Garden Dining Sets

How many places you need

Start with the number of people who eat outside most often, then add a place or two for guests. Most of our sets seat four or six. A four-seater suits a couple or a small family on a compact patio, while a six-seater gives a family room to spread out, or lays a table for friends on a summer evening. The Seating Capacity filter on this page narrows the range to the number of places you choose. If you often host a larger group, two smaller sets side by side can be more useful than one very large table, because they split up again for everyday meals.

Allow about a metre behind each chair so it pulls out without catching a wall, a step or the edge of a flower bed. The table's dimensions are worth checking on its product page before you order, especially for a terrace with a door that opens onto it.

Round tables or rectangular ones

A round table puts everyone the same distance from the middle, which keeps a conversation going and suits a square patio or a corner of the lawn. A rectangular table seats more people along its length and sits neatly against a wall, a hedge or the long side of a terrace. We stock both shapes.

As a rough guide, a round table for four takes up less floor than a rectangular one for four, while a rectangular table for six fits a narrow terrace better than a large round one would. Chairs with arms are easier to sit in for a long meal, while armless chairs tuck further under the table and save room on a small patio.

Frames, weaves and table tops

Many of our sets wrap a synthetic rattan weave around an aluminium or steel frame. Aluminium keeps a chair light enough to lift with one hand when you sweep the patio. Steel is heavier and stays where you put it. Acacia wood appears on table tops, arm rests and some whole sets for a warmer look, and some tables carry a glass top that wipes clean in a moment after a meal.

Each product page lists the set's materials, and the Material filter narrows the range to one of them. If you plan to move the set between the patio and the lawn, a lighter frame makes that easier; if it will stay in one place all summer, weight matters much less.

Cushions and comfort at the table

Some sets come with seat pads or cushions for the chairs, and the product page says which. A cushion makes a long lunch far more comfortable, and it softens the look of a metal or woven chair. Bringing cushions indoors when the meal is over keeps them fresh for the next time you eat outside.

If you want to add cushions to a set, or replace worn ones, our outdoor cushions are linked below.

Colours for a patio or a lawn

Grey, natural and beige cover most of the range. Grey sits well beside slate, dark paving and contemporary planting, while natural and beige tones suit sandstone, gravel, timber decking and a cottage garden. A set in a colour close to your paving tends to look settled from the first day.

The Colour filter on this page shows one shade at a time.

Planning the space around the table

Think about the route from the kitchen door to the table: a short, level path makes carrying plates easier and keeps a dining set in use through the summer. Level ground matters too, because a table that rocks on uneven slabs is quickly abandoned for the kitchen.

Morning sun, evening sun and shade from a tree or a wall all change how a patio feels at mealtimes, so watch the light for a day before you choose the spot. If the garden slopes, look for the flattest area near the house, or lay a few paving slabs to give the table legs a level base.

Keeping a dining set in good order

Wipe the table after each meal, brush crumbs out of any weave with a soft brush, and dry the seats after a shower before anyone sits down. Over the winter, a fitted cover or a dry shed keeps the set clean until spring, and our garden furniture covers are linked below. Move the table and chairs now and then so the paving or the lawn underneath gets light and air, and check that the feet sit evenly. Mild soap and water is enough for most frames and weaves, because harsh cleaners can dull a finish.