11homestyle
�39.99 so anyone with any budget
can buy a piece of garden furniture
this summer.
"The round and rectangular
wooden sets start from �70 for a
standard size to �365 for a large
round set.
"Further up the scale there's glass
and metal furniture and customers
could pay up to �569 for a set but
they are proving popular as they're
so strong but very light. People find
them easy to lift about when they're
mowing the lawn."
Metal garden furniture is proving
to be a big hit this summer, the low-
maintenance material requires little
care and attention and provides
touches of urban chic to every
garden.
Both metal and aluminium garden
furniture can be left outside in any
weather conditions.
For maximum light even on the
cloudiest of days, choose a glass
finish. It's easy to maintain and
perfect for frequent outdoor use.
For a modern and stylish look,
mixed material garden furniture is
becoming popular. These combine
wood, metal and glass to offer a
fresh, distinctive and vibrant
appearance.
For the more design-conscious
tete-a-tetes, also known as side-by-
sides, offer a stylish alternative to
the garden bench. And hammocks
are always a firm purchase for many
customers.
Tracey said: "Our range of
hammocks always sell well � they
seem to provide a little sense of
escapism for customers. This year
we have ordered in a range of
hammocks that can be positioned
into swinging seats. They're selling
brilliantly."
For Birkett's customers, Tracey
said the wooden six-seater sets are
the most popular garden furniture
buy.
"For some reason the wooden
furniture always sells better than
the glass and metal," she said.
"People are of the opinion that
wood lasts longer and gives more of
an original look but it all depends on
the age and taste of the customer. We
find the over-40s tend to buy wooden
furniture."
But Birketts has noticed a
significant increase in sales of glass
and metal furniture recently, with
people with smaller gardens opting
for the more contemporary style.
Tracey said: "In the last three
years people have really gone for the
glass and metal designs.
"Overall benches tend to be an
impulse buy along with garden
accessories such as chimineas, but
table and chair sets and hammocks
have more planning as they're a
bigger purchase for our customers."
An increasingly popular addition
to local gardens are Birketts garden
buildings. Sales of sheds and larger
constructions, in particular the
security sheds, have rocketed.
Tracey said the increase in sales is
down to the design and reliability of
the designs.
She said: "The security sheds are
very popular � they're sturdy and
very well built so people feel
confident leaving their belongings
locked up in them.
"Other garden buildings that are
also really popular are the childrens
play-houses. These are an oversized
Wendy house and are a popular
purchase with grandparents.
"Some of our customers have even
bought them to keep their dogs in."
Tracey said the move towards
television programmes on garden
landscaping and design have
resulted in more people seeing their
garden as an extension to their
living space and an attractive asset
to a property.
She said: "TV has sparked people's
imagination and shown them what is
possible when it comes to revamping
gardens.
"There has been a significant
move away from the traditional
garden but we're finding that people
still love decking as a design option."
For more information visit
Birkett's updated website for
internet only offers
www.birkettsonline.co.uk or call the
centre on 01946 861420.
ALL STYLES, ALL TASTES: Just some of the garden furniture on display at Birketts in Rowrah
EVERY CHILD'S DREAM: Your own playhouse for the garden � or even a dog
kennel, which is what one customer bought it for
HOT STUFF: A traditional
terracota Chiminea or you can
have them in metal
INDOORS OUTDOORS: Create your own fab garden area with decking and all the
accessories

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