Summer is the season for outdoor entertaining; barbecues and pool parties and just lounging around spending time with friends and family and soaking up a little sun. But it can be difficult to decorate a one-season space, especially if you have a relatively small deck or patio. One of the best ways to maximize seating in a small outdoor space is to opt for nesting outdoor furniture. These are full outdoor dining sets that fit into a very small footprint. In most cases, that means a table and chairs that can seat four or more that you can stow away so it takes up no more space than the table itself.
What Is Nesting Outdoor Furniture?
Never heard of nesting outdoor furniture before? The concept is fairly simple. With a standard table and chairs, the chairs push maybe half way under the table. But with nesting outdoor furniture, the chairs can fit completely underneath the table, often forming a smooth, solid exterior. That means you can pack the furniture completely away when you aren’t using it, and only expand it as much or as often as you need it. Some sets include more than just a table and chairs; often, the chairs will have ottomans, too; ones that fit completely underneath the seat, but are tall enough that you can use them as chairs themselves. All total? That’s an eight-person seating set tucked into the size of a smallish square table.
Who Are They Good For?
This is useful for outdoor spaces of every size. For a small deck or patio, it means having seating when you need it that won’t take up all your space when you aren’t using it. For a large outdoor space, it means having the ability to accommodate anything from a small group to a large crowd without having to overload on built-in seating or outdoor sectionals. In a larger space, you can even disguise a nesting outdoor set as a large coffee table for a built-in sectional, and simply pull out additional seating as needed.
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Better Than The Budget Option
Folding chairs, budget lawn chairs, or cheap plastic seating are the typical go-tos for adding seating in a pinch, but you can do better! We tend to fall back on these less-than-stellar options because they’re convenient; if you need to add a lot of seating in a pinch, cheap stacking chairs fill the need, and are inexpensive enough you won’t mind the loss. But nesting furniture has the style, comfort, and longevity that most budget outdoor furniture lacks. It’ll cost more upfront, but save you in re-buying every season (and having a stack of plastic chairs on your deck!). Plus, nesting outdoor sets offer seating for up to eight in as little as 40″ square.
Weatherproof And Easy To Store
Many nesting outdoor sets are also made of materials that hold up well to the elements. Synthetic wicker and powder-coated coated aluminum or steel are some of the more common options; both get high marks for durability compared to other outdoor seating options. Plus, because they’re so compact and stowable, keeping them in storage during the off season becomes a much more viable option as well. Even keeping them covered – which is generally a rather unsightly option for large pieces of outdoor furniture – can work for nesting outdoor sets because you’re covering a single, small, uniform shape rather than a large and unwieldy set.
Semi-Nested Options
You can get this space saving design with a more conventional look as well. After all, while fully-nesting outdoor furniture looks totally normal when it’s in use, it can look a tad cubist when it’s in storage. Sets that are only partially nesting, or tables and chairs that are designed so you can push the chairs further under the table when they aren’t in use, are less noticeably compact, but still take up less space when they aren’t in use. Remember, though, that the more thoroughly the pieces store under the table, the better they’ll be protected from the elements.
Multi-Function “Nesting” Outdoor Beds
Don’t need a dining-height table? If you’re more interested in lounging and chatting than sitting down to a meal, consider a modular outdoor bed instead. These aren’t “nesting” in the most traditional sense – none of the pieces fit underneath one another. But they do push and pull apart; in this case, transforming from an outdoor lounge into a circular seating set with a coffee table/ottoman in the middle. Outdoor beds are typically bigger than a nesting dining set, but lend an even greater degree of multi-functionality. A great option for people who spend a lot of time outside, but only host guests occasionally.
Though the look isn’t traditional, this versatile outdoor furniture is both useful and stylish, especially for those with limited space or in need of a flexible seating solution.
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