Garden Furniture Centre, and bring your indoors, outdoors.

How to hide wheelie bins outside

Wheelie bins have never been all that appealing, we are always thinking of ways to hide them whether we tuck them in a corner behind the house, leave them at the back of the garden, or even shove them in the garage…out of sight out of mind! But here at the Garden Furniture Centre, we make it our mission to enhance any outdoor space in whatever way we can, even when it comes to bins! This is why we chose to invest in the ingenious idea of Galvanized Steel Wheelie Bin Covers. In a choice of a stylish anthracite grey or a stunning wood effect, these covers offer a functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor storage solution for displeasing wheelie bins. Manufactured using galvanized steel these covers provide protection against harsh weather conditions while remaining sturdy and intact for years to come. That’s not all! We even have covers equipped with planters! So, not only will these covers minimize the sight of your bins, you also have the option to add some gorgeous plants and flowers too!

We’ve quite literally got you covered! With these covers, you can create the size you need. So, if you have more than one wheelie bin to hide, you can choose from our options of singles, doubles, and even super doubles! You have the choice of combining a double and a single to create a triple cover, or you could opt for two doubles and create a super double, fit for hiding up to four wheelie bins.

The Doors

Believe it or not, there's more! Now that we’ve established their high-quality and sophisticated appeal, let’s talk about their security. When it comes to storing items away, we always want to make sure they’re secure, even if that item is…trash! To prevent any unwanted guests from sneaking into your bins at night, these covers come with easy-to-use and extremely efficient lockable doors. With a simple turn of a key, your bins will be locked away safely.

The Lids

Finally, there’s the lids. To make things even more efficient the cover lids attach to your wheelie bin lid with ease, allowing you to hold the lid with one hand and throw your rubbish away with the other. Additionally, the lids are soft closing, so you don’t have to worry about waking the neighbours when you’re throwing away your wine bottles late at night! As we said, we’ve got you covered.

The Curry Republic Transformation

It’s no surprise that The Curry Republic. receives five-star online reviews! Renowned for its tasty tandoori chicken, delectable Dalla bora and so much more, it really is the best curry house in town! Despite all this, however, owner Rhaj found some room for improvement. Of course, it had nothing to do with the food! It was all to do with the outside aesthetic. The Curry Republic was displaying some rather unsightly wheelie bin covers right outside the restaurant and that is why Rhaj came to us for some help!

It's no secret that we supply some of the best wheelie bin covers on the market – not to be biased! They are not only pleasing to look at, but they are also highly secure and extremely low maintenance. So, without hesitation, our managing director, Jon, was straight to it! Offering some of our beautiful Anthracite Steel Wheelie Bin Covers to replace the eyesores that were there before.

What a transformation, and we aren’t the only ones who think so! Since installing these covers, we have been told by several locals that they are a significant improvement, and it’s safe to say Rhaj thinks so too!

So, if like Rhaj you want to add some class to your bins, head on over to our range of wheelie bin covers and make your neighbours wheelie jealous!

Introducing Love Logs

Have you ever had a package delivered to your door and been shocked at the amount of unnecessary plastic the company has used? Have you ever been to a supermarket and carried your shopping to the car in protest of buying plastic bags? Have you ever wondered what the world would look like if we all made more sustainable choices? Well, thankfully the number of companies recognising ways to become greener is increasing! A prime example is Love Logs. Love Logs was founded by Paul and Heather, in 2020 and is now a widely successful and highly recognised sustainable business. It was brought to the couple’s attention that there is a huge gap in the market for efficient and high-quality deliveries without the use of plastic. So, they set out on a mission to enhance change within the firewood industry. Their brand provides British firewood logs with low moisture content; thus, they produce fewer particulate emissions and can burn for a longer period. Paul and Heather ensure all their logs are dried in biomass-fueled kilns to ensure optimum performance and lower emissions. In addition, they ship their logs in 100% recyclable cardboard boxes and use only paper tape to seal them. Sustainability, quality, and convenience are at the heart of what they do and it’s safe to say they certainly live up to their values. With a genuine passion for our planet, their goal is to supply environmentally friendly logs in completely plastic-free packaging all while giving back to our ecosystems. So far, Paul and Heather have planted over 50,000 trees to replace those that are being chopped down! What’s even more amazing is that they have encouraged other companies to come up with more sustainable solutions within their businesses too!

An example of another company that has adopted a more sustainable approach is the widely recognised food chain, Leon. Leon has swapped out their plastic straws and cutlery for biodegradable alternatives, they offer a range of vegan options, and sell fairtrade coffee all while giving back to the World Land Trust. Then, there are smaller businesses like Organic Bath Co. They have adopted a plant-a-tree approach for every order placed. What's more, they also use organic products to produce their skincare and have switched to 100% recycled plastic packaging. Some companies are even eliminating plastic from their packaging altogether and recycling any that comes into their hands!

Now, we aren’t suggesting that every business become totally plastic-free. It’s simply not possible! Many of our bigger companies are hugely reliant on plastic to ship their products, even if the product itself is sustainable. You may be wondering, with all the alternative options available these days, why can’t businesses be plastic-free? Unfortunately, it all comes down to money. On the plus side, while we all know it's going to be a long journey to save the planet, it's heartwarming to see that so many companies are recognising the importance of swapping their plastics for greener alternatives!

British vs Imported

While cutting down on plastics is a huge step in the right direction, it isn’t enough to significantly benefit our planet. It is important that when companies are making sustainable choices, they consider a multitude of ways to do so. For example, have you ever considered how far your parcel has had to travel to get to your door? Or even arrive at the country you live in! Often, it’s not something any of us consider when ordering online, and yet every time a product is imported from another country, it significantly increases carbon emissions and impacts our environment. Did you know that over half of the firewood and charcoal sold in the UK alone is imported and driven thousands of miles every day? It’s bizarre to think about when we have many thriving forestlands here! However, it's not all doom and gloom! A handful of companies are also establishing a way of fixing the issue and acknowledging the importance of using British produce for their business.

We are all aware we cannot change the world overnight, but there are ways companies can drive change within the business industry and do their bit to help. Whether that be switching up the use of plastic for a more planet-friendly alternative or decreasing their use of imported goods and using more local produce for their business, if we all work in tandem, we can make huge changes!

Our mission

We are teaming up with Paul and Heather from Love Logs to promote the usage of sustainable wood alongside our much-loved Ooni Pizza Ovens. Love Logs – among other products- produces British pizza oven wood pellets that are manufactured from 100% virgin British wood with no binders or fillers. With less than 10% moisture content, the Pizza Oven Wood Pellets will light easily and get your pizza oven up to pizza cooking temperature quickly. These particular pellets are a fantastic alternative to the Ooni pellets as they work hand in hand with Ooni pizza ovens.

So, the next time you go to purchase logs for your fireplace, or pellets for your pizza ovens, consider Love Logs. You’ll be doing our home a favour.

You can read more about Paul and Heather’s journey and their mission to help the planet here.

Big Green Egg Demo Day: An Egg-citing event

There's nothing like firing up your first BBQ of the year on a warm summer day. The sizzle of the grill, the smell of the food, and the warmth of the sun create the perfect atmosphere. But what if there was a way to elevate this experience even further? That's where the Big Green Egg comes in!

The Big Green Egg has a remarkable 50-year history of delivering exceptional results. It is renowned for its distinctive style and, most notably, its ability to produce a variety of delicious dishes. This one-of-a-kind invention is outstanding and we think it's definitely worth celebrating!

So, to commemorate their 50^th anniversary, we hosted a Big Green Egg Demo Day here at our showroom, and what an egg-cellent day it was! On the 27^th of May, we opened our doors and turned our garden furniture showroom into a fine dining experience for everyone to enjoy.  Our guests enjoyed mouth-watering food cooked on the egg by our very own in-house culinary expert, Royan, followed by a demonstration on how to use the egg to its full potential. 

But it wouldn’t have been a celebration without bubbles so, of course, it was all washed down with a glass of prosecco! Everything we had on offer including delectable chicken wings, steak, rubs, and beverages were very kindly provided by Big Green Egg themselves, so we were able to give our guests the perfect dining experience.

Is the Big Green Egg worth it?

Absolutely! This innovative BBQ offers more than just another way to cook your meals– it provides a lifetime of unforgettable culinary experiences. Constructed with NASA-grade ceramics, the Big Green Egg comes with a lifetime guarantee. Not only is it highly durable and able to withstand the elements, but it also maintains its appeal throughout the year. Additionally, you have a variety of cooking options to choose from, allowing you to prepare any type of meal, whether you're grilling, roasting, baking, pan-cooking, or smoking, it really does provide you with endless possibilities.

It doesn’t stop there! Depending on your requirements, there are a variety of sizes to suit your every need. If you’re looking to cater for a bigger party, you may want to consider the XL Egg for multi-dish meals. If you’re seeking something for the family to enjoy, the Large Egg is your best bet! And if you’re looking to simply cook for yourself and a loved one then you could opt for the MiniMax, perfect for small groups or for using alongside another egg!

What’s more, our contemporary Bari Kitchen Range is the perfect addition to house your Big Green Egg! At GFC, we offer a range of specially designed components that fit this oven perfectly. You can choose from fixed units or trolley units that give you the flexibility to move your oven to any space in your garden. The Bari Kitchen Range is sleek in design and carefully crafted with high-quality materials including teak, adding an elegant touch to your outdoor kitchen area. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or simply enjoying a peaceful evening meal, the Bari Kitchen Range enhances the functionality and style of your outdoor cooking experience. With its durable construction and versatile options, you can create the perfect setup that suits you and your specific cooking and entertaining needs.

So, if you’ve been looking for a way to enhance your BBQ parties then look no further than the Big Green Egg! You won’t be disappointed.

Maintain the glow: How to properly restore weathered teak furniture

 Reclaimed teak is often a popular choice for garden furniture. However, over time, like most outdoor materials, this stunning wood can weather. But fear not! You can restore weathered wood easily using items you’ll most likely have at home. In this blog, we will discuss all the best ways to help you rejuvenate your weathered furniture just like we did with this old Valencia 3m reclaimed teak table, with just a few simple steps!

Step 1: Jet Washing

To effectively eliminate a significant amount of dirt, it’s important to begin by using a high-pressure jet wash on your furniture. Why is jet washing beneficial, you may wonder? Well, jet washing is a highly efficient method for completely removing any dirt, grease, or algae from your furniture. This is essential for preventing any additional damage and ensuring your safety. Additionally, it helps to enhance the appearance of the surface, resulting in a cleaner and brighter look.

Step 2: Sanding

Once you have washed your surface it is important to let it dry. You should leave it for around 24 hours before tending to it again, to ensure it has dried thoroughly. Once dried, you can proceed with sanding! If you’re using a sanding block, it’s best to sand in long, light, and even strokes along the grain of the wood. Be careful not to press too hard or you can cause gouging to the edge of your sanding block and of course, make sure to change the sandpaper to a new sheet as soon as it starts to lose its roughness and wear smooth.

Step 3: Golden Care

The third and final step when restoring your teak furniture is to use our Golden Care products.

Should I treat my teak furniture with teak oil?

One of the most important things we always say to our customers is to never use teak oil for teak products! This may seem a little backwards but hear us out… The reason for this is that teak alone is extremely high in natural oils. So, if you add oil to an already oil-rich product, you end up trapping a layer of moisture on top of the wood, which can cause that dreaded mold!

What is the best way to treat teak outdoor furniture?

That’s where Golden Care comes in! These water-based products are the perfect way to take extra special care of your teak furniture without causing damage and losing any of its quality. Helping to bring back the gorgeous golden hue that teak possesses, is our Golden Teak Cleaner! This formula is created to brighten and restore the natural appeal of teak wood. Unlike most teak cleaners on the market, this formula only requires a one-step process because it cleans and brightens all in one! What’s more, it's non-hazardous!

Of course, many of us choose teak for outdoor furniture because of its appeal and longevity. It’s also highly durable and does not require regular treatment. Over time, however, the golden hue we all love will turn into a silver-grey patina, but you can preserve its sun-kissed glow by using Golden Care products to clean and care for your teak furniture.

You don’t have to stop there! You can opt to use our Vintage Teak Protector; this is highly recommended for reclaimed teak and will help to maintain the darker colour of reclaimed and weathered teak for a longer period of time.

If you’re planning on restoring a teak dining table, we highly recommend our Invisible Wood shield. This product helps to prevent even the harshest of stains, from coffee and wine to ketchup and olive oil. This means that by using this product, in the event of a spillage, the table can be cleaned by simply wiping a damp cloth over the surface without causing damage.

The power of woodchips

We’re not just about selling garden furniture here at GFC, we’re about sustainability and finding greener ways of living. You may have already read or heard about our Plant a Tree campaign, whereby we planted a tree for every teak bench we sold, or our project working alongside Love Logs the well-known sustainable logs company. As well as ensuring most of our teak products are FSC certified, we have also implemented other ways of keeping the planet healthy by installing solar panels to power our electricity, and a woodchip burner to power our heating system. Let’s dive into this a little more…

GFC and other businesses at Yew Tree Farm have been relying on a woodchip burner to keep their facilities warm for over a decade. This environmentally sustainable heating system is powered by wood sourced from the well-managed woodland known as Austy, which is located in our local area. The wood undergoes a meticulous process after being harvested – it is chipped and processed through our hopper, ensuring that the wood is ready to be used as a clean and eco-friendly heating source. Following this, it is carefully dried in our grain store until it reaches the optimal moisture content. Thanks to this approach, we can enjoy warmth during the winter months while minimizing our impact on the environment.

How is burning wood reducing our carbon footprint?

When trying to create a more sustainable life for ourselves and our planet, many of us ask, is what I’m doing actually helping the planet, or am I just adding to the problem? Well, when it comes to burning wood you can relax, because we’re about to tell you why this helps!

As we know, during a tree’s natural growth, its leaves will begin to absorb carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen and keeping the carbon locked in until the tree dies or is burnt. Decomposing trees release the carbon dioxide they have kept back into the atmosphere creating a carbon balance. So, when you’re burning logs, you’re not causing an increase, you’re helping to even it out.

If you want to help even more, you can source your firewood from locally managed forests, like Austy, to ensure fewer carbon emissions are released through transportation. Not only that but managed woods are vital for managing and maintaining healthy ecosystems to allow wildlife to thrive!

The power of Solar

Our commitment to sustainable energy doesn’t stop at heating! We have also installed solar panels on the roof of our building to power our electricity throughout our showroom, embracing a clean and renewable energy source. With over 150kw of solar panels, this enables the entire Yew Tree Farm center to be powered efficiently, as well as battery storage to allow the system to operate overnight.

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels are made up of multiple cells which generate a flow of electricity without the need for direct sunlight. However, if there is a stronger supply of sunlight then more electricity is generated. So, you can produce enough energy to power your home or business without having to rely on the national grid by just using solar panels. Resulting in, not only helping the planet but reducing the cost of your energy bills too!

Our solar panels are completely compatible with all our Power Banks and Hybrid Inverters so you can create your very own solar system, and you can do all this by heading over to our Kingdom Solar website!

Join us in becoming more sustainable, whether that be at home or making small changes in your working environment. Every little change makes a big difference!

Here at the Garden Furniture Centre, we are constantly thinking of ways to become more sustainable. This is why we have decided it’s time to start giving back to our planet. However, we need your help! When purchasing any of our Teak Benches for Sale on our website, you will have the option to add ‘plant a tree’ to your basket at no extra charge.

You have the choice of a range of teak benches on our website from stunning Mandalay Curved Benches, to our magnificent Malvern Teak Benches, to winsome Memorial Benches, and more! We take great pride in offering top-quality grade-A teak furniture to our customers. Not only do they have exquisite elegance and a distinctive character, you can make them personal to you or a loved one with the option of having them engraved!

What's more, not only is teak wood heavenly on the eyes, it is also the perfect material for any garden furniture. This is because it is highly durable and rich in oils making our teak products immensely weather-resistant, so you can leave your teak bench out come rain, snow, or shine! Additionally, teak wood has a brilliantly long lifespan of up to 70 years! On top of that, teak ages like a fine wine and grows old gracefully. Over time, the gorgeous golden hue will become a timeless silver/grey patina.

Once you have purchased one of our Teak Benches, our GFC team will get their hands dirty and begin planting your trees. You can follow the journey by simply following our social media channels and keeping up to date with any posts. So, let’s delve into why planting trees could be a ‘root’ to solving the world’s most complex issue.

How can planting more trees help save the planet?

Planting trees comes with a multitude of benefits for our planet, like encouraging more biodiversity, tackling climate change, and managing our ecosystems. Climate change has a detrimental impact on all of us, and often we can all feel a little helpless. But, by planting as many trees as we can, we can help to slow down the rate of destruction and protect the habitats of our furry neighbours. Trees, as we know, play a huge role in capturing and storing carbon. Our woodland ecosystems absorb the carbon in the atmosphere and can keep it locked away for centuries. Trees are essential not only for us but for our wildlife and the environment.

What trees are we planting and where?

We plan to create a stunning hedgerow out of a mix of rural hedges, these little trees will provide a perfect home for some of our smaller local wildlife. The best hedges for creatures like nesting birds and hibernating hedgehogs are those that are made up of a variety of wood types. That’s why we are planting a fantastic range of trees from Hawthorns to Crab apples, to Blackthorns, Hazels, and more to create the best habitats. The trees will be planted in the beautiful rural area of Wooton Wawen and don’t worry, they will be well looked after and have all the right sheep proofing to prevent your delightful trees from being ruined!

There’s no time like the present…

It may sound like we are running out of time, but it's better to start now than never at all. If we all work together, we can help get our planet back on its feet. So, join us! Get your hands on one of our Teak Benches for Sale and help us to help our home!