Bivaq

How Bivaq began in Barcelona

Bivaq was born in Barcelona in 2003, and Barcelona is where it designs and manufactures its furniture. The brand draws on the city's way of life and on how beautiful open-air spaces can be, and from them it builds an outlook on outdoor furniture that is cosmopolitan and human: contemporary design centred on the people who use it.

Bivaq wants its design to bring joy, and it makes pieces built to last, year after year and through daily use. We like that pairing of joy and staying power, and it is why we stock Bivaq: a maker that designs and builds its furniture in the city where it began.

The designers behind Bivaq garden furniture

Joan Gaspar and Andrés Bluth are among the designers who create pieces for Bivaq, and La Mamba Studio's work also features in what we stock. Sofas, chairs and tables run through the work of these designers, so if you want designer garden furniture with one consistent hand behind it, you can plan a terrace around a single name.

Start with the piece you will use hardest, such as a sofa or a set of chairs, then look for a table by the same designer to go with it. Mixing designers works well too, as long as you keep to one colour across the set, which holds a terrace together far better than an exact match.

Bivaq sofas, chairs and tables

We stock Bivaq garden sofas, chairs and tables, the pieces that make up an outdoor lounge or dining area, and some cushion sets to go with the frames. Ranges you will find here include Garda and Teja. Decide first how you will use the space: a table and chairs for long lunches outside, or a sofa and a table for slow evenings and conversation.

We also stock a few Bivaq sun loungers, if you want somewhere to stretch out in the sun. Some footstools give you a place to rest your feet beside a sofa or chair. A few bar stools are worth a look if you have a counter or a bar on your terrace.

Aluminium garden furniture and more from Bivaq

We stock many Bivaq pieces in aluminium, so if you are shopping for aluminium garden furniture, this is a good place to begin. We also stock pieces in wood, composite and sintered stone. Pick the material that suits your setting: metal gives a crisp, modern line, wood brings natural warmth to a garden, and sintered stone gives a solid, mineral surface.

Some pieces use rope, which adds texture and a softer outline if you like a more relaxed look. A few pieces have a sling, a taut panel stretched across the frame, which gives an airy, open feel. Pairing materials, metal against wood for example, is an easy way to add contrast.

Bivaq frames, cushion sets and upholstery

Some Bivaq pieces come with their cushions in the outdoor fabric of your choice, while others, such as the sofas with a choice of armrests, are sold as a frame, and their cushions are bought separately as a cushion set. When you order a piece sold as a frame, remember to add its cushion set if you want one, because the frame does not include it.

The cushions are made in acrylic, polyolefin or vinyl fabric. The fabric decides how a seat feels and how it looks against the frame, so it pays to compare frame and fabric side by side. A few pieces are upholstered, namely the Mood XL modules and the Esen pouf, and these come in the fabric you choose.

Bivaq colours and practical details

We stock many Bivaq pieces in a choice of colours, from white, ivory and beige to grey, green, blue, red and brown. Pale shades keep a compact terrace feeling open and bright, green and grey settle quietly into planting, red and brown bring warmth, and blue adds a cool, fresh note.

Choose the frame colour first, since the frame sets the tone, then pick a fabric to suit it. If you are unsure, pair a neutral frame with a coloured fabric: it is the easiest look to live with. Some pieces stack, which helps if storage space is tight. A few pieces have wheels, so you can roll them into the shade or out of the way.

Ordering Bivaq and the maker's guarantee

Bivaq makes its furniture to order, to the specification you choose, and keeps no finished stock. Allow about five to six weeks: about four weeks for Bivaq to make your piece and about a week and a half for it to travel to you, so plan ahead if you have a date in mind.

Bivaq guarantees its furniture against manufacturing defects for five years when used at home and two years in commercial settings. That is the maker's own guarantee, and it does not cover cushions, covers or fabrics. When your furniture will stand unused for a while, we suggest covering it and keeping cushion sets somewhere dry.