I love it when I come across great home buys by sheer chance – and that’s exactly what happened when I stumbled upon George Home’s Riviera striped metal garden bench when searching for something completely different. And yet, I predict this will be this year’s ‘it’ buy – especially since it’s only £149!
But as it goes with ‘it’ buys, they get popular really quickly and sell out even quicker. So it’s most likely that this bench won’t hang around with its budget-friendly price tag and super stylish look. I think it's a contender for one of the best garden furniture buys of 2026. So much so that if I were in the market for a garden bench this year, this is the one I’d buy.
Striped outdoor furniture is one of the biggest garden furniture trends this year – and it’s one that many brands are taking on board, including John Lewis with its bestselling Marcy garden chair, sofa and more. And one that the rest of the Ideal Home team are positively obsessed with.
So this George Home bench certainly has that going for it as its seat and back cushions are covered in green and white deck chair stripes, which match the matcha green double-coated steel frame, which is designed to be corrosion resistant.
The frame itself is also not by any means boring and not only designed with practical benefits in mind as the sides and the back of this garden seating is adorned with wavy shapes. The bench design is finished with two additional bolster cushions in tonal green with a white piped trim that further elevate this garden bench.
And if you’re a fan of the Riviera garden bench then you’ll be happy to hear that the Riviera range doesn’t stop here. George Home also released a coordinating Riviera 6-piece patio set which includes a round outdoor dining table with four dining chairs and a scalloped-trim parasol, all selling for just £399.
George Home is no stranger to viral outdoor furniture moments as its green metal slat bench set was a sellout success over the last couple of summers. But I’m sure this year is going to be all about the Riviera striped garden bench, I’m calling it!
Alternatives
If you love the style of the George Home garden bench, but not the stripes, this paired-back version from John Lewis is an elegant alternative.
