Creating a Multi-functional Outdoor Space with Recycled Plastic Furniture

In recent years, sustainable living has taken centre stage, and this global shift provides a unique opportunity to rethink how we design and interact with our outdoor spaces! For those of you who are looking to transform your gardens, patios, or balconies into versatile environments, recycled plastic furniture represents an innovative, eco-friendly choice. At Kedel, we stock a wide range of recycled plastic outdoor furniture with designs to suit all types of spaces. If you’re ready to get your outdoor space ready for summer, ready on for our top tips.

Why Recycled Plastic Furniture?

Traditionally, outdoor furniture has been made from materials like metal, wood, and rattan. Each has its own unique qualities, but they also come with their own pitfalls. Metal furniture can rust and degrade in harsh weather, needing regular maintenance. Wooden items, while beautiful and classic, are prone to warping and splintering, requiring regular staining and sealing to prevent rot. Rattan is lightweight and can be moved around easily, but it is not a long-lasting choice; it’s susceptible to moisture and might not hold up against heavy use or harsh outdoor environments.

Recycled plastic furniture, on the other hand, offers a myriad of benefits that could transform your outdoor seating space into a functional, sustainable, and stylish retreat. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits;

1. Environmentally friendly: Recycled plastic furniture, as the name suggests, is made from repurposed waste plastic. This helps reduce landfill waste and prevent the pollution caused by the manufacturing processes of new plastic.

2. Durability: Recycled plastic furniture is highly resistant to the elements. It won’t rust, rot, or warp, and it’s impervious to insects, fungus, and other forms of decay that plague traditional materials like wood and metal.

3. Low Maintenance: Recycled plastic furniture requires little maintenance and upkeep. The colour is integrated throughout the material, so there is no need for staining, painting, or weatherproofing. 

4. Versatile and stylish: Recycled plastic furniture comes in a wide range of colours, styles, and designs, providing massive flexibility in how it can transform your outdoor spaces. You are not locked into the traditional earth tones of rattan or wood and can select from a variety of vibrant colours to complement the natural setting of your garden.

5. Cost-efficient: While the initial cost might be higher than traditional materials, recycled plastic furniture requires almost no maintenance and lasts several times longer, offering long-term savings.

Now, let’s examine how we can use recycled plastic furniture to create a multi-functional outdoor seating space!

Step One: Prepare & Plan

Before buying any furniture, it’s essential to decide what purposes your outdoor space will serve. Will it be a quiet retreat for reading and relaxation? A playground for your children? Are you planning to entertain your friends for outdoor dinners or barbecues? Defining these needs will guide your selection of furniture pieces.

Step Two: Maximise Space 

Regardless of the size of your outdoor space, the key is to maximise it! One great feature of recycled plastic furniture is the availa

bility of stackable designs that can be easily stored when not in use, freeing up valuable space. For smaller areas, consider compact designs that can serve multiple purposes, like a bench that doubles as a storage box, a table with built-in seating, or smaller side tables that can be pushed together to form a coffee table. Benches are an excellent choice if you're after communal seating, whereas chairs offer more flexibility for individual seating. 

Step Three: Prioritise Comfort

No matter how beautiful your outdoor space looks, it won’t be used if it's not comfortable. Plastic furniture offers a balance of style and comfort. It is often ergonomically designed and can be easily supplemented with cushions and throws for added comfort.

Step Four: Choose a Colour Scheme

When it comes to creating an inviting, multi-functional outdoor space, colour matters! Fortunately, recycled plastic furniture offers a vibrant selection of colours to choose from. Create a calming enclosure with cool shades of blues and greens, or establish an energetic vibe with lively reds and yellows. Recycled plastic furniture offers the added benefit of not fading in the sun and retaining its polished look for years.

Recycling plastic furniture truly offers an innovative solution for your outdoor seating space. A perfect blend of sustainability, durability, and flexibility, it can help you create a multi-functional, vibrant, and inviting environment that you, your family and friends can enjoy today – and for many years to come. This trend isn't just about aesthetics or functionality; it's about making a conscious choice for the environment. Every piece of recycled plastic furniture you purchase contributes to the reduction of waste, and that is a choice worth making. To find out more about Kedel’s recycled plastic materials, get in touch with a member of the team today.