Outdoor lounge sets help to make the most of your outdoor space by adding style and comfort to your patio. From hanging lounge chairs to modular lounge sets, there’s so much to choose from and to add to the confusion, it all comes in multiple materials, colours, and finishes.
To help you choose what’s best for your garden, we’ve tried out some of the best lounge chairs on the market, assessed their comfort, and perhaps more importantly, their materials, to bring you this ultimate guide to outdoor loungers.
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Outdoor Lounges Australian Buyers' Guide
What is an Outdoor Lounge?
An outdoor lounge is a pretty simple concept, it’s a space to sit, relax and enjoy nature in comfort. With the right outdoor lounge, you can simply recline, or swing away, in a warm corner of your garden listening to bird song (or enjoy watching them play in the water if you have a bird bath installed) and taking in the day as it passes.
Outdoor lounges include everything from chairs, modular sofas, and chaise lounges, to swing seats and dining sets. Essentially, outdoor lounges are anything you can use to add luxury to your garden and turn it into the outdoor room or your dreams.
What to Look for When Buying an Outdoor Lounge
When buying a new outdoor lounge set, it’s worth taking some time to consider what’s best for you. For us, it all comes down to materials, but for others, style trumps practicality.
Materials
There are four main groups of materials that are used to build outdoor furniture and lounges:
- Rattan
- Wicker
- Plastic
- Metal (Aluminium, Iron or Steel)
Wicker, or traditional rattan furniture, is great for outdoor spaces but does need some upkeep in the way of varnish and timber care every few years. Modern rattan, rather than wicker, is made from synthetic materials and woven to look like wicker. It is just as good looking, but has far more longevity, and requires little or no care other than cleaning.
Plastic outdoor furniture can look great, and hold up well to all weather conditions. There is one downside to plastic outdoor lounges though; they gather mildew and can become brittle if left out in the sun for too long. For covered verandas and patios though, plastic outdoor furniture is a good low-maintenance option.
Metal outdoor furniture is handy for cooler parts of the country, adding a beautiful modernity to your yard, but depending on the specific metals used it can rust, and become extremely hot in the sun.
Style
Style has to come into everyone’s consideration when buying outdoor furniture. Remember, your garden is your haven, so turning it into a space you can truly love is important. If you prefer traditional furniture, go for rattan or wicker, but if you like the sleek finish of metal, maybe that’s for you.
Plastic furniture is never the most beautiful, but with the right accessories, you can turn it into a comforting cocoon!
Weather Resistance
Any material your furniture or accessories are made from should have the right coatings. UV protective coating for plastics and rattan furniture is always worth looking out for and can be applied after purchase if you want to improve existing chairs.
Different Types of Outdoor Lounges
Where to even start! Outdoor loungers are sold in so many styles that it’s impossible to break them down into any meaningful groups, but if you’re wondering what’s right for you, try searching for some of the most common types of outdoor lounge sets below:
- Pool lounger sets
- Zero gravity outdoor lounge
- Outdoor Lounge Set
- Outdoor Rattan Lounge
- Outdoor Corner Lounge
- 2 Seater & 3 Seater Outdoor Lounge
- Outdoor Dining Lounge
- Outdoor Chaise Lounge
- Outdoor Modular Lounge
Places to Buy Outdoor Lounges Online
Amazon Outdoor Lounges
vidaXL Solid Pinewood Garden Lounge Set
Amazon has the biggest range of outdoor lounges from local, national and international sellers. Some are available on prime delivery but don’t rush into any purchases. Choose what’s right for you and be prepared to wait for the better models.
Early Settler Outdoor Lounges
Lounge with Sanctuary 2 Seater Modular Sofa
Early Settler has a huge range of utterly gorgeous outdoor furniture. Their range comes with matching tables, and foot stools, and they’ve even got tons of beautiful accessories to add to the list. If you’re looking for the ultimate in style and comfort for your outdoor lounge sets, check out Early Settler.
Mytopia
LONDON RATTAN Modular Sofa Outdoor Lounge Set
Mytopia’s range of outdoor lounge chairs and sofas is all quite similar, but they are mostly modular so are pretty adaptable. If you’re after something simple and low maintenance, Mytopia is a useful shop to know. Their outdoor furniture is all super adaptable and neutral enough to work in most garden designs.
Kogan
Ovela Louise Outdoor Lounge Set
Kogan has a pretty big selection when it comes to outdoor lounges, and I’d even go as far as to say they’re competing with Amazon for choice, and definitely up there with Early Settler for Comfort. With Kogan you’ve got a huge mix of brands and styles too, and they’ve got regular deals and discount vouchers to apply at checkout for surprisingly good savings.
Outdoor Lounge Frequently Asked Questions
What cushions do you use with an outdoor lounge?
Cushions and throws are a great way to boost the comfort of your outdoor furniture. Outdoor furniture is rarely sprung, so choosing good quality cushions, with weatherproof upholstery is important when using with outdoor furniture.
Do outdoor lounges fade?
Outdoor lounges can fade over time, but that’s usually more of a problem with plastic rattan-style lounges. Wickers and even plastic rattan can be treated to keep it looking good, and metal outdoor lounges rarely fade in colour, and can be coated with anything from UV treatments to enamel paints.
What materials are used on outdoor lounges?
Outdoor lounges come in a whole range of materials, but the most common is plastic rattan, generally made from polyethylene plastics. For longer-lasting or tougher materials, try aluminium or stainless steel lounger sets.
Which outdoor lounges are better?
I personally prefer rocking or swinging outdoor lounges, and would always look for comfort over anything else. Their gentle rocking action is enough to put anyone to sleep, and when you buy a decent brand, they can last a lifetime.
Can outdoor lounges be in the sun all the time?
Most modern outdoor lounges can be left out in the sun all year round, but plastic lounges should be protected from full summer sun to stop them from fading and becoming brittle.
Can outdoor lounges get wet?
Any type of outdoor lounge is designed to withstand sun, rain, and wind, so yes, most outdoor lounges can get wet. However, their soft furnishings are generally weather resistant, not weatherproof, and if they get drenched, they will need washing to prevent odours.
Do outdoor lounges crack?
Any furniture can crack without proper care and regular maintenance, and outdoor lounges are no different. If you’re concerned about your outdoor lounge cracking, choose more traditional wicker furniture, and treat it regularly to stop it from wearing.
Take Relaxation to Whole New Level by Adding an Outdoor Lounge in Your Garden
Whatever outdoor lounge you decide to buy, I hope this has helped to steer you in the right direction. We’re not aiming to lead you towards any particular material, style, or brand because we believe that every garden should be personal. That means choosing the best outdoor lounge for you, not just finding the most fashionable, or latest models.
What we do think you should keep in mind though, is the manufacturing quality, because there’s a big, big, difference in longevity between outdoor lounge sets at $300 and outdoor lounge sets at $3000!
Published on February 4, 2023 by Gary Clarke
Last Updated on January 3, 2024
