If you’re poised to put your home on the market, you’re likely to have given it a declutter and deep clean, as well as refreshed any tired paintwork.
But you may not have given the garden as much attention as you should –which experts say is a big mistake.
Embellishing a garden and projecting an aspirational lifestyle is now a significant part of selling a property. It follows a trend in the US – called home staging – where new decor is rented and brought in to score a sale.
Marc von Grundherr, director at estate agent Benham & Reeves, says: ‘Dressing the outside is equally – if not more – important than dressing the inside. It’s not about buying the most expensive furniture, but it needs to look good and look new.
‘Whether you have a courtyard or lawned garden, it’s about trying to give people an impression of how they can use the space on a daily basis. Buyers will be thinking, ‘Where will I sit to have my coffee?”
While a perfectly presented garden can add up to 20 per cent to your property’s price tag, Mr von Grundherr says that adding luxurious-looking furniture won’t add ‘a penny’ – however, he says, it will definitely make it sell quicker and could ensure you get your asking price.
Given that properties currently achieve on average £16,000 less than the original asking price, it’s a small amount to pay to give your garden a glow-up.
Garden designer Marlene Lento says: ‘More people want luxury outdoor rooms now. Look at the home staging trend in the US, where you sell not only a house but a luxury lifestyle.’
A perfectly presented garden can add as much as 20 per cent to your property’s price tag, experts claim
Rental company Homebound offers chic garden furniture, and while short-term prices are expensive, they become lower the longer you hold on to the items.
In the garden, start with the outdoor dining table and chairs, which are often the focal point.
One style comes out on top for garden designers searching for expensive-looking pieces – powder-coated aluminium or steel.
Garden designer Lucy Willcox says: ‘Wood is great but powder-coated frames have more longevity. Plus, you can use it in both traditional and contemporary spaces.’
Rosemary Coldstream, a garden designer based in Hertfordshire, says one way to make your garden look expensive is to hunt down similar styles to designer brands: ‘There are lots of good options at reasonable prices from some of the high street stores, John Lewis or Cox & Cox, for example.’
The Palissade Collection from Danish designer Hay is popular among garden stylists – but at £2,949 for an outdoor dining table with six chairs it is a serious investment. Asda, however, sells a similar table with two bench seats for £299.
Weaver Green’s unusual outdoor rugs are cosy underfoot while being superbly water, mould and moth resistant
However, Ms Willcox warns: ‘Try to use your budget wisely – you will have to replace it in a couple of years’ time if you buy cheap items.’
One way around this is to refurbish your old metal garden furniture and pay a professional to powder-coat it. This can cost £50 for each chair and £125 for a rectangular table, according to Aurora Powder Coating. The firm, based in Aldershot, Hampshire, coats a range of products including gates, railings, radiators and more, as well as garden furniture.
Solid wood is expensive but is durable and won’t look shabby after a few years outside if it is sanded and oiled every year or two, Ms Coldstream says.
If you want to create a more informal outdoor lounging space with sofa and coffee table, you can pick up a three-seat corner option from Ikea for £270 and matching coffee table for £45. Stick to natural palettes such as beige or taupe, but never mix and match it with a dining table if you want your garden to look expensive.
Ms Coldstream adds: ‘Go for a sofa with a coffee table or just a good comfortable dining table and chairs, rather than a cross between sofas and dining. It won’t look right. They are very chunky – you could instead have a more slim-lined table with comfortable chairs or a comfortable low sofa and coffee table from which you can look across the garden.’
When choosing materials it’s important you match the style and age of your home.
If you own a modern, contemporary property, for example, use clean line materials such as a concrete-topped table. Those with a big budget will find one with furniture brand Jo Alexander for £545 while a cheaper one from the Garden Furniture Centre is £199.
‘Dressing the outside is equally – if not more – important than dressing the inside,’ says Marc von Grundherr, director at estate agent Benham & Reeves
If you live in a period Victorian or Edwardian property, wood or metal may work better.
For benches, she says the Lindos slatted wooden bench from Robert Dyas is a good contemporary option at just £149. If you’d prefer a metal one, there’s a two-seater at John Lewis for £289.
Garden designer Sarah Kay says she often builds a bench into the garden design if there are raised flowerbeds, adding: ‘The materials will cost more than a ready-made bench, but it’s made for the space, will seat more people and will look like it’s always been there.’
Outdoor soft furnishings are an easy way to add a hint of luxury to your outdoor space. Always use grey as a base and colours for the scatter cushions, Ms Willcox explains. ‘Colours depend on what time of day you’re going to use the garden. Purple and dusty pinks look inviting in the evening whereas reds can make a space appear smaller.’
Fully waterproof cushions from Bridgman cost some £89 each but water-resistant ones from The Range are just £14.
Designer Marlene Lento suggests working out a colour scheme so that soft furnishings complement one another. And that surprisingly includes outdoor rugs – not picnic ones, but actual floor rugs. A favourite brand is Weaver Green, with rugs made from recycled plastic bottles to be water, mould and moth resistant yet have the appearance and feel of wool.
When it comes to plant pots, Ms Willcox says to buy the biggest you can find that work in your size garden, adding: ‘Then use this trick. Buy a pillar, spiller and filler plants such as some ornamental grass, lovely flowers and something trailing over the top. You can use them to divide areas and save on screens.’
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