As the evenings get lighter and spring hands us a few long-awaited rays of sunshine, it’s not too early to entertain thoughts of evenings spent eating and drinking outdoors. For dining furniture that fares well in all weather, synthetic rattan is a durable choice and these sets can be kept outdoors with the use of a cover. Wood and metal are often cheaper, but need more maintenance. It's worth opting for a compact or folding design that lets you move chairs and tables in and outdoors easily. We’ve found a range of practical, stylish options. The majority on this list come with four or six chairs, but there are also some options to buy pieces separately to suit your space. 1. Palermo 6-seater furniture set: £599.99, Homebase Homebase’s Palermo set is hard to beat on value. Less than £600 gets you six synthetic rattan armchairs with back and seat cushions, a generous 169.5x90cm dining table and a smart grey parasol. A protective cover is recommended to keep this set in good condition.
It’s surprisingly stylish too, combining the look of traditional wicker with modern angular shapes. 2. Parc 4-seat garden set: £155, Habitat The timeless bistro-style of outdoor furniture is great for tight spaces (and budgets). The lightweight foldable classic is easy to set up on a small patio or suntrap when the weather brightens. Metal seats aren’t the most comfortable for long spells, so you may need to grab cushions from indoors. Parc comes in slate blue, saffron yellow and bright red. 3. Zeno table and 4-chair set: £450, Habitat Habitat’s compact, foldable Zeno design is made for small gardens and patios. The leaves of the table fold out to a comfortable 150x95cm top, and the four folding chairs stow away in the table’s core when not in use. In natural oak, the set is best for fair-weather use, and needs covering if left outside. Delivery takes two weeks. 4. Elba table and chairs: table £399 and chairs £169 each, Bo Concept A modern take on outdoor dining is BoConcept’s Elba set.
The chairs have metal frames finished in black lacquer, with a seat and back of strung grey wicker. To add a pop of colour and contrast, there’s a matching canvas seat cushion in light blue (£26). The set can be used indoors and out, and delivery takes 3-5 weeks. The Elba table has a durable composite top that’s designed for outdoor use. 5. Taranto dining set: £1,099, Next The smart-looking Taranto dining set from Next is made of synthetic wicker which is designed to be durable and beat the changeable British weather. The six chairs come with polyester, shower-resistant seat pads. It comes fully-assembled and can be delivered within 14 days. A matching cantilever parasol (£75) completes the set-up. 6. House by John Lewis Jive outdoor furniture: table £139 and chairs £40 each, John Lewis John Lewis’ Jive set is cheap and cheerful. In navy, orchid or palm green it clearly has a tropical influence that should bring a party vibe to your al fresco dining. As with many budget options it requires hand-assembly, and the steel seats might need one or two cushions to improve the comfort factor.
The set is made of weather-resistant steel and can be delivered within seven working days. 7. Hampstead dining table and 4 chairs: £1,449, Bridgman Made with high-grade synthetic rattan, this four-person table and chair set can stay outdoors in all weather. The chairs come with waterproof and stainproof cushions making this set a good investment in the long term. There’s also a 10-year guarantee. The table is a wood composite, designed for outdoors, and it has adjustable feet – a handy feature for sloped or uneven ground. 8. Palissade collection: from £109, SCP The Palissade collection by Danish brand HAY has been in the works for over two years. Designed by French brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, the collection comprises 13 pieces including tables, chairs, loungers and benches. Designed to be lightweight but not fragile, each piece is made from electro-galvanised, powder-coated steel, giving it a perfectly-smooth finish. 9. FALSTER table and 6 chairs: £455, Ikea
Polystyrene slats make this set suitable for the outdoors, although a clever finish makes them look remarkably like wood. Combined with a rustproof aluminium frame, this chair and table set is designed to be lightweight and easy to move. A cushion easily adds comfort and colour to the basic design. To store outside, it requires a waterproof cover. 10. Ruscha table and 4 chairs: £479, Barker & Stonehouse For a touch of Mediterranean style in the garden, the Ruscha table comes topped with decorative concrete tiles. Four bronze-finished metal chairs with a vintage style make this a compact but individual set for a quiet corner of the garden. From purchase, the set takes 14 weeks to arrive but each is made to order. For small gardens, where easy storage and flexibility is key, Habitat’s bistro-style Parc set offers good value and comes in a range of vibrant colours for welcoming summer. Homebase’s Palermo set has the best value when it comes to comfort, durability and long-lasting style.
This is a dining table that could easily set the stage for those long summer evenings dining and entertaining al fresco. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testingPlease choose to continue your session or sign out now.Are you sitting down? We love us some DIY decor and a unique seat is just the thing to set your room or event apart. From giving new life to an old chair, to creating a new chair from scratch, to decorating a chair for your wedding, these 30 DIYs will knock you off your feet. 1. Cross Stitch Chair: Cross stitching — it’s not just for Valentine’s Day cards and iPhone cases anymore ;) This chair takes the scale of cross stitching up a notch and it’s so cool! 2. Dip Dyed Chair: Add a bright pop of color to your decor with this crazy simple DIY.
(via For the Love of…) 3. Screen Printed Chair: Give an old chair some love with some new-school screen-printed fabric. We’re loving the bright orange against the classic wood frame. 4. Rustic Orange and Wood Chair Signs: The complementary nature of these signs looks great without being too matchy-matchy. These would be easy to DIY in whatever your wedding color is. 5. Peacock Chair: This tutorial takes a chair that was left out as trash and turns into to a luxurious getaway in your home. (via Design Love Fest) 6. Patchwork Chair: Use up those scraps of fabric you have lying around to create a unique seat. (via Sombrero de Ideas) 7. Ribbon Upholstered Chair: Can you believe this was made with ribbon? The striped effect makes this old chair into a statement piece. 8. Office Chair Hack: What do you get when you combine an IKEA chair with some brass spray paint? An elegant chair that’ll add a hint of class to your office. (via Hither & Thither) 9. Pallet Chair: Make a chair from an old pallet and your yard will be the envy of your neighbors.
(via Our Pinteresting Family) 10. Ombre Wedding Chair: This might be the prettiest wedding chair idea we’ve seen yet, and what’s even cooler is how easy (and inexpensive) it is! All you need is white chairs and some ribbon in your color. 11. Updated Folding Chair: Folding chairs bring to mind cheap, not-so-attractive makeshift seating. This update makes folding chairs impressive and awesome. (via Design for Mankind) 12. Upcycled Belt Chair: Definitely an outdoor chair, we’re loving the pop of color that comes from using one bright belt weaved with a bunch of brown ones. 13. Spray Painted Office Chair: We might just have to do this to some of the chairs at Brit HQ. The black and white spray paint adds a modern twist to your workspace. (via Little Green Notebook) 14. IKEA Hack Chair: Turn an IKEA countertop into a totally rad chair with pretty pops of color and a unique shape. 15. Painted Chairs: Create a rainbow in your dining room by simply painting your existing chairs in a wide variety of colors.
16. Nautical Wedding Chairs: Add a fun nautical touch to your big day by using life preservers to decorate your wedding chairs. (via Martha Stewart Weddings) 17. Shades-of-Blue Ombre Chair: It’s no secret; This blue chair is the perfect way to introduce the trend to your decor. 18. Fabric Covered Chair: Got a fabric pattern you love but you’re not sure how to use? Upcycle an old chair by covering it with your favorite fabric and add some visual interest to your dining room. 19. Chair Decoupage: This chair was made with wrapping paper! We’re loving the unique use of materials and how the pattern works with the holes already in the structure of the chair. (via Snow and Graham) 20. Wedding Chair Silhouettes: Simple and elegant, these silhouettes are a pretty way to mark off your chairs and easy to coordinate with the rest of your wedding decor. 21. Pom Pom Chair: How fun is this chair? Hot glue and those random pom poms you’ve got lying around are all you need to make this funky (and we’re betting comfy!) piece.
(via The DIY Queen) 22. Custom Seat Cushion: Add some personality to your next backyard barbeque with these colorful custom seat cushions. (via Brit + Co.) 23. Chair Revamp: We’re definitely into the subtle mismatched look achieved by painting different thrift store finds the same color. And of course, the chevron fabric on the seats is totally our jam. (via Violet and Grey) 24. Simple Mr. and Mrs. Chair Signs: Ribbon and paper make simple, understated signs for your chairs… and add a little “something blue” to your reception, for extra luck! 25. Chair Swing: Put some swing into your seat by turning a tired chair into a fun addition to your backyard decor. (via This DIY Life) 26. Map Chair: Map decor has caught our eye lately and this amazing chair is no exception. 27. Navajo Inspired Chair: This Navajo-inspired pattern mixes bright colors with the natural look of the wicker chair and the results are beautiful. 28. Chalkboard + Polka Dot Wedding Chair: Chalkboard and polka dots and colors, oh my!