For as long as there has been furniture, there has been outdoor furniture, but the concept of dedicated garden furniture that is primarily used as part of a garden design is less than a couple of centuries old.
Whilst there is evidence of stone benches and seats in the Gardens of Pompeii, which, given the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, would date them to around 2000 years ago, garden furniture was remarkably uncommon compared to covered areas where the garden could be enjoyed.
As the cultivated garden became a more important facet of garden design thanks to the popularity of landscapers such as Capability Brown, there was a greater focus on the functional nature of the garden and with that came a greater desire to use it.
The problem was that a lot of the materials used to make indoor furniture were not terribly capable of surviving the elements. The benefits of bamboo and rattan were not universally known, and plastic had not been invented at that point in the 19th century.
However, one solution that came about in the 1840s was cast iron furniture made primarily by companies such as Janes, Beebe & Co. in the United States.
Many of the design details, using ornate nature-inspired designs, would be highly influential on the future of garden furniture design, even as cast iron would be used less often in domestic gardens, even if its robust longevity meant that it was ideal for many public gardens and benches.
Janes, Beebe & Co. would make many different types of cast iron benches and seats designed for leisurely outdoor living and pursuits, and it would not only help to create the market full stop, but it would also influence the aesthetic of patios and garden pavilions.
There would be a focus on either using natural materials, replicating natural designs or a combination of the two, something that you see to this day with our beautiful range of luxury furniture perfectly designed for the great outdoors.
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