If you love to entertain but your outdoor area is looking a little drab, you’ve come to the right place! Now at-home get togethers are back in full swing, we’ve rounded up a selection of the latest outdoor furniture trends to help take your alfresco entertaining to the next level.
With a little inspiration, you’ll find styling these popular looks is easy using our selection of on-trend outdoor furniture pieces as a starting point. From lounging to dining options, we’ve handpicked ranges to suit outdoor areas of all sizes.
Once you’ve got your style sorted, we’ve also put together some top outdoor cooking solutions to help get the party started!
‘Holidays at Home’ outdoor furniture trend
Even as life returns to normal after COVID-19, styling our backyards for a “holidays at home” look remains popular. Simple to achieve, this is one of the best outdoor furniture trends for creating a fun and welcoming space, especially when entertaining is high on your must-do list for summer!
The ‘Burano’ outdoor lounge range (pictured above) is perfect for evoking some serious resort vibes. Your guests will feel like a million dollars luxuriating poolside on the 3-seater, 2-seater or armchair, available in Gunmetal (as pictured above) or White.
The chic streamlined design of the ‘Burano’ is crafted from powder-coated aluminium. Powder-coating adds extra corrosion, wear, and scratch resistance, making this finish a superb choice for outdoor furniture in Australia. Sleek foam and fibre filled cushions, upholstered in ultra-soft and durable olefin fabric, complete the swanky holiday look.
‘Burano’ comprises a range of options to elevate any outdoor space into a private retreat. A statement-making corner modular rounds out the lounge collection, complemented by a coffee table, side table, and footstool. You can also keep the holiday mood flowing with coordinating dining table that will seat your guests in style over lazy lunches or dinners.
Indoor/Outdoor Room furniture trend
Blurring the distinction between indoor and outdoor living spaces is one outdoor living trend that has become a mainstay. The idea is to style a seamless transition from your indoors to your patio or deck, increasing your living space for entertaining or simply making the most of fine weather season to season.
Choosing the right outdoor patio furniture is key to nailing this look. Classic wicker furniture is a failsafe option, with outdoor wicker pieces often doubling as indoor furniture in sunrooms. Tranquil to the eye and homestyle in feel, wicker can instantly transform a drab patio or deck into a cosy and inviting space.
The ‘Marley’ 4-piece lounge setting (pictured above) is one of our favourites. The included 3-seater lounge and two armchairs are crafted from UV-stabilised, handwoven PE wicker over an aluminium frame, topped with cushions upholstered in supremely soft, fade-resistant spun polyester. The result is incredibly comfortable, easy to manoeuvre outdoor seating, designed to maintain its quality and appeal.
A rectangular coffee table completes the setting. Reminiscent of an indoor version, the ‘Marley’ outdoor coffee table features a tempered glass tabletop and handy lower storage shelf.
Mixed Materials outdoor furniture trend
Just like a long Australian summer, the trend of mixing materials in outdoor furniture is hot, hot, hot! It’s not hard to guess why this look is so popular. Outdoor furniture made with contrasting materials gives the impression of intentional styling, adding flair to any outdoor entertaining area with minimal effort involved. In other words, it’s the easy way to wow your guests!
The ‘Paso’ outdoor dining table (pictured above with the ‘Paso’ outdoor bench and dining chair) is a prime example of mixing materials at its finest, with Acacia timber legs elegantly juxtaposing a poly cement tabletop. The tabletop is available in Grey (as featured) or White.
While the ‘Paso’ dining table and bench individually incorporate different elements, the mixed materials look can also be styled by marrying pieces in a variety of materials, textures, and colours.
To add an extra element to our dining setting, we paired the ‘Paso’ dining table and bench with the wicker ‘Paso’ outdoor dining chair (above left). Warm wicker contrasted with industrial cement or hard timber is one easy trick to make the mixed material look pop. You can craft the same effect by using rope. The ‘Sami’ outdoor dining chair (middle) and ‘Rodeo’ outdoor dining chair (above right) are two on-trend rope pieces we love.
The ‘Paso’ outdoor range is also available in lounge or bar options to cater to a variety of outdoor needs and spaces.
Maximising Space outdoor furniture trend
Making the most of any sized outdoor space is another of those outdoor living trends that has really cemented itself following years of COVID-19 lockdowns. Whether yours is a balcony or courtyard, the goal is to transform even the smallest outdoor areas into highly liveable hubs for entertaining or relaxing.
Bar settings offer huge bang for your buck when trying to squeeze all the potential from a limited area. For inspiration, the ‘Parsons’ 5-piece rectangular bar setting (pictured above) is an entertainer’s dream. The four included textilene fabric chairs are designed to support hours of comfortable dining or socialising over cocktails. So, while the ‘Parsons’ is compact to suit smaller spaces, your guests will still feel lavishly appointed.
The ‘Parsons’ 140 x 90cm bar table is crafted from durable powder-coated aluminium topped with a chic ceramic tile tabletop. We’ve featured ours in Gunmetal, but the range is also available in White for a classic Mediterranean look.
Depending on how much space you have to play with, the ‘Parsons’ collection also includes a 9-piece extension or 5-piece square dining setting and lounge options including 3-seater sofa, 2-seater sofa, and height adjustable coffee/dining table.
Natural Materials outdoor furniture trend
Welcoming a healthy dose of nature into even the most urban of outdoor areas is a simple way to create a calm, refreshing oasis. Outdoor furniture crafted from natural materials effortlessly introduces a relaxed vibe that can be styled to suit any of your favourite looks such as rustic contemporary, Mediterranean, or Hamptons.
The ‘Angkor’ sunlounge (pictured above) is the perfect place to start when creating an urban paradise. Showcasing the natural beauty of Eucalyptus timber, this sunlounge is topped with plush fibre-and-foam cushioning upholstered in sleek polyester fabric. Settle back with a drink in hand and you or your guests could be anywhere in the world!
The sunlounge is one option in the ‘Angkor’ range with a 4-piece lounge setting completing the collection. Both feature a brushed Eucalyptus hardwood frame for effortlessly creating a fresh and earthy ambience.
BBQs & ovens for outdoor entertaining
No matter your outdoor style, a BBQ is a vital piece of equipment when entertaining outdoors in Australia. Whether you’re looking for a compact unit or a complete outdoor kitchen set up, there’s an outdoor cooking solution to suit every backyard entertainer.
The BeefEater ‘BUGG’ 2-Burner BBQ with Trolley and Full Length Cover is an ideal choice for smaller spaces while offering all the cooking prowess needed to cater for large gatherings. Featuring two powerful, independently controlled stainless-steel burners, you can easily monitor your cooking with the integrated gauge while a Quartz Start ignition fires the barbie up first time, every time!
Strong and durable, rust-resistant enamelled cast iron provides a reliable cooking surface for whipping up your favourite feasts. The ‘Bugg’ is available in Amber, Graphite, or Grey (as pictured and exclusive to Harvey Norman), and includes trolley and full-length cover. A natural gas kit can be purchased separately.
If you’re feeling a little fancy, serving your guests homemade pizza from your very own Masport Woodfire Pizza Oven (pictured above) is a sure way to delight and impress. Offering 80 x 60cm total cooking area, this pizza oven is crafted from Black powder-coated steel with a stainless steel firebox and chimney. Two built-in temperature gauges and a 15-piece fire brick set are included to ensure your pizza making is a seamless experience, as well as a 3-piece cover to protect your oven from the elements.
For the ultimate backyard entertainer’s cooking hub, you can’t go past the Masport ‘Ambassador’ Black 6-Burner Outdoor Kitchen with Pizza Oven (pictured above). This complete setup brings your kitchen outdoors with a two-door beverage cooler, sink and tap module, and woodfire pizza oven. Central to the unit is a gas BBQ featuring six 13MJ burners with flame diffusers, wok burner, and infrared rear burner. All up, you can work your culinary magic across the 60% grill plate and 40% flat plate cooking surface, with the ‘Ambassador’ boasting an impressive 96 x 45.5cm total cooking area.
We’ve featured our ‘Ambassador’ in Black for an urbane look. The range is also available in classic stainless steel. For water efficiency, the included tap has a 5-star WELS rating.
Looking for more outdoor living inspiration?
If you need more ideas or are wondering where to buy outdoor furniture, look no further than your local Harvey Norman. We have a huge range of all the latest outdoor furniture to help make your alfresco entertaining a breeze. Shop online now or head in store to discover the range for yourself. Our friendly, expert staff are always happy to help!