Anyone who has investigated buying outdoor furniture will know of the rude surprise that greets you, when you start shopping around. But don’t fret, we’ve found the cause (and the solution).

Just check out Patio Warehouse (here) who are charging R24,900 for their ‘Queeny Set‘. Do you know why it’s so expensive? I’ll tell you. It’s because that thing is ‘all-weather’ and is expected to last 7-8 years in total outdoor exposure. That, coupled with the fact that these guys (and the rest) have physical retail space, jacks the price up to the ludicrous levels you might have witnessed.

The ‘Queeny’ outdoor lounge set

I very much doubt this style will be in fashion in 3 years time, let alone 8. And just guess how long the guarantee is on that set?

6 months.

I swear – phone them and ask if you want.

What about authentic genuine cane furniture? Why is that so hard to find?

Don’t panic – I found these guys (canefurniturecapetown.co.za) who sell 1, 2 and 3 seater cane chairs starting at R795. You can get them in white, brown and natural. They come with a 1-year guarantee and they’re the real thing (hand-made in Malawi) – not fake wicker! By the looks of things the set I bought will be cruising along for a good 2-3 years if left outside. And possibly a lifetime if kept under cover!

If you match the Queeny set (a 3-seater, a 2-seater, two x 1-seaters and 2 square tables to make up the same size coffee table) you’re looking at R6,515.

That’s an 18 grand saving! Sure, that excludes the cushions, but you won’t need to spend more than R2,o00 on that.

And they’re hand-made in Malawi.

And they’ve cut costs with a basic website.

And you can pay by credit card online.

And they deliver.

Check out CANE FURNITURE CAPE TOWN (here).