Where to buy outdoor furniture
12 best places to shop for patio furniture right now
Hi friends,
The hot topic of my groupchats these days (aka the north star of my content strategy) is: patio furniture. We’ve been getting the occasional early spring bluebird day—a sure sign to start tackling our outdoor spaces.
Like buying holiday garlands in October, this is one of those things that I like to do early in the season, so that you can sit back and smugly enjoy your space while everyone else is scrambling to buy things in May that will probably arrive in July.
By the time it’s actually nice enough to sit outside every day, you are late to the game. Case in point: I was eyeing these Target wicker lounge chairs last week and they went out of stock!
If you’ve been meaning to spruce up one of your patio spaces, consider this your sign to start this weekend! Maybe with a glass of my fave effervescent orange wine while you browse?
Today, sharing 12 places to shop for patio furniture to make your European summer backyard fantasies come true—plus a few of my favorite picks from each. I tried to go high-low with a mix of retailers and price points, because everyone deserves a seat in the sun.
(You might want to be on desktop for this one… we’ve got links. Lots of links!)
Teresa
12 places to shop for outdoor furniture
Facebook Marketplace: My absolute favorite place to shop is Facebook Marketplace, because there’s nothing like the thrill of finding a deal that would make your Asian mother proud. The best value outdoor furniture you can buy, in my opinion, is used teak furniture off of Facebook or Craigslist. Teak is super expensive new but often hugely discounted when you find it used from Barbara in the burbs. These next few weeks are an ideal time to cruise the FBM as people uncover their outdoor furniture and question the choices of their past selves.
IKEA: Do not discount IKEA if you’re trying to furnish on the cheap, as long as you are up for some sanding, staining, and resealing. This acacia set under $500 has rave reviews, and many have recommended the Applaro line to me, too.
Target: Most things from Target are not going to be particularly durable, but they do have some affordable items worth taking a look at, particularly if you have a covered space or you might not be in your current living situation for long. Per above, I’m waiting for these wicker lounge chairs to come back in stock for a comfy work-from-laptop situation. This modular coffee table and accent stool set also looks like a perfect small-space solution. And, you can get the wrought iron look for less with this reasonably priced metal loveseat.
Article: While not a huge fan of Article’s indoor furniture because it leans a little mid-century for my taste, their outdoor furniture looks like it’d blend well with a variety of styles—and it’s well-priced, too. I think their pieces would be great for a milder climate (I really like this outdoor dining table, and have had friends in California who love their stuff), but based on the reviews, they may not be the most long-lasting if you get harsher weather.
CB2: I love CB2 for outdoor furniture because it packs a solid design punch for not a crazy amount of money. It seems there is a vast range in quality, but most items have enough reviews that you can get a sense for if it’s a dud. Otherwise, when the weather warms up, CB2 usually sets out their most popular outdoor pieces so you can see them in person. I’ve had my eye on this outdoor lounge chair for our office balcony and these terrazzo side tables for our small backyard lounge space. We have a couple of these outdoor dining chairs that are finally starting to show some wear after five or six years, but for the price and the amount of use we got out of them, well worth it!
Steve wanting to know where the armrests are Lulu and Georgia: Our wicker weave dining chairs are my favorite things in the backyard—sure to elicit “oohs” from your girlfriends and “why aren’t there armrests?” from your husband. If you need something less visually heavy, these airy teak dining chairs are it. Looking for something you can take inside or pack up for the park? These fold-up navy stripe chairs are so cute. L&G editorials are also worth a browse if you need some patio inspo.
Kathy Kuo: I sort of lump Kathy Kuo, Burke Decor, Scout & Nimble in the same category since they tend to have a lot of overlapping inventory—in particular, items from the manufacturer Four Hands. Our most recent loungey addition to our backyard is this cozy teak loveseat in stone grey, which I’m planning to pair with the CB2 terrazzo side table above. If you like the wrought iron vibe, I’ve always liked this Sunset West set, as seen in Danielle Moss’ backyard here. The same brand also makes some beautiful teak stuff.
Design Within Reach: Every time we look at a price tag at DWR, Mike asks me what about DWR is “within reach,” haha. That said, for those inclined toward a metal table I love this one which manages to be chic and non-industrial.
Terrain: Prior to launching their own line of outdoor furniture, the Jenni Kayne Ranch was outfitted with sofas and chairs from Terrain’s Grove line (on sale!), so you know it has the aesthetic stamp of approval. If I had the right space for it I’d buy this round teak table in a second. This oval dining table and accompanying dining benches would be such a good pick for a smaller patio space, too.
Polywood: The last time I was at a ski resort and spotted some Adirondack chairs around a fire, I ran over and checked the maker to see if it was a certain brand that could really weather the elements. Sure enough, Polywood. If you live in an area that gets heavy rain or snow, or you’re just a lazybird who doesn’t cover your furniture, you really cannot beat the durability of Polywood. Polywood is not cheap, but their furniture is extremely sturdy and heavy duty. I have a set of two white Adirondack chairs at our lake house that we left out in the sun all summer long. Of the dining tables, I like this round table and their farmhouse table. The white colorway looks striking by the water or on grass, the black or gray work well for a more modern look, and sand sort of mimics the color of weathered teak. (You can buy Polywood directly through them, which is where you’ll find the widest availability of items and colors. However, I’ve often found better prices on Wayfair.)
Room and Board: Everything that I’ve ever bought from Room and Board has been top-notch quality, but I’ve never considered their outdoor furniture. We recently stayed at a rental in coastal Mexico that was owned by the founders of Room and Board, and the entire thing was outfitted in Room and Board furniture. All of it looked impeccable despite being outside uncovered every day and close to the sea, so consider me a convert. This coffee table is such a slim and understated option. Outdoor furniture that looks like indoor furniture is so up my alley—this sofa has sleek, beautiful lines and you can customize the fabric, too. A velvet swivel chair rated for outdoors? Would be so luxe for a cozy little balcony reading spot.
Restoration Hardware: I’m very into Restoration Hardware’s teak furniture. If you’ve got a big, bossy backyard that calls for some beautiful large-scale furniture, RH would be my pick—but it’s definitely an investment. I love the Oslo line in particular because it looks like it could live inside, too. (Katherine Power’s Italy-inspired backyard above featuring the Aegean line, complete with cratered in olive trees.)
Where to buy new cushions
If your outdoor lounge set just needs a cushion refresh, consider getting custom cushions made instead of scrapping it altogether.
When I had been considering a secondhand teak sofa, I made note of these recommended sources from the Tasteful Friends of Teahouse:
Where to buy outdoor furniture covers
As mentioned, I’m a total lazybird who despises covering my outdoor furniture, especially in the summer when we try to eat outside most evenings.
But I truly think it’s a must if you live in an area that gets a lot of sunshine, rain, snow, or grime in the air. Even with covers, our outdoor dining furniture always needs a good wipe-down before we eat. With that said, here’s where I’d recommend buying your covers:
Directly from the retailer: When available, covers offered directly from the retailer are usually the best value since you get a custom fit at non-custom prices. No-brainer.
Amazon: I’ve had this canvas cover over a variety of dining table and chair combos for the last five years, and it’s held up very well. There is no chance in hell you will find me regularly covering six chairs individually and a table, so throwing this cover over our full dining setup has been my hacky workaround solution that ensures our furniture is protected for the least amount of effort.
Custom: If you are looking for something custom-sized and long-lasting to protect an investment piece of furniture, two options that were recommended to me were Cover Store and Creative Covers. I ended up ordering from Creative Covers—they’re a family-owned online business out of Illinois. After chatting with them over the phone (they are so very helpful), I went with the SunMaster waterproof material in khaki. My cover arrived in under two weeks, and I’m very happy with it—it is simple, neutral, and high quality, while fitting snugly over our loveseat!
Have any favorite outdoor furniture pieces to share? String lights, outdoor pillows, or planters that you recommend? We’re all ears… let us know in the comments.
There are some affiliate links in today’s issue, which means I might make a baby commission at no cost to you if you purchase something through one of these links.
So many goodies here!!!
I can’t wait for sunnier, warmer days! Agree on FB Marketplace 🙌🏻🙌🏻