How to Create Welcoming Urban Environments and Enhancing City Aesthetics with Street Furniture

August 22, 2023

As a business owner, you have the power to transform the landscape around your premises. Many people feel like their duty to their business begins once they're through the door, not in front of it. This may be true, but it always helps if your building has beautiful surroundings that employees, visitors and passersby enjoy. Enhancing your outdoor spaces is always a good idea, whether you're a single business owner, a large retail park with multiple buildings, or the local council. Everyone doing their bit of beautifying our surroundings has a cumulative effect and creates a more pleasant city to live and work in.

Street furniture is one of the ways you could do this. Landscaping and using greenery is another – bringing nature to busy city streets is relaxing, helps keep cities cooler and contributes to urban biodiversity. Green spaces and aesthetically pleasing street furniture can help create comfortable, peaceful and calming little islands even on busy boulevards.

Here is where well-placed street furniture like tree grills, planters and benches can help. They not only beautify the area but also attract more customers and create a positive impression of your business. Here's how you can create welcoming streetscapes that leave a lasting impact on both locals and visitors.

Create Green Spaces with Planters and Tree Grilles

Incorporate tree grilles and planters along the sidewalks and around your business premises. Trees and greenery add a touch of natural beauty, making the surrounding area a more relaxing and pleasant place to be. Green spaces also provide shade and improve air quality, creating a comfortable atmosphere for pedestrians and potential customers.

Tree grills help keep shallow roots out of the way and keep sidewalks tidy and decluttered. Plus, they give you extra walking space, allowing you to step over where the tree roots or soil may otherwise be.

Planters are ideal solutions for when a whole area has already been concreted or paved. They allow you to put trees, bushes and flowers there without doing heavy-duty work like drilling and breaking up concrete and pavers. This means you have much more freedom to place your greenery as you're not confined by soil availability.

You could add some seating to the space to complete your new green oasis. You could invest in something like our Matchbox Street Planter, which is effectively a large bench with an integrated planter. You could install separate benches which match your aesthetic. Sleek and modern stainless steel bench or a beautiful and traditional timber slat bench, there is a lot of choice.

Create Functional Seating Areas with Benches

Place benches strategically near your establishment to provide resting spots for pedestrians and potential customers. By installing well-designed and comfortable benches in key locations, local authorities and businesses can encourage people to take opportunities to rest, relax and pause for a moment. Comfortable seating areas also encourage people to linger, allowing them to observe your business and potentially attracting more foot traffic.

Benches are perfect for parks, art installations, promenades, and near scenic views. However, they are also appreciated along busy boulevards and streets, near large shops and simply on sidewalks as people move around cities during their day. A pleasant surprise of a sidewalk bench under a tree shade on a hot summer day? That sounds good to everyone. The choice of benches is wide, and we offer different styles and materials that blend harmoniously with the surroundings.

Maintain a Clean and Tidy Environment with Beautiful Littler Bins

Once you have created a little oasis of greenery with some comfortable seating space, it is worth keeping it clean and tidy. Ensure you regularly clean and maintain the area, ensuring that benches, planters, and tree grilles are in good condition. To further ensure cleanliness, add some well-positioned and sturdy litter bins. Additionally, consider adding a cigarette bin if that is an area that habitually accommodates smokers.

A clean and tidy environment creates a positive impression of your business's commitment to the community. Having a good waste management strategy and strategically positioned trash cans is a vital part of it.

Choose Attractive and Durable Street Furniture

Creating a beautiful green area for respite is an excellent idea and a worthy investment. However, you need to ensure that the street furniture you buy and install will last you a long time. Select benches, planters, tree grilles, and other street furniture that are high-quality and made of durable materials that can withstand outdoor elements and regular use – steel and stainless steel are always a good choice.

The best thing about our street furniture is that you don't have to choose quality over aesthetics. We know that clients often want to go for a specific designer look, and they'd like to extend that to their outdoor areas. It is entirely possible to have a well-made, long-lasting bench or a planter that also aligns with your business's brand and aesthetic. Stylish furnishings enhance the overall visual appeal of your streetscape and create a positive impression of your business.

Illuminate the Night

Lastly, once you have created such a beautiful space, especially if it is street-facing and always visible, it would be a shame to let it melt away into the darkness and become invisible once the sun sets. Enhance the charm of your area by installing lighting elements. Proper lighting ensures safety and adds a touch of ambience during evenings, attracting more visitors and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

By investing in enhancing city aesthetics with tree grilles, planters, benches, and other street furnishings, we can all contribute to creating more welcoming spaces. They not only benefit our businesses but also contribute to the overall charm and appeal of an area. Embrace the opportunity to actively participate in creating a thriving and attractive urban environment that draws people in and fosters a sense of community pride.


Shelter Store Team

Shelter Store is the UK's leading supplier of smoking shelters, canopies, walkways and street furniture. Follow us on LinkedIn.