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The best outdoor dining furniture for meals al fresco
Balcony café tables to seating fit for an outdoor feast, these are the must-have designs for garden entertaining
Whether you’re the barbecue aficionado of your social group or simply want a place to enjoy coffee on the balcony, we have an outdoor dining option for you. Featuring the latest launches by big-name designers and our favourite picks from the high-street, this is the ultimate edit for anyone looking to upgrade their garden or terrace this summer. All you need now is the sunshine.
‘Siena’ dining table and chairs, Indian Ocean
Crafted from premium-grade, FSC-certified teak, this dining collection has generous proportions and offers the kind of comfort that is ideal for al fresco dinner parties that carry on late into the night. Table, £3,250; chairs, £625 each, indianocean.co.uk
‘Carmel’ bistro table, Gubi
Small outdoor areas can still be functional, and this chic bistro dining table is ideal for more compact terraces and balconies. Designed by OEO Studio for Gubi, the glazed Italian stoneware top is both stylish and durable. £1,299, gubi.com
‘Drake’ outdoor dining table, Minotti
Based on the ‘Drake’ indoor coffee table by Hannes Peer, this outdoor dining version combines the glossiness of recycled green glass with sturdy weather-resistant teak legs to create a stylish centrepiece for long, lazy lunches in the sun. From £28,090, minotti.com
‘Vig’ dining bench, Normann Copenhagen
This bench is a versatile addition to outdoor seating arrangements, whether that’s gathered around a table for communal dining or positioned in a sun trap for aperitivo hour. Made from double powder coated steel, it was designed by Simon Legald to withstand even the most changeable of British summer weather. £625, normann-copenhagen.com
‘Patio’ outdoor dining table, Ethimo
The smooth Cipollino marble top of this round dining table contrasts pleasingly with the coarse texture of the pale grey rope wrapped around its base. The collection speaks to the traditional patios found in Spanish homes, as well as the weaves and patterns design duo Studio Zanellato/Bortotto have found on their travels. £9,930, ethimo.com
‘Kei’ chair, Nooma
Crafted from damage-resistant steel this dining chair by Anna Pietkun, Zuza Muszalska, Alicja Molin´ska and Damian Golin´ski is designed to withstand all seasons. Available in a soft beige, olive green and black, the muted palette is a gentle nod to the outdoors. £277, uk.noo.ma
‘Contrée’ low table, Ligne Roset
This robust stoneware and cold enamelled table by Marie-Aurore Stiker-Métral is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Its terracotta colour is synonymous with outdoor living, whilst the abstract lines on the tabletop are inspired by topography and landscapes. £688, ligne-roset.com
‘Lagos’ dining table, RH
Art deco references meet the functionality of Scandinavian design in this weather-resistant dining table. Handcrafted in durable powder coated aluminium and finished with a triple coat of a UV-inhibiting sealant this design by Mario Ruiz is one to last the test of time. £3,747, rh.com
‘Kew’ coffee table, Neptune
Your morning al fresco coffee just got a whole lot more stylish. Made from durable teak, this mid-century inspired table lends itself to both compact urban spaces as well as larger gardens. £795, neptune.com
‘Naca’ outdoor table, Fast
Elegant and timeless, this rectangular table by Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces in painted aluminium with a porcelain stoneware top would blend seamlessly with any al fresco decorating scheme. At 2.2 metres long, it’s also roomy enough to host the whole gang. From approx £2,385, fastspa.com
‘Ona’ coffee table, Sutherland Furniture
Conceived by Catalan designer Eugeni Quitllet, the ‘Ona’ collection is set to become an outdoor staple as it is all crafted from a warm teak wood. The rounded edges, which are ideal for seating big groups around, are inspired by weathered stones along an ocean shoreline. From £2,400, sutherlandfurniture.com
‘Mati’ chairs and the ‘Matera’ Palladiana table, Baxter
‘Ocean’ outdoor table, Mater
Originally designed in 1955 by internationally acclaimed Danish designers Jørgen and Nanna Ditzel, this lightweight but robust dining table has been reimagined by Mater with recycled fishing nets and hard plastic to bolster its sustainable credentials. £756, materdesign.com
‘Ville’ benches, table and chair, &Tradition
Longstanding &Tradition collaborators Anderssen & Voll marry untreated teak wood with robust steel legs for this charming outdoor furniture set. Its classic forest green colour palette calls for an equally lush garden backdrop. £2,875 as seen, twentytwentyone.com
‘Leggera Outdoor’ dining chair, Cassina
Gio Ponti’s instantly recognisable ‘Leggera’ chair is the latest iconic furniture design to be reworked for the outdoors. Its simplicity of line remains unchanged, but the material has choice is now hardy steel instead of wood. From £1,479, cassina.com
‘Linear Steel’ outdoor table and bench, Muuto
Understated practicality was the concept for designer Thomas Bentzen when creating the new ‘Linear Steel’ collection for Muuto. Its welded steel parts feature thin gaps for easy water drainage with minimal visual disruption. There are five colours options, but we love this ‘Burnt Orange’. Table, £1,387; bench, £703, muuto.com
‘Aligned’ outdoor table and chair, Valerie Objects
Maarten Baas, the designer of this collection, is known for his playful style, and these pieces do not disappoint. The intention was for them to look like a sketch – with Baas meticulously recreating the imperfect lines he first created with paper and pen in durable aluminium steel. Table, approx £700; chair, approx £310, valerie-objects com
‘Allaperto Bistrò’ outdoor dining chairs, Ethimo
Do your outdoor dinners tend to extend into sundowner drinks and beyond? This outdoor dining armchair by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez may be the garden seating for you. It’s built for comfort, with its woven seat and embracing wooden arms perfect for lengthy parties. Price on application, ethimo.com
‘Chop’ outdoor table, Hem
Lightweight, but solidly constructed, this outdoor table by Philippe Malouin (and the collection’s accompanying chairs) are cut, bent and welded from stainless steel, which is decorated with one of four bright powder-coated finishes. This cobalt blue would look especially striking surrounded by greenery on a balcony. Approx £610, hem.com
‘Judd’ outdoor table, Baxter
Carved from stone, the ‘Judd’ table is a monolithic new addition to the Baxter outdoor collection. Pair it with the Studiopepe-designed ‘Linfa’ chairs, with their swivelling iroko seats sat on top of glistening lacquered cones, and you have an outdoor dining area sure to get the garden party started. Both price on application, baxter.it
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