What is the Best Street Furniture for a Seafront Promenade?

Date published 14 January 2016

Street furniture to take in the view

Seafront promenades are naturally beautiful locations, allowing pedestrians to appreciate the rolling waves and fresh sea air as they go about their day. The best promenades encourage people to not simply pass by, but stop and drink in the view. Achieving this is all about creative design and practicality. Here are some ways to ensure people can enjoy your promenade to the fullest.

Take a seat

There really is no better way to enjoy the scenery than to sit back and relax, so street furniture is a must. Seating should be spaced out along the promenade and also be focused in key lookout areas. Make sure you face the seating towards the ocean; you’d be surprised how often this simple consideration is overlooked.

You have a few options available for street seating. An outdoor bench seat is simple but classic, and comes in all kinds of designs and materials. To encourage visitors to really relax, add a couple of deck chairs so they can lie down while they take in the view. Even concrete blocks work well, especially when combined with modern art sculptures.

Encourage people to stay longer

You know you’ve made a great park when people specifically make plans to use it, rather than just stopping for a rest as they pass by. Turn your promenade overlook from a pit stop to a food oasis by adding one or more barbecues, so people can gather with their friends to eat and enjoy the view together.

Shelters

A barbecue might encourage visitors to plan long stays at the promenade, but to keep them from packing up early, you need to provide shelter against the sun and rain. Shelters are much more than simply practical, though. Like seating and other public furniture, shelters come in a range of stylish designs, so you can choose ones that exactly suit your needs.

Accessories you wouldn’t normally think about

Once you’ve chosen your street and park furniture, it’s easy to forget there’s more you can do to really make the promenade a special place for visitors. Even the subtlest accessories can make a huge difference. Try adding lights and artwork to reinforce the natural seafront ambiance.