Tiny bistro tables and and compact chairs are eminently more practical for outdoors than big hulking monster pieces, because you can easily carry them from patio to lawn and back, to follow the sun. And if you don’t have much room? Even the smallest sliver of a balcony will try to accommodate a table for two. Here are ten of our favorites: Above: Made in Italy with steel frames and weather-resistant powdercoat finishes, the Arc En Ciel Folding Table ($195) and Arc En Ciel Folding Chair ($89) fold completely flat; both available from Design Within Reach. Above: Made of galvanized steel, both the Tolix Marais A Chair (currently on sale for $212.50) and Tolix Marais Two-Seater Dining Table (currently on sale for $675.75) have rubber feet to prevent damage to the floor. They were designed by French metalworker Xavier Pauchard and are still manufactured in Autun, France; available from Design Within Reach. Above: A folding Pronto Small Bistro Table ($199) and Pronto Folding Chair ($99 apiece) are made of metal and coated with a weather-resistant finish;
available in white or green or blue from Crate & Barrel. The Pronto collection’s feet have rubber caps to prevent scratches. Above: A 30-inch Bistro Perforated Floreal Table (L), made of metal and available in 25 colors including Cedar Green, is $322; a set of two Fermob Bistro Duraflon Chairs is $198. Both the classic Paris chair and cafe table are available from French Bistro Furniture. Above: Made of steel with a rust- and weather-resistant powdercoat finish, Three Piece Folding Metal Bistro Furniture Set is available in four colors including green; currently on sale for $99 from Target (online only). Above: A Small Steel Garden Table (approximately 23 inches in diameter) designed for catering has a sturdy three-legged base and is 126€. A red Aluminum Garden Seat (R) from Fermob is rust-proof and stackable and is 197€; both available from Manufactum. Above: A Lucinda White Stacking Chair made of iron with a powdercoat finish is $79.99 and a fliptop 90 Degrees Bisstro Table CB2 with a polished stainless steel base is $199;
both should be stored indoors during winter months and are available from CB2. Above: A set that includes a round Zinc Table and Chairs for two; £165 from The Balcony Gardener. Above: Both the Painted Metal Bistro Table ($188) and the Painted Metal Bistro Chair Set collapse for easy storage. Coated with a rust-resistant finish and available in five colors including gray, they’re available from Terrain. Above: Designed in 1930 by Artur Lindqvist, these classic outdoor furniture pieces from family-owned Swedish company Grythyttan have been staples of European cafe life for decades. A Brewery Chair is 1660 SDK and a Trefotsbord table made of untreated oak with a galvanized frame is 3170 SDK from Grythyttan. Above: Constructed of acacia wood and steel, a Tarno Bistro Set includes an almost-square table (it measures 21 inches by 21 5/8 inches) and two folding chairs. The manufacturer recommends that you protect the set with a water repellent cover and reglaze it once a year to maintain the finish.
It’s $49.99 from Ikea. Do you prefer bench seating outdoors? See High/Low: Fermob Bench for Less?You’ve made it so far! Can you believe your little one is getting ready to start solids? They grow up so fast [wipes tear from eye]. Wait, did we discuss ? Before you dive into this next chapter, you’ll probably want to get a high chair and some other feeding supplies. Essentially, there are two types of high chairs: one that stands on its own and one that sits on top of an existing dining chair… A stand-alone is great if you have the space for an extra high chair in your kitchen or dining room. You can easily move it around, even from room to room. Also, you don’t have to worry about damaging or staining your existing chairs, especially if your high chairs are upholstered. Anywho, here are the best standalone high chairs in each price category: *Looks like this chair is no longer available for online purchase. Hopefully you can still find in store… or they bring it back online soon!
Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking: twenty dollars for a high chair? Must be pretty crappy. This chair is pretty awesome! Pop the legs off this chair and it comes apart very easily for storage or for taking along on a trip, and best of all, there is NO fabric anywhere on this high chair (why can’t anyone else figure that out?), which makes it so very easy to clean. In fact, many moms have ditched their expensive, full-featured, pain-in-the-rear-to-clean chairs for this one. The Antilop high chair is also perfect for grandma’s house or some other place where you need a spare. See it in action here. At $20 (all in) for the chair and tray, this chair is a best buy. Don’t ask me how these people make money. Like “where does sausage come from?” I don’t think I want to know… The Phil & Teds Poppy is a cute, modern high chair that meets all of my stringent requirements: It doesn’t have any fabrics, it’s easy to assemble and store, easy to clean, it will last through several stages (not just babyhood), and it’s super cute!
See my full review of the Poppy here. While perhaps not as much of a space saver as the Mamas and Papas Pixi (below), I love that you can take one row of legs off the Poppy and it becomes either a) a “low chair,” for people with small kids tables (ahem, me), and/or b) a cool looking big kid’s chair (below), which can be used for years to come (trust me, extra kid’s chairs ALWAYS come in handy). * Doesn’t recline, so not suitable for babes under 6 months. A swing-open tray, you guys. Finally, someone did it! This neat, grow-with-baby system offers seating for two children of different ages, so it’s ideal if you’re planning on getting knocked up again anytime soon. The Blossom can be used as a regular high chair, an infant booster, a toddler booster, and a child seat (click here or see below to see what I mean). We have the Graco Blossom chair at home and have enjoyed using it in all configurations, especially when we have guests. I also like that I can easily wheel it from room to room as needed.
This is a great, full-featured high chair that grows with your family. *This chair does not fold, but it does recline. Therefore, it can be used for younger infants who don’t yet have tummy control. *Runner Up in this category: Chicco Polly With the OXO Tot Sprout Chair, you get the aesthetic of a wood chair (base) with the practicality of a plastic seat. It’s good from 6 months to 5 years, with 5 levels of adjustable height, depth, and footrest (and no tools needed to make adjustments!). The chair and cushion are contoured for better support and can easily be wiped down for cleaning (*see note). Once baby outgrows the Tot Sprout, remove the depth-adjustable tray and pull this classic style chair up to the table. Available in several fun colors, including green, orange, taupe, and pink. If you want something that’s a little more sleek, check out these modern design favorites: Check out our quick review of this high chair here. The award-winning Boon Flair high chair is a single piece of molded plastic that sits atop a pedestal (instead of legs).
In addition to the unique design, the Flair has a couple of kooky features: a pneumatic lift to adjust the height (like a barber’s chair), a bunch of tiny, hidden casters that allow it to move around (George Jetson-like). And with no cracks or crevices anywhere, it’s super easy to clean. Yes, this is a neat modern high chair. See it in action here. Never mind that the straps remind me of an electric chair (creepy), the Tripp Trapp by Stokke is a true classic and an all-time parent favorite. This tray-less high chair is designed to pull right up to the table, so your child can sit and eat with everybody else. The signature footrest is infinitely adjustable and designed to grow with your child (see below). Later, the footrest acts like a ladder, allowing your child to seat herself on her own. Once your child is finished using the high chair, the whole thing can be converted to a stool or an adult chair. This chair is pricier than most, but you’ll use it for MUCH longer.
They also hold their resale value very well, as you will notice on Craigslist. The Tripp Trapp is made from beechwood and comes varnished in a rainbow of colors – or just classic wood. The high-tech baby gear company, 4moms, has finally entered the category of high chairs. When designing this product, they took into consideration the two big complaints parents have with feeding: the trays are hard get on/off (while holding a baby, etc.) and hard to clean. They decided to use magnetization to fix both of these problems. The one-handed magnetized tray pops into place very easily (one-handed while holding a baby in your arms – yes!). Use it with the special 4moms bowls and plates, whose magnets help keep them on the tray where they belong [the chair comes with one large bowl and lid — you can purchase additional bowls and plates separately]. All of that + the sleek design and the 4moms highchair is an easy winner. Pricey, yes, but this high chair grows with your child – becoming a booster seat for the dining table or small desk.
This chair is aesthetically beautiful; perfect for the minimalist. It sits atop four solid beech legs and features fabric or leatherette straps to keep baby safe. And for a little flair, the Micuna Ovo comes in 6 color choices. The space saver or sit-on-top chair is better if you can sacrifice an existing chair or if you don’t want a big ‘ol honkin high chair taking up space in your kitchen. They also tend to be collapsible and portable, so you can easily take them from place to place. If you’re looking for a basic space saver high chair/booster, look no further. This seat easily attaches to almost any dining chair. And when babe gets older and is ready to sit at the table, simply remove the back and it converts to a regular booster seat. This last high chair is a major mommy-favorite: the hook-on style Inglesina Fast. The ultimate space-saver, you can attach it to pretty much any tabletop or counter top and it takes up far less room than a high chair. Perfect if you typically eat at a “breakfast bar” or high counter top.