When it comes to patio furniture, it would be hard to improve on the the style or comfort factor of the Adirondack chair. Invented in 1903 by Thomas Lee for his summer house in upstate New York, the original Westport chair was made of 11 hemlock planks designed to hold an occupant gently upright while napping.
These days materials and designs may vary—recycled plastic Adirondack chairs are having a moment—with one constant: Thomas Lee’s insistence on generously wide armrests endures.
We’ve rounded up 10 Adirondack chairs—including some that are foldable—made of teak, plastic, and other woods including hemlock:
Above: A Teak Adirondack Chair pre-treated to resist wear from sun and rain is $628 from Terrain. Above: From Loll Designs, a weather-impervious Adirondack Chair made of recycled plastic (mostly milk jugs) comes in 9 colors including British green as shown; $725 from DWR. Above: Crate & Barrel’s Paso Polywood Adirondack Chair is $499 to $699. Above: The Persephone Teak Adirondack Chair is hand-crafted from plantation-grown, marine-grade teak; $1,473 at Pottery Barn. Above: An Emmet Lounge Chair is made of recycled plastic, comes in eight colors including black as shown, and has a steel bottle opener under one arm; $449 from Room & Board. Read more about the history and invention of this very essential style of summer lounge chair in Object Lessons: The Adirondack Chair.
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