Looking for the best outdoor furniture? In this guide, we’ve collated the Livingetc team’s favorite outdoor furniture brands to help you to track down design-led outdoor dining sets, relaxation-ready outdoor sofas, and resort-worthy sun loungers that will transform your outdoor space into a destination area; whether you’re working with a sprawling backyard or an urban balcony.
We’ve rounded up timeless Scandinavian outdoor design, luxe European wicker outdoor furniture, and designer brands made right here in America, collating the names you’ll want to know, and where to shop them. We’ve even included the Labor Day discounts they’re running right now, too.
So if you’re hankering to create a restful alfresco retreat, getting ready to embrace the season of outdoor entertaining, or simply looking to extend your living space out onto the patio, just read on to discover the best patio furniture on the Livingetc team radar.
And, of course, once you have your outdoor living space sorted, just jump to our best grills guide to make sure your outdoor kitchen set-up is just as attention-grabbing!
1. Outer
Determined to break the pattern that sees the average American spend 90% of their day indoors, Outer are on a mission to get people outside, and they’re starting by ensuring we can all sit comfortably and more eco-consciously. The brand’s contemporary PE-wicker outdoor sofa collection (made from 30% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable, repurposing 100 ocean plastic bottles with every chair) has the biggest saving of 30% off, while its aluminum ranges (built to withstand the elements, offering longevity of design to keep products out of landfill) have 25% off.
Editor’s pick: Teak Outdoor L- shape sofa, 25% off
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: Up to 30% off across different categories sitewide until September 5th
2. Cane-line
Danish design house Cane-line combine timeless craftsmanship and materials with modern design to create their diverse outdoor furniture collections. Think contemporary wicker outdoor lounge sets, sleek and durable aluminum outdoor dining table and chairs, and teak wood outdoor sofas and loungers. We love the Nest collection which lends a sculptural quality to the patio with its curvaceous lines and will help make your outdoor furniture look expensive.
Editor’s pick: Cane-line Nest 2-Seater Outdoor Sofa
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
3. Serena & Lily
If you’re dreaming of a coastal look, whether you’re within earshot of the ocean or not, then Serena & Lily is our first port of call for light and neutral beachy vibes combined with timeless grandeur and sea-spray resistant materials. Elegant wicker lounge and bistro sets, tailored outdoor upholstered sofas and swivel chairs, and statement dining tables deliver understated luxe with a laidback attitude.
Editor’s pick: Beach umbrella, 38% off
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day Discount: Up to 40% off Labor Day favorites
4. Scout & Nimble
Scout & Nimble’s outdoor collection is full of summery vibes, with plenty of neutral tones, artfully faded teak wood, and light-colored weather-resistant upholstery alongside long-lasting element-defying construction. Collating contemporary yet timeless designs from Four Hands, sculptural concrete outdoor tables from Moe’s, and Sika Design’s decorative rattan-ware, the collection blends organic materials and modern design to create an edit that oozes laidback summer living.
Editor’s pick: Four Hands Avon Outdoor Sling Chair
Pricing: $$-$$$$
5. HAY
Scandinavian design house HAY’s Palissade outdoor collection has become something of a modern classic, with the distinctive curved linear metal frames of its bench seat, dining table, and range of outdoor chairs working perfectly in large-scale public spaces as well as intimate private spaces. The collection is ideal for patios where you don’t want to block a view of the planting or wish to enhance feelings of spaciousness with its airy design.
Editor’s pick: Palissade Outdoor Dining Table and Bench Set
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day Sale: 20% off sitewide in the Autumn Sale
6. Target
If you’re looking for affordability, then Target’s outdoor furniture collection offers on-trend designs with some very appealing price tags. We’re particularly impressed by the brand’s collaborations with some of the most popular names on the interior design scene, including the Studio McGee Threshold collection for Target which offers the design studio’s signature laidback yet luxe style on a budget, and the bold and vibrant Opalhouse collection in collaboration with Justina Blakeney’s Jungalow.
Editor’s pick: Studio McGee Midway Metal Patio Sofa
Pricing: $-$$
Labor Day Discount: Up to 40% off select outdoor furniture, online only
7. 2Modern
Collating the best in design-led US and European brands, 2Modern is home to outdoor furniture collections from Ethnicraft, Knoll, Fermob, Vincent Sheppard, and many more. As the name would suggest, the focus is on contemporary outdoor furniture with graphic modern shapes from Kartell in the brand’s outdoor Bubble Club Armchair and Club Sofa, and full-on modernism with Vondom’s playful and highly-colored molded resin seating. However, there are also plenty of classic teak and wicker options with a more contemporary twist.
Editor’s pick: Bok Outdoor Dining Table
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: Up to 40% off.
8. McGee and Co.
Never failing to nail the perfect balance between classic and contemporary, McGee and Co.’s outdoor furniture has the same timeless appeal as its indoor collection, hitting just the right notes to achieve modern heirloom status. There are pared back teak chairs and chaise, and wicker lounge sets with just the right amount of simple detail to elevate your backyard set-up.
Editor’s pick: Elowyn Outdoor chair
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: Up to 25% off sitewide
9. RH
Offering luxury outdoor furniture with timeless design guaranteed, RH’s extensive outdoor collections mean you’re highly likely to find the look you’re envisaging within its range. The sub-collections are also built around coordination, with each edit offering a wide selection of outdoor dining and lounging options to create a cohesive look that will flow easily from patio to pool, all with durability and best-in-class outdoor materials as standard.
Editor’s pick: Laurel Aluminum Lounge Chair
Pricing: $$$$-$$$$$
10. Article
Modern design at some very competitive price points makes Article a great place to head if you’re looking for contemporary outdoor furniture that factors in affordability. As well as statement outdoor lounge chairs, the brand has plenty of modern and minimal corner sectionals and sleek outdoor dining sets on offer.
Editor’s pick: Calova Lounge Chair
Pricing: $$-$$$
Labor Day discount: Save $100s on select lines
11. Lulu and Georgia
Laidback luxe predominates at Lulu and Georgia, with plenty of swoon-worthy outdoor options to get your backyard kitted out for rest and relaxation or soiree-ready entertaining. Natural materials such as jute and teak are contrasted with sculptural aluminum to make for an outdoor living area of interesting contrasts.
Editor’s pick: Rosen Indoor Outdoor Sofa
Pricing: $$$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: 20% off applied at checkout
12. Loll
Made in the USA, Loll’s outdoor furniture not only looks good but is crafted from post-consumer recycled plastic – mostly from milk jugs – which has helped the brand repurpose and keep more than 100 million items of waste out of landfills since its founding. The brand’s streamlined and minimalist outdoor seating has earned eco-friendly Cradle to Cradle certification for its circular design principles, with materials able to be recycled at the end of a product’s lifespan and reused again and again; win-win all round.
Editor’s pick: Adirondack Lounge Chair
Pricing: $$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: 15% off and free shipping
13. CB2
Cool and contemporary, the CB2 sale on its outdoor collection delivers the modern design the brand is known for at a mid-range price point. Materials tend to be a mix of more affordable, yet slightly less weather-resistant, powder-coated steel or iron, and more durable yet higher investment aluminum or teak, but if you’re looking for designer details at a mid-range price point, the brand rarely fails to deliver.
Editor’s pick: Cana Modern Outdoor Corner Chair
Pricing: $$-$$$$
Labor Day discount: Up to 50% of outdoor furniture
14. Pottery Barn
This year’s Pottery Barn outdoor collection offers a really strong mix of timeless aluminum-framed rattan lounge sets, contemporary aluminum Adirondack chairs and dining sets, and a mix of more affordable hardwood acacia and mahogany patio furniture alongside super durable teak options; all at some refreshingly good value price points.
Editor’s pick: Huntington All-Weather Wicker Square Arm Swivel Lounge Chair
Pricing: $$-$$$
15. Castlery
Another worthy contender if you’re looking for modern outdoor furniture that won’t break the bank, Castlery is always hot on the latest design trends, producing design-led indoor and outdoor furniture that’s perfect if you’re on a budget. There are contemporary lounge sets and spacious outdoor dining sets on offer, with more to come as the season unfolds.
Editor’s pick: Sorrento Dining Table and Six Chairs
Pricing: $$-$$$
Labor Day discount: Up to $550 off sitewide
16. Arhaus
If you’re looking for luxe outdoor furniture to transform your outside space into a relaxation or entertaining zone worthy of a five-star retreat, then Arhaus has plenty of wow-factor outdoor designs to choose from. Think super spacious and contemporary sectional sofas and soiree-ready dining sets, all crafted from durable hardwoods or rust-resistant aluminum that will weather the elements as well as the brand’s timeless designs weather the trends.
Editor’s pick: Costa Outdoor Three Piece Sectional
Labor Day discount: Save $1,000s on outdoor furniture
17. Crate & Barrel
As well as its own ever-stylish outdoor collection, this year Crate & Barrel has partnered with outdoor furniture makers Neighbor to offer the brand’s FSC®-certified teak wood Haven designs. Added to the mix are statement black and white striped outdoor sofas, streamlined metal dining sets, and sculptural wooden patio furniture that are as much art installation as comfortable seating.
Editor’s pick: Kinney Teak Outdoor Dining Set
Pricing: $$-$$$
How to choose the best outdoor furniture for your outside space
Choosing the best outdoor furniture for your backyard will largely come down to how you want to use your outside space; do you want to entertain large numbers of guests on your patio, create a family-friendly backyard, or create a peaceful space to relax and unwind amongst nature?
If you’re blessed with plenty of space to play with then you may want to create outdoor ‘rooms’ as you would with an interior, adding a patio table and chairs that are spacious enough to host the number of family and friends you would regularly entertain around a barbecue area in the ‘outdoor dining’ zone, and creating a more relaxed, informal seating area with a corner sectional, or lounge set as an ‘outdoor living room’.
If you prefer to gravitate towards the pool, then easily maneuvrable chaise loungers and quick-drying water-resistant fabrics will be paramount – our pool ideas page can give you some inspiration for luxury poolside styling. Create cozy spots with outdoor swing chairs or dedicated zones for a pair of bistro chairs.
If the backyard is the place you retreat to for some quiet rest and relaxation, consider a comfortable chaise lounger, take a cue from our porch decor ideas and invest in an Adirondack chair, or group a small number of outdoor chairs together to create a more intimate seating area.
And if space is at a premium then a small yet stylish bistro set will still allow you to dine under the stars when the weather is amenable.
What are the most durable outdoor furniture materials?
Once you’ve decided on the stye of patio furniture that will work best for your lifestyle, it’s time to consider materials. We’ve summarised some of the key factors to consider when shopping for the most durable investment below.
Metal
Whether you opt for a predominantly metal piece of outdoor furniture, or a wicker corner sectional or dining set for your patio, it’s likely that metal will be used to create the base structure of the furniture design. Therefore, it’s important to understand the differences in what’s available.
Although it’s usually much more expensive than the powder-coated steel alternatives, aluminum-framed outdoor furniture is by far the more durable metal option, and this extra outdoor durability can make it by far the better value investment long-term. This is because, unlike corrosive steel which relies on the powder-coating for protection, aluminum forms its own protective barrier, stopping moisture from penetrating its surface and making it a highly rust-resistant and weather-resistant metal.
For this reason, aluminum patio furniture can be left outside all year round making it a super low maintenance option as well (although manufacturers may still recommend sheltering it from the worst of the elements to prolong its lifespan even further).
Wicker
An ever-popular patio option, wicker outdoor furniture offers a timeless look that blends with most garden styles. However, most modern ‘wicker’ or ‘rattan’ outdoor furniture is actually made of PE-rattan or polyrattan, a polyurethane plastic that offers the benefits of being lightweight, waterproof, weather-resistant, and low maintenance.
The key consideration in shopping for the best wicker outdoor furniture is the construction of the metal base frame that gives rattan furniture its support. As explained above, a powder-coated steel frame is likely to weather much faster than an aluminum frame, meaning steel-based wicker furniture is likely to need storing under shelter in inclement weather, whereas an aluminum-framed option is far lower maintenance and more durable, although is likely to come with a more hefty price tag as a result.
Wood
You’ll find wooden patio furniture made from many types of timber, but when shopping for the most durable wooden outdoor furniture, it’s hardwoods that you’ll want to look out for.
Teak is the hardwood most prized for its strength and durability outdoors. As well as offering an extremely dense grain that prevents moisture from penetrating, teak retains high levels of natural oils in its timber once cut, which further helps to prevent the wood from weathering. You can top up the wood with teak oil to offer even more weather resistance, although many allow the timber to weather over time to its signature soft silvery patina.
However, this dense grain is down to teak’s extremely slow-growing habit, and that slow growth, plus the difficulty of working with such a tough timber makes it one of the most expensive wooden options.
Like many kinds of wood, teak is also in danger of being harvested unsustainably. Reclaimed teak wood can be a more eco-friendly solution, or, as when buying any wood product, make sure to look for FSC-certification which should ensure the tree has been felled within a managed forest rather than contributing to damaging deforestation.
Cheaper and faster-growing alternatives that are now becoming very popular outdoor furniture choices are the hardwoods acacia and eucalyptus. These woods may be slightly less dense than teak but they are far-quicker growing, allowing them to be grown and managed to yield greater quantities of wood more sustainably – although again, it’s important to look for FSC accreditation. A little low-maintenance upkeep with a coat of wood preservative each year should ensure these hardwoods retain plenty of weather resistance.
If you’re looking for durability, then try to avoid outdoor furniture that is simply listed as a ‘wood’ or timber’ build, as it’s more likely these options are crafted from less weather-resistant softwoods.
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