You should consider whether you’re decorating for a larger family unit or a smaller family unit. Will you need a larger outdoor table and lots of seating, or more relaxed arm chairs and a coffee table? Choosing furniture to achieve a practical, functional space for your outdoor area largely revolves around your lifestyle. 

Does your alfresco connect to your backyard? A barbecue or pizza oven will provide great outdoor entertainment alongside extra seating. Furthermore, bringing some of the greenery from your yard onto your alfresco could brighten the space up and make it look lively. From vertical gardens to smaller feature plants, going green is very on trend right now.

You don’t want your alfresco to look cramped and over-crowded with furniture. Will you need to divide the space with furniture? If you have multiple recreational points, such as a barbecue and dining area, it could be practical to face the dining table horizontally from the barbecue area to maximise space. 

Incorporating the facade of your home to your interior styling could provide a predetermined colour scheme for your alfresco. If you’ve got a Hamptons facade, light airy furniture, such as rattan, would match the best. Whereas if you had a more modern facade, darker woods would match against the squarer edges. Of course, all of this depends on your styling preference and what furniture brings you the most joy.

Lastly, if you’re working towards a particular budget, it might be useful to look into second-hand furniture too. Vintage pieces could create both a feature on your alfresco as well as a fun conversation starter.