Creating an alfresco lounge with Cane-line outdoor furniture

[Advertisement – this is part of an ongoing partnership with Cane-line, but all words and opinions are my own]

Well, our garden makeover has had to go on hold – partly because the current situation means we can’t track down the materials we need, and partly because our roof has started leaking and so the budget is going to have to be reallocated to fixing that instead. But I’m incredibly grateful to have any form of outside space at the moment, and despite not being able to transform the whole thing as we’d planned, we’ve set about creating an alfresco lounge area where we can unwind and get some much-needed fresh air.

To show how easy it is to do, I’ve teamed up with Danish brand Cane-line, which has been designing and manufacturing high-quality outdoor furniture for more than 30 years. Its clean-lined, minimalist pieces are beautiful, comfortable and functional, and they can handle all conditions from strong summer sunshine to pouring rain to winter frosts. And they really are made to last – the idea is that you shouldn’t treat the garden in a different way from the rest of your home, and it’s worth investing in the right furniture in the same way that you would if you were buying a new sofa or bed for the inside. We’ve wasted money in the past on cheaper designs that broke or rotted away within a year or two, so it’s reassuring to have sturdy, well-made and weather-proof pieces that we know will stand the test of time.

The Cane-line range includes seating, tables, loungers and daybeds for all sizes of space, as well as accessories such as parasols, lanterns, scatter cushions and planters. We chose a sofa and matching lounge chair from the ‘Moments’ range, which was created by Danish design duo Foersom & Hiort-Lorenzen MDD. It combines sleek shapes with an open frame strung with soft, wipe-clean rope, and it has a wonderfully light and elegant expression. The sofa is big enough for both of us to sprawl out on, and I love the way the cushions can be arranged however we want them. The chair, meanwhile, is like a cocooning hug and is brilliantly supportive for my back.

We also have two ‘One the Move’ side tables, which come in three different sizes and numerous colours. Designed by Strand+Hvass, they’re made of lightweight aluminium and feature an easy-to-grab handle, meaning you can move them to wherever you need them. Ingeniously, the top simply lifts off to form a tray – ideal for carrying food and drinks out from the kitchen.

The eventual plan is to place the furniture at the other end of the garden, which catches the most sun, but until we can install new fencing that corner isn’t very private so we’ve put it closer to the house instead. We also hope to replace the ugly concrete with stone paving, but for now we’ve hidden most of it beneath an outdoor rug – something which has the added benefit of giving a bit of definition and cosiness to the space. For the finishing touches, I’ve dressed the area with my beloved olive tree and some sleek cube-shaped pots filled with grasses that rustle gently in the breeze. More plants will follow as soon as we can get out to the garden centre.

Both Chris and I are really happy with the resulting space, and it’s become an extension of the house – an outdoor living room that we use throughout the day. I love sitting back and listening to birdsong as I sip my morning coffee, and it’s great to unwind with a glass of something chilled once we finish work. At weekends we often sit there for hours, reading and relaxing in the sunshine, and once darkness falls we light a few candles, snuggle up under blankets and watch our resident neighbourhood bats fluttering overhead. Loki likes it, too – in fact he’s adopted the chair as his own and spends most of his afternoons snoozing on it!

Not only is the furniture extremely comfortable, it’s also very low-maintenance. The sofa and chair cushion covers are machine-washable and the fabric is UV-resistant, so it won’t fade over time. It also repels 90% of rainwater, and the remaining 10% is quickly dealt with thanks to Cane-line’s innovative ‘QuickDry’ foam. This ensures quick drainage and effective air circulation, meaning the cushions are usable again within an hour or so of showers. What’s more, there’s no risk of mould due to moisture building inside them. The good old British weather means we’ve already had plenty of opportunity to test it out, and it really does work!

It’s also good to know we’ll be able to leave the furniture outside year-round, as we don’t have enough room to store it inside the house. The cushions will go in the loft for extra protection, but the frames can stay on the patio with a cover over them.

I’ll be sharing more garden inspiration with Cane-line on Instagram over the next few months, and you can browse its full product range here. I’ll also have an exciting giveaway in early May with the chance to win an ‘On the Move’ side table for yourself, so keep an eye on my feed for details. In the meantime, I’d love to know whether you’ve made any easy changes to spruce up your garden for summer – all ideas welcome!

All photography by Abi Dare