Now that the weather has (mostly) warmed up, I’m eager to get to work outside. I’m still looking for a matching set of dining chairs for the backyard. I would love to own any of these, but buying eight of them would be pretty pricey:
- 1. Marais A Chair, $250
- 2. Metropolitan Chair, $139
- 3. Marais A56 Armchair, $275
Here’s what we’ll likely end up with:
- 4. Blankö Chair, $19.99
- 5. Urban Chair, $39.99
I haven’t sat in the Blankö chair (my IKEA doesn’t have it yet), but Brandon and I both like the simple lines of it. I’ve considered the Urban chair before, but I always think it looks a little funny in person. Maybe out of the store and in the context of my garden it would look more stylish? They look sharp in this photo that ran in Blueprint:
Which chair would you choose?
Hi!
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I have an interior design type of blog and wanted to know if it was OK that I shared all this love for your style on my blog. I made sure to link back to your page.
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Of course. Thank you!
#1 and #4 are my favorites.
I like either of the IKEA chairs…but now I’m really missing Blueprint. Dang that was a good magazine!
we have the urban chairs in green; they are inside mostly, so I can’t tell you how they hold up to weather, but I can tell you that they are comfortable, and great for the kids – no sharp edges or corners, light and sturdy.
I love the Urban, think they look so comfy. We bought our garden furniture just before they hit IKEA in Dublin and I wish I’d seen them before making purchase.
That said, I’m not sure I love them $20 per chair more than the Blankö ;) Unless maybe there was a pink version of the Urban… Yum.
The Urban Chair has always been a favorite of mine, everytime I’m at Ikea and having a slice of their chocolate cake with some of their yummy coffee I’m always surprised at how comfy those chairs are in the restaurant, that just so happen to be the urban chair! Can’t wait to see what you do to the backyard this year!
I have the Urban chairs for the kitchen table and they work fine in my small apartment. They are pretty sturdy and I plan on using them as outside patio type seating once I buy a home next year.
I think the Urban chairs are really great for indoors and outdoors!
U R B A N!!!!
Have a nice day!!
A Metropolitan & Urban Combo
Re Above: Not a single chair mash-up but a few of each ; )
I would go with the plastic, anyway, just so I wouldn’t get burned on the metal chairs when they heat up in the sun…even if you did add a cushion…just leaning back would hurt.
Honestly, these chairs do not look comfortable. You want to have dinner outside and linger and relax and talk, etc. You may not find any in your style, but a swivel, rocker type of outdoor chair is my pick. I have 3 sets of outdoor furniture scattered in/around my pool, upper deck and outdoor kitchen area. I love them for the following reasons:
1. Comfortable – totally!
2. U don’t have to scoot them in/out to get up – you turn (b/c they swivel) and get up
3. They rock, so you can lean back a bit and really relax and have a conversation.
I have tall back and standard back chairs and would not buy the tall backs again – can’t see over them, etc.
My table also has a lazy susan in the middle – great option as well. Just a thought – but with table, 4 chairs, cushions, etc the set was about 1,200. Not sure where that falls in the price range you were aiming for – but isn’t comfort priceless(?) – Kristy
My mom found similar chairs to #1 at Costco last year. Perhaps they’re carrying them again!
I like the IKEA chair, the Blankö one. But then, I’m from Sweden so I might not be objective :) It just looks like a semi-traditional chair, just more….weather-functional :D
I would go with the Blankö one and spray paint them to look like the Metro chair!
I like chair number 5. Don’t worry about the damages because of the weather. Wherever we live, exterior furniture don’t last as much as the inside one.
I vote for the Urban chair – and love it in the orange like in the Blueprint picture.
I just saw the Blankö chair at Ikea, and I LOVE it, I think I might get some for myself.
Urban all the way!
I like the urban, esp. in the baby blue…
I just went to a local restaurant in Austin and saw the urban chairs in their outdoor patio and thought of you! These chairs are green and they look whimsical and cute. I liked them paired with their wood tables…
You have to check out the Loop chair at Urban Outfitters…super cute.
Wow. Super cute, indeed!
What about these Reed chairs from CB2?
http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=11021&f=5574
I just ordered a few for my dining room, but I’m sure they’d be beautiful outdoors as well. And at half the price of the Tolix chairs, they’re a bit more affordable.
This is kind of similar to #2 – not quite as cool and industrial, but only $59.
http://www.tableschairsbarstools.com/cooualvebare.html
(I’ve been obsessed with finding chairs for our patio and your post yesterday has spurred extensive internet research!)
Wow, that’s a good price. It’s a knockoff of the Emeco Navy Chair.
wow – people really have opinions about chairs. i say go with the best you can afford. if you get cheap plastic chairs, they won’t last (AZ weather is extreme also), so i would go with metal and soften them up with cushions – Sunbrella fabrics last and won’t fade. while you may spend more initially, you won’t be buying chairs every year.
I can’t believe the Blanko chair is only 19.99. That’s real bargain!
I remember that Blueprint article – very cute. I think I would go with chairs same style as chair #1. I have had this photo on my inspiration board for a while now. http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/home-tour-swedish-accents#slide_9
The stool in it is the same style as the chair. I also like the table set up with those metal chairs that I posted a while ago. I love the way the chairs mix with many styles.
http://entertaininganytime.typepad.com/sparkling_ink/2010/03/-spring-kitchen-.html
So pretty. Brandon just told me yesterday that he thinks those chairs look like “cheap watering cans”! I love them though.
Thanks for posting the picture of the teak table with the urban chairs! We have a teak table and chairs in the backyard and I have been toying with the idea of switching out the chairs for the urban chairs. Just as a heads up: someone is selling 4 of the white urban chairs on the Chicago craigslist for $70. Not a bad deal!
I’m waiting to hear back from the seller… hopefully I can grab the set!
We just got the Blankö and they are super comfy – the in-laws were hanging out on them last weekend. You can buy .99 cent cushions at ikea that match. Our ikea didn’t get the white ones, so we went with the turquoise and loooove them! They look really expensive in real life – nicely powdercoated. Good luck!
All these chairs have great lines…the Urban chair does look fantastic in that photo spread….Are you looking at a particular color?…that orange looks fantastic & really pops…its very you…stands out in a classy way :) Cant wait to see what you decide on.
My mother has some bucket style metal chairs that look like they were made from old wash bins….I’ll aske her where she got them and how much they were.
They’re shaped like the #3 in the first group, but the back is solid.
I love these! But metal outdoors? Burned bums come to mind ;)
highly recommend the cafe chair from dwr. we have four of them and i can sit in them for much much time. dont bother with the cushions.
We have these chairs on our deck in Minnesota, although I do bring them in during the winter. http://hivemodern.com/pages/products.php?view=sub_product&sid=883 We have had them for two years and they still look great.
Went with the Tolix. Bought four without the arms, but will buy two with the arms this summer. You can buy them at http://www.antiquaireonline.com/
They have an amazing collection and located right outside of Chicago.