Decorating & Design

May 29, 2013

Outdoor Dining Furniture

Finally, the weather has warmed up enough to consider eating outdoors again. If you’re in the market for a new set of dining furniture, here are a few options that I think would do the job nicely. Enjoy your alfresco dining in style!

The Dexter Dining Collection from West Elm has an expandable dining table, seating up to six when expanded. The driftwood finish has a nice, weathered look to it and the curved-back chairs have a modern elegance to them. There is also a lovely bench available in this collection, if you want to break up all the chairs.

I don’t think Ikea’s Äpplarö table and Högsten chairs are new this season, but I like how they’ve suggested these together as a set. I often prefer a “non-set” for dining furniture. I like mixing up the materials and styles — and it’s especially fun to shake things up a bit in the backyard. The chairs are made from hand-woven plastic, which will withstand the elements. This “set” definitely has a nice, casual vibe to it.

Crate & Barrel’s Darwin dining chair and bench are the perfect light pieces to balance their dark Montague dining table. Again, I like the mix here. The honey-toned teak chairs/bench (which, left untreated, will weather to a lovely silver grey) with white resin wicker pair nicely with the slated, aluminum table. It’s always fun to bring in a bench, too — great for kids, and keeps things casual.

Hauser’s Coastal dining table (shown here in the driftwood finish) is a modern version (actually made out of metal) of a picnic table. The trestle base is a classic design. It pairs nicely with Hauser’s woven rattan Coastal dining chairs.

This Design Within Reach collection is a personal fave. I have the perforated metal Tolix Marais counter stools in my house and I love them. Mix and match with some Tolix Marais A chairs. The plum stools and gunmetal grey would add a nice contrast to a white dining table. I love the Tolix Marais four-seater dining table. I would have considered it for my own outdoor dining area had it been a bit bigger. Having said that, there’s nothing stopping you from lining up two of these tables end-to-end.

See more stylish outdoor furniture.

Photo credits:
1. Dexter Outdoor Expandable Dining Collection, West Elm
2. Äpplarö table and Högsten chairs, Ikea
3a. Darwin Dining Chair & Bench, Crate & Barrel
3b. Montague Dining Table, Crate & Barrel
4a. Coastal Dining Side Chair, Hauser
4b. Coastal Dining Table, Hauser
5a. Tolix Marais Stool 18, Design Within Reach
5b. Tolix Marais A Chairs, Design Within Reach
5c. Tolix Marais Four-Seater Dining Table, Design Within Reach