Outdoor furniture for small spaces (6 stunning designs you'll love)

Affordable outdoor furniture for small spaces. Turn your small patio, balcony or porch into a relaxing sanctuary in no time! Today, I'm sharing my favourite designs, accessories and sources.

Planning outdoor furniture for small spaces

Some people think that smaller outdoor areas are easier to buy for than a large patio or terrace. That's not true! Smaller patio and balcony areas need to be well planned and thought through if you want to make the most of available space.

Before you start

Before you rush out and buy furniture, take a minute to think about how you will be using your outdoor patio or balcony and how much space you have on hand. Do you need a chair or a small bench outside the door where you can relax with your morning coffee? Or, would you like a small outdoor seating set where you can chat with friends? Would you rather have one larger love seat or two comfy chairs?

Find your Style

Next, you need to think about the aesthetic. What mood do you want to create with your outdoor seating area? Should it have a country cottage feel with wicker chairs or a more modern look with rattan or metal?

Take a minute to think about how the new outdoor furniture will blend in with what you already have. You will also need to consider the style of your house.

It's important to answer these questions first. If you know what you are looking for, you will be less likely to swerve off track when you come to purchase your outdoor furniture for small spaces.

For your convenience, this website contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to yourself however, it helps towards the costs of running this blog. Thanks so much for your support of Chalking Up Success! Please read my full disclosure here.

My Almost mistake - outdoor furniture for small spaces

That's what almost happened to me this year! As soon as I saw this outdoor chair, I wanted it. Even my husband agreed it looked great and said I should get it. Then, I thought about how it would look on our small deck. Except for a small bench outside the front door, all of our current furniture (tables, chairs, loungers) are black. We chose black because our house is blue and black looks great against it. This outdoor chair would look at odds with everything else that we have. I decided to look for something more fitting to the style and colour of our house.

UPDATE: See the post 'Charming small porch decorating ideas and tips for summer' to see my small porch makeover.

Buying outdoor furniture for small spaces

Once you've worked out exactly what type of furniture you need, you will be ready to take advantage of any sales that might come up while you are searching. If you keep your eye out, you might come up with some real bargains.

Design boards - Outdoor furniture for small spaces

I had some fun putting together these design boards with outdoor furniture and accessories. Even though they include various styles of furniture, most accessories I've sourced complement them all.

Indoor/outdoor rugs

You'll notice that I've incorporated a round indoor/outdoor rug in each of my designs. Round rugs take up less space than square or rectangle rugs but are still large enough for an outdoor seating area.

My choice of outdoor furniture for small spaces

SHOPPING TIP: The plants and accessories I've included in all these designs can also be purchased online. Click on any image in the 'Shop this style' section to go straight to the product.

For your convenience, this website contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to yourself however, it helps towards the costs of running this blog. Thanks so much for your support of Chalking Up Success! Please read my full disclosure here.

Black and tan outdoor furniture for small spaces

Rattan Loveseat

First up is this beautiful rattan loveseat. Now, if this isn't Instagram worthy, I don't know what is! I've accessorised it with beautiful striped square and lumbar pillows and a striped throw blanket.

Umbrella with lights

The black sun umbrella has LED lights underneath, perfect for dreamy summer evenings.

Side Table

The small round wooden side table with a marble top provides space for a tray of drinks or a small vignette with candles and plants.

Round geometric rug

The striking geometric rug makes a statement and draws your eye to this pretty corner of the deck, patio or balcony.

Plants

Most outdoor furniture for small spaces will look more put together when styled with some plants. If you have room, try to incorporate at least one larger potted plant in your design. It will ground the outdoor seating area and help it blend with its surroundings.

Lighting

Black metal floor lanterns and festoon string lights round off this design with beautiful outdoor furniture for small spaces.

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Black and tan outdoor furniture for small spaces 2

Rocking Patio seating set

For this design, I've swapped out the rattan loveseat for two gorgeous rocking chairs! A small matching table completes this outdoor seating set. (included in the price!) These chairs also come in white, which looks stunning too! These space-saving rocking chairs look so comfy with their thick padded cushions. They are a great alternative to the classic porch rocking chair and take up much less space.

This rocking chair set includes a round wooden table in the same style. It's also space-saving and placed between the chairs, provides a handy spot for summer drinks or maybe a carafe full of iced Elderflower cordial!

Umbrella

The black umbrella has rings of white stripes that emulate stripes in the rug I've chosen for this design. The wooden stand complements the wood of the chairs and table, making it look as if it belongs with the outdoor seating set.

Black and tan table

The round side table is part of this outdoor seating set. Again, it's space-saving and compact. Like the chairs, the table is stylish enough to use inside in the cooler months.

Round striped rug

As I said above, I chose this rug because it ties in with the stripes on the sun umbrella, creating a cohesive design. Again, the rug draws your eye towards this beautiful seating area.

Plants

This outdoor furniture for small spaces is grounded, with two faux palm trees. If you can grow these in your area, real palms would be even better. The plants create symmetry and a sense of enclosure, turning this seating area into a cosy summer retreat.

Lighting

I've used the same black metal lanterns and festoon string lights as for the previous design. Festoon lights scream summer to me! Additionally, I've chosen a rattan lantern for the round side table. I'm seeing rattan elements everywhere right now and have plenty of these lanterns in my own home. But then, If you follow me on Instagram, you will already know of my lantern addiction!

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Black and tan outdoor furniture for small spaces 3

OK, well spotted! This design is mostly the same as design 2 above. In this design, I've created a contrast between the black rocking chairs and black umbrella with another round rug, this time in a natural colour. I love both designs so much! I have to share them both!

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Outdoor furniture for small spaces 4

A modern take on a more traditional style!

Handwoven wicker loveseat

This gorgeous wicker loveseat is cosy enough for two people. I love that the backrest has an open weave, which allows air circulation on balmy summer evenings! This loveseat has a metal frame. It's strong and can withstand most weather conditions. This loveseat is perfect for creating a cosy spot on your balcony or patio!

Solar Sun umbrella

Here, we have a sun umbrella with a secret. A small solar panel stores energy during the day to light up the umbrella in the evening! Sit and enjoy the summer well into the night with this ingeniously designed sun umbrella! The beige colour ties in nicely with the rug I chose for this design.

Table

As this loveseat has a metal frame, I decided to go for a small round side table with metal legs and frame. This table is another piece of outdoor furniture for small spaces that would work just as well inside.

Round Lattice Rug

No need to compromise on style with a beautiful, lattice style indoor/outdoor rug! The stylish, eye-catching rug in this design is resistant to weather, stains and fading from the sun. It complements the colour of the sun umbrella, pulling the design together nicely!

Plants

Nearly natural ficus trees

I'm a big fan of adding real plants around seating areas but if real is not your thing, these nearly natural, faux ficus trees are the next best thing. They look nice and bushy and will create a cosy sense of enclosure for your outdoor seating area.

As this is a more formal design, I've added two more plants in front of the loveseat for symmetry. Two large metal planting containers hold faux plants in this case but real plants would be even better!

Lighting

Black metal lanterns look lovely placed next to the large metal containers. Of course, festoon lights are used here too. As with all of my designs, I love an extra bit of sparkle of a summer's eve!

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Outdoor furniture for small spaces 5

Black, which and tan Boho retreat!

As you can see, this outdoor furniture for small spaces design has been created in the Boho (Bohemian) style!

Seating

Who wouldn't love to while away some hours in these oversized ergonomic chairs with high armrests and wide comfortable seats? Again, the chair backs have a wide weave allowing for air circulation all around. Comfy, weather-resistant cushions are the icing on the cake!

Sun umbrella

This weather and UV resistant sun umbrella is has a pretty fringe in keeping with the Boho style! It has an easy crank system, allowing the umbrella to be tilted in any direction. You will always have a shady place to withdraw from the heat of the day!

Side table

This pretty side table is part of the seating set. It has an easy-clean glass top which would be the perfect place to place some summer snacks, drinks or even a vase of your favourite garden flowers!

Round striped rug

Another eye-catcher! This round striped rug is also has a fringe that complements the sun umbrella perfectly! All of the outdoor rugs I've used in these designs catch your eye and draw you in. This black and white striped rug is utterly mesmerising!

Plants

For this design, I've chosen 6ft tall artificial Ficus trees. The trees sit inside a Boho style basket with handles which makes them easy to move around. These faux Ficus trees are for indoor use, meaning that you could only use them on a covered porch, balcony or patio. As I've said above, real trees would be even better.

I've used a large metal planter and green plant to create a central point in front of the table.

Lighting

Again, I've used black metal lanterns. They are so versatile and look good in almost every design.

Instead of black festoon lights, I've gone for white here for a change. Black lights would look just as good with this design!

Accessories

Pouf

This large, outdoor pouf is the perfect place to rest your feet at the end of a long day. It's big, so with a tray on top, it could easily double as another side table if needs be. I love flexible furniture!

Pillows and throws

Although this outdoor seating set already comes with large comfy cushions, I always like to add a contrasting pillow to the mix! Here, I've added a small lumbar pillow to each seat for added comfort.

It's always nice to have a throw handy for nights when the air cools down but when you're not quite ready to go inside. This black and white striped throw complements the rest of the accessories perfectly.

As a contrasting alternative, a natural coloured lumbar pillow literally welcomes you to sit and stay awhile.

Lanterns

As well as the black metal lanterns, I've added a woven, wicker, outdoor floor lantern. This battery-operated lantern has a handle that you can use to hang the lantern from above or on a garden hook. With its unusual fringed design, it's a great addition to any Boho style sitting area.

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Outdoor furniture for small spaces 5

The last of my outdoor furniture for small spaces designs features bold geometric patterns.

Seating

Another charming, open weave, loveseat! The sumptuous white seat cushion made from easy-clean, water and fade-resistant material is a bonus.

Solar Sun Umbrella

For this design, I chose the same solar sun umbrella with lights as in design number 4, above. The beige colour ties in nicely with the rug I chose for this design.

Side Table

Here, I chose a small round wooden side table with a smooth marble top. In a small outdoor space, round tables take up less space than square tables whilst still providing enough room for a tray of drinks and snacks.

Chevron rug

This time, my eye-catcher is a bold chevron-patterned indoor/outdoor rug. It's the perfect pop of pattern in an otherwise neutral design.

Plants

I've gone for the same bushy faux ficus here as I used above. Again real is best. If you can't go real, these artificial trees make great alternatives.

Again for symmetry in this more formal design, I've added two green plants in large metal containers.

Lighting

It's no surprise that I've added festoon lights to this design. I'm in love with how adding them creates a 'room' feeling. I drape festoon lights around the back of my pallet sofa and even use them inside for an extra bit of sparkle – you know how much I love sparkle!

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Outdoor furniture for small spaces

Well, now you've seen all of my design boards for setting up outdoor furniture for small spaces.

As you can see, just like room design, small outdoor spaces take a little bit of planning if you want to create a cohesive look.

Which design is your fave? Let me know in the comments below.

These posts are great too!

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