Furniture guide
A guide to relaxed dining
Relaxed outdoor dining is less about a specific style and more about proportions that let people linger: enough table depth for shared dishes, chairs with a slight recline, and a surface that isn't precious about a spilled glass of wine.
Give the table room to breathe
A table depth of at least 100cm comfortably fits shared serving dishes down the centre without crowding place settings.
Mix chair types
Pairing dining chairs with a bench or a couple of armchairs at the ends softens a formal table layout and encourages people to stay longer.
Rope and woven detailing add warmth
Woven rope seating or rattan backs bring a tactile, relaxed texture that contrasts well with a solid wood tabletop.
Putting it into practice
For everyday family dining, choose a table sized for your usual headcount plus two — it's rarely used at full capacity but pays off when guests come. For entertaining-focused spaces, an extendable table gives flexibility without permanently taking up the larger footprint.
Frequently asked
What's a comfortable seat width per diner?+
Aim for at least 60cm of table width per seated guest so elbows don't collide.
Round or rectangular table for a small terrace?+
Round tables use corner space more efficiently on tight terraces and make conversation easier across the whole table.
How do I keep an outdoor dining set looking new?+
A seasonal wipe-down and covering the set during long unused stretches is usually enough for teak and performance-fabric pieces.
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