Best sofa dining sets for long lunches and relaxed evenings

Find your dream set: These lounge dining sets range from fixed and modular corner sofas to more traditional two- and three-seater sofas, so you can find the best layout to make the most of your available space. ‘L’ shape or corner sofas are the most popular design this season. They’re great for squeezing in loads of friends or for lazing around and putting your feet up. Styled to push back close to a wall and tuck into a corner (although make sure you leave enough space for recliners), they’ll make the most of compact patio space.

If you want a more flexible arrangement, then a sofa with two outdoor armchairs might suit you better. Many sofa dining sets come with co-ordinating benches and individual stools too, which are perfect for accommodating extra guests.

Some sofa dining sets feature a high-low table, where you can adjust the height from a low-level coffee table to a more formal dining height. They’re a real bonus if you only have room in your garden for one sofa set and you want to use your new settee for everyday lounging as well as al fresco eating.

These nifty tables work in one of two ways. The most popular designs must be lifted up and out of their base and moved to one side before being reslotted in at the higher level. It’s pretty basic and requires two people, but it only takes a few seconds, and there’s no built-in tech to go wrong. It can be tricky if the table is already laid with drinks and nibbles though! To be stable, this type of table tends to be block-shaped, so it’s not always the most elegant option.

Some tables have gas-lift risers and these effortlessly glide from coffee to dining height at the push or twist of a lever. There’s no need to remove items from the surface, enlist the help of a friend or even get up from your seat, as the simple gas-filled struts do all the work for you. Table profiles and styling are usually slimmer too, enabling a much wider choice of materials including aluminium, but they do cost more than the simple lift-and-shift variety.

All-weather rattan products vary in quality, cost and performance, and this is usually down to the manufacturing processes used. For a long-lasting product, look for seating with a rigid steel or aluminium frame with minimal joints and screws. Look also for mono-extrusion processes where the dye is present throughout the entire rattan strand rather than just the coating, making any scratches much less visible. It’s easy to keep all-weather rattan dirt-free with a soft bristle brush and non-foaming cleaner.

Aluminium designs tend to be slender with clean lines. Light to move – ideal if you like a change of scene – the surface is smooth and can be powder-coated for extra toughness, often in matt black or other eye-catching colours. Thanks to its contemporary good looks, it is often paired with tactile details such as panels of woven synthetic rope or hardwoods such as responsibly sourced teak, which contain natural waterproofing oils and need little upkeep.

Fully tailored fabric sofas are this season’s outdoor A-listers. Thanks to advances in fabric technology, water- and stain-repellent fabrics have come down in cost and improved in performance. UV-stable and soft to the touch, they can be left out in sudden downpours and are pretty quick to air-dry. Look for solution-dyed acrylic products for a super hardwearing fabric, and check product details to see how easy they are to clean – some materials can even be jet-washed and refinished with a home clean kit to keep them in tip-top condition.

Although most sofas are designed to be left outside in all seasons, cushions can differ so do check the small print. Some must be brought inside at the slightest glimpse of a shower, but we’re seeing more and more that can be left in place in all but the heaviest rain. Often referred to as all-weather or shower-resistant cushions, these relatively new products have fibre-filled inners that allow any water to drain straight through. They’re more expensive than traditional seat pads but well worth it.

Neutral shades such as stone, dove grey, and charcoal are all on-trend this season. Most are UV fade-resistant, machine washable, and quick to dry, but do check if you want your outdoor cushions to look just as gorgeous next summer.