With warmer weather finally upon us in the northern hemisphere, we’ve been reflecting on the outdoor furniture we’d most like to recline on this summer. From freshly unveiled garden chairs and outdoor dining sets spotted at recent design fairs to familiar mid-century classics, our pick of the best al-fresco furniture spans the elegant, the elemental and the enduring – all built to weather the seasons in style.
Strength and lightness combine in Ronan Bouroullec’s ‘Ancora’
‘Ancora’ by Ronan Bouroullec for Magis, from €520 for a small side table
In ‘Ancora’, Ronan Bouroullec brings delicacy to raw concrete, drawing on Italian architectural tradition to create a series of sculptural tables with quiet strength. Presented at Milan Design Week 2025, the collection includes indoor–outdoor dining and side tables that balance Palladian proportions with minimal material use and a smooth finish.
A slice of 1960s Italian design history courtesy of Nilufar
‘Locus Solus’ chair by Gae Aulenti availble through Nilufar, price on application
A slice of 1960s Italian design history, Gae Aulenti’s ‘Locus Solus’ series – named after Raymond Roussel’s surreal 1914 novel – is defined by curved tubular steel frames that bring irreverent elegance to the garden. Originally designed in 1964, the collection (which includes chairs, tables, daybeds and stools) is now available through Milan’s Nilufar Gallery. The chair pictured here, upholstered in French studio Métaphores’ debut indoor–outdoor fabric line, ‘L’Échappée’, was spotted in the garden at Nilufar Depot during Milan Design Week 2025.
Liberty prints get a glossy new canvas at Kartell
‘HHH’ chair by Philippe Starck, Kartell x Liberty edition, from €461
There aren’t many things in life that aren’t enhanced by a smattering of Liberty print – something Kartell clearly recognised when it partnered with the British heritage brand on a series of outdoor-ready pieces. The collection sees Liberty’s debut exterior fabrics applied to Kartell icons including Philippe Starck’s ‘Cara’ armchair and ‘Trix’ daybed, and Piero Lissoni’s ‘Plastics’ sofa. Meanwhile, Starck’s new ‘H.H.H.’ chair features floral motifs produced using a high-tech ‘graphic impression’ technique on recycled polycarbonate.
Paola Navone’s ‘Marbella’ collection for Baxter is a poetic ode to lazy summers
‘Mati’ armchair by Paola Navone for Baxter, from £2360
We’re hard pushed to pick a favourite from Paola Navone’s ‘Marbella’ collection for Italian brand Baxter – a poetic ode to slow afternoons, salt air and far-flung escape. Launched in 2023 and 2024, the outdoor range spans reed-woven chairs (‘Manila’, ‘Manao’), the modular ‘Arizona’ sofa, the ‘Mati’ armchair (pictured), and ‘Panama Bold’, an island-like seating system in weather-resistant okoumé wood. For its debut, photographer Andrea Ferrari was commissioned to create ‘Quaderno di Viaggio: Marbella’ (Travel Notebook: Marbella), an atmospheric catalogue that captures the collection’s sun-drenched spirit.
Erwan Bouroullec’s ‘Traverse’ collection for HAY will grow old gracefully
‘Traverse’ collection by Erwan Bouroullec for HAY, from £225 for a stool
Unveiled for summer 2025, Erwan Bouroullec’s ‘Traverse’ collection for HAY is designed to settle gracefully into its surroundings over time. Including chairs, tables and stools, the powder-coated steel series embraces the outdoors with quiet confidence. ‘Traverse will enjoy the rain and the sun… it will start to melt into the space,’ says the French designer.
A lost Robin Day design returns, courtesy of &Tradition
‘RFH Terrace Chair RD4’ by Robin Day, reissued by &Tradition, from £340
Originally designed in 1951 as part of Robin Day’s furniture commission for London’s Royal Festival Hall, the ‘RFH Terrace Chair RD4’ never reached full production. In 2024, Danish brand &Tradition revived the design in collaboration with the Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation, using a single surviving example discovered in the venue’s archives to faithfully re-create its curved steel frame and slatted seat.
‘Conservatory’ is Lemon’s first foray into outdoor furniture
‘Conservatory’ chair by Lemon, from £2,723,
Debuted during Milan Design Week – in the elegant surrounds of Villa Borsani, no less – the ‘Conservatory’ collection marks South African brand Lemon’s first foray into outdoor furniture. Inspired by historical orangeries, the design’s perforated, marine-grade stainless steel frame brings a sense of lightness, offset by solid iroko accents and Sunbrella-upholstered cushions.
Francesco Rota’s ‘Float’ for Paola Lenti is laid-back and low-slung
‘Float’ by Francesco Rota for Paola Lenti, from £788 for a pouf
It would be remiss of us to compile an outdoor furniture round-up without mentioning Italian outdoor maestra, Paola Lenti. Designed by Francesco Rota and launched in 2007, the ‘Float’ series is an oldie but a goodie: much copied, but never matched. Laid-back and low-slung, ‘Float’ brought elegance to the otherwise inelegant beanbag typology, encompassing poufs, platforms, an easy chair, chaise longue and sofa – all upholstered in the brand’s signature high-performance outdoor fabrics. It adapts to the body, whether poolside or indoors.
Note Design Studio’s ‘Pelagus’ collection has a Scandinavian sense of ease
‘Pelagus’ outdoor series by Note Design Studio for Fritz Hansen, from £699 for a dining chair
Stockholm-based Note Design Studio brings a Scandinavian sense of ease to the ‘Pelagus’ collection for Fritz Hansen. Crafted in teak and powder-coated aluminium, the outdoor series combines clean lines with relaxed comfort. Recent additions – including new seating and table formats – extend the collection’s versatility across terraces, balconies and poolside decks.
Emeco’s ‘Navy chair 1066’ is built to last
‘Navy Chair 1006’ by Emeco, from £847
Originally commissioned by the US Navy in 1944, Emeco’s ‘1006’ chair is a piece of design history – and tough as they come. Made from recycled aluminium using a 77-step process, the lightweight, non-corrosive frame is built to last a lifetime (or several). Now as suited to the garden as the shipyard.
Also see: our favourite coffee tables and console tables
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