Garden benches
Almost every summer resident dreams of putting a beautiful garden bench on his property. Tiring trips to stores for garden tools and other wisdom. Inspection of the offered assortment. There is a suitable option, but the cost is steep. And the dream begins to dissipate like smoke. But there is a way out of this situation - you can make an excellent garden bench yourself, and one that will be the envy of everyone who sees it.
But the question immediately arises: what can this bench be made from? The answer is simple. Any waste materials that every owner of a summer house or private home has are suitable for making a bench.
What is a garden bench?
What is an ordinary garden bench? These are several identical supports, as well as a seat and back that are equal in length. And what, in the barn at the dacha there are not several strong saw cuts or thick beams? You can also find a couple of strong boards there. That's all, a simple garden bench is ready.
Where is the best place to install a bench?
Landscape design is a new, yet rapidly developing field that is extremely popular among owners of country cottages and summer houses. When creating an original garden design, all specialists pay attention to garden benches, which not only provide an opportunity to relax in the fresh air, but also serve as decoration for the site. Because the garden is part of the house and every summer resident and owner of a private cottage wants it to be pleasant to be in it. That is why you need to carefully think through everything, including the place to place the garden bench. As a rule, a garden bench is installed in some beautiful place.
For example, in the shade of thick spreading branches. Or in a place where you have a beautiful view of something located near your home (river, lake, sea, mountains, etc.). When choosing a place to install a bench, you should mainly give preference to what you like and how you plan to spend your free time in the garden. Garden benches can also be installed near hedges of plants or shrubs. This will create a feeling of security and comfort, which is very important for the inhabitants of the house and garden.
If you decide to install a bench in warm weather, then you need to find a shady place where it will be cool and you can hide from the scorching sun, and in cool weather, on the contrary, you need to choose a more open area to enjoy the last rays of the sun.
But do not forget that installing a bench in a dacha or garden is a matter of your tastes and preferences, because the direct purpose of the bench is to provide comfort and coziness.
Types of benches
Today, several types of garden benches have become very popular:
- Stationary. They are usually made of stones, metal or wood.
- Foldable. This type of bench is made of plastic.
Natural materials are often used in the manufacture of benches, because they allow you to create unusual and surprising elements of garden design. Benches that are made by forging or benches made from combined materials look quite unusual. For example, benches made of wood are considered the most practical and fit into any garden design without any problems. This is explained very simply: natural materials are suitable for any design. Another advantage of wood is that such benches are not only beautiful, but also have a huge number of design ideas. And with proper care, such a bench will serve its owners for a long time.
Selection of materials
Garden benches are a composite element, therefore they must fit into any design of a summer cottage or garden plot, while emphasizing its uniqueness and originality. Each shop should be beautiful, practical and original. That is why it is necessary to pay attention not only to its aesthetics. You cannot ignore the materials from which it was made and their quality.
Wooden benches
If you decide to make a garden bench out of wood with your own hands, then any durable artistic and picturesque driftwood will be suitable for these purposes. You decorate it on the sides with unusual carvings, sand the seat with sandpaper, and process the wood to the shape of the bench. The only drawback is that such a bench can only be made by a person who has the talent of a cabinetmaker.
Stone benches
An excellent option that is resistant to bad weather is a bench made from natural stone. How to make it? You need to pick up a chisel and a hammer and knock out or fold the original bench. The main disadvantage is that it is cool to sit on such a bench in the evenings. But this can be fixed: on a stone seat you can make exactly the same wooden one.
Forged benches
If among your friends there are people who are interested in artistic forging, then by making an agreement with them, you can get openwork metal lace, all that remains is to make a comfortable seat from wood or other suitable material.
Benches made of plastic
Plastic benches are much cheaper than all the others, and sometimes they look no worse than wooden or metal ones. Some are even specially stylized as wooden benches. But look closely, they are actually made of plastic.
If you don't have enough color in your garden, then a plastic bench is your option. They come in a variety of colors, so that the most “boring” place in the garden will immediately become the most attractive. But keep in mind that bright plastic benches can fade in the sun.
Sometimes you can find unusual and even surprising specimens among plastic benches.
And sometimes – stylish and original.
With interactive screens
Benches with the prefix “smart” are a product of modern technology. They offer connectors for charging gadgets, most often operate using solar energy, and are sometimes equipped with interactive screens that broadcast local news, weather, maps, and advertising. Moscow willingly supports global trends: in 2022, the capital plans to equip public transport stops with USB ports for charging devices. And now benches with sockets can be found in Islam Karimov Square, located in the Yakimanka district.
Photo: mos.ru
Garden sofas, classic chairs and office chairs
Benches “for one” are a delight for introverts. Those who value personal space can rest assured: no one will disturb their privacy, because these benches are intended for one person. They look different: like garden sofas in the Severnoye Tushino park, like classic chairs on Nagatinskaya embankment, like office chairs in the park on Nagorny Boulevard in the Kotlovka area.
Photo: mos.ru
Sun loungers and deckchairs
You can take a break from the hustle and bustle, read a book, enjoy the view of the pond, lie down and think about something on your own on wooden sun loungers. They are available from morning to late evening almost everywhere: they are installed in parks, squares, embankments and even in courtyards. You can find sun loungers in the Stroginskaya Poima and Brateevskaya Poima parks, and beach loungers in the Otradnoe park and the recreation area near the Becket pond, options in the style of urban minimalism on the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment.
Photo: mos.ru
With visors
Comfortable benches with canopies are popular among city residents. To protect from the sun, wind and rain, they are equipped with a canopy made of durable material or a shady pergola. The appearance of such benches refers to the country style, they look very cozy, and it is comfortable to relax on them. The double benches, located opposite each other, have a protective arched structure and resemble full-fledged gazebos for relaxation - such as can be found in the Brateevskaya Poyma park and in the park on Kukhmisterova Street. And on Osenny Boulevard in Krylatskoye you can find mobile benches: seats under a canopy rotate 360 degrees around their axis.
Photo: mos.ru
Under the protection of newlyweds lanterns
Sometimes a street bench looks so original that it becomes a local landmark. For example, at the Luzhkov Bridge, at the intersection of Kadashevskaya Embankment and Lavrushinsky Lane, there is a real work of art - the “Reconciliation Bench”. According to the plan of the architect Alexander Kolesnikov and the designer Georgy Nepomnyashchikh, the arched bench will bring together those who, in a fit of upset feelings, want to sit as far away from each other as possible.
Another romantic bench is located in the Newlyweds Square in East Izmailovo: a seat in the shape of two intertwined hearts is symbolically guarded by newlyweds lanterns. Unusual benches decorate the Mozart square in Northern Butovo: their openwork backs are decorated with notes and musical keys, and the seats are designed in the shape of a piano keyboard.
Photo: mos.ru
Source: mos.ru
Round flower girls
An outdoor bench in the form of a ring is aesthetically pleasing and practical: it is spacious and can be located where there is no room for the standard version. Round benches can be found in parks, on boulevards and embankments, even in courtyards. They are often called flower beds and are installed around trees. On a hot summer day, sitting for a few minutes under the cool shade of foliage is especially pleasant - try it the next time you walk along Novodevichy Embankment.
Photo: mos.ru
Just sit down
Convenient benches are appreciated not only by city residents strolling in public gardens and parks, but also by the homeless, because you can sleep on the benches. Sometimes this makes it impossible to use them for their intended purpose. Manufacturers of outdoor furniture have found a solution to the problem - they divided the benches into sections with armrests. You can try out such a bench in the Torfyanka park: sitting on it is quite comfortable, but you won’t be able to lie down. An interesting version of benches can be found at the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya station on the Dmitrovskaya metro line: they installed curved benches that are easy to slide off if you try to take a horizontal position.
Photo: mos.ru
“Leaning benches”
In many megacities around the world, benches are incredibly popular, for which it is difficult to find a Russian name. You cannot sit on such benches - you can only lean against them to give your back and legs a rest. Such designs are especially convenient where there is not enough space for conventional benches. You can see what they look like in reality on Ovchinnikovskaya Embankment, where there are garden sofas with huge, almost human-sized backs. “Leaners” appeared at the Gagarin Square station of the Moscow Central Circle: in anticipation of the cold weather in the fall of 2022, warm benches were installed there - heated racks.
Photo: mos.ru
