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11 Iconic Mid-century Outdoor Chair Designs You Should Know

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10 Easy PiecesIssue — By Design

11 Iconic Mid-century Outdoor Chair Designs You Should Know

June 4, 2026

Design classics aren’t just for interiors. In fact, a crop of notable mid-century designers made dining and lounge chairs for the outdoors (and/or their designs were later reworked for outdoor use). Here are our 11 favorite classic outdoor chair designs from the likes of Jens Risom, Willy Guhl, the Eameses and other design icons.

N.B.: Featured photograph, above, by Kendra Wilson and Jim Powell, from Garden Visit: Piet Oudolf in Quiet Menorca.

Designed for the Festival of Britain in \195\1 by Ernest Race, the Antelope Standard Chair is made of powder-coated steel and a molded plywood seat; it&#8\2\17;s still available today via LOF Direct in the UK and comes in a few options for the frame and seat finish; £378.
Above: Designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951 by Ernest Race, the Antelope Standard Chair is made of powder-coated steel and a molded plywood seat; it’s still available today via LOF Direct in the UK and comes in a few options for the frame and seat finish; £378.
The \1966 Collection was designed by Richard Schwartz for Florence Knoll, who wanted stylish outdoor furniture that would fit in at her Florida home. The \1966 Chair comes in a variety of color options for the aluminum frame, the mesh, and the straps; currently on sale for \$\1,700 at Knoll.
Above: The 1966 Collection was designed by Richard Schwartz for Florence Knoll, who wanted stylish outdoor furniture that would fit in at her Florida home. The 1966 Chair comes in a variety of color options for the aluminum frame, the mesh, and the straps; currently on sale for $1,700 at Knoll.
In the \1950s Charles and Ray Eames experimented with bent and welded wire to recreate their iconic shell chair. The experiments resulted in the Eames Wire Outdoor Chair produced today through Herman Miller in black or white powder-coating; \$875. It&#8\2\17;s also available in four vibrant colors via the Herman Miller x Hay collection.
Above: In the 1950s Charles and Ray Eames experimented with bent and welded wire to recreate their iconic shell chair. The experiments resulted in the Eames Wire Outdoor Chair produced today through Herman Miller in black or white powder-coating; $875. It’s also available in four vibrant colors via the Herman Miller x Hay collection.
The BK\1\1 Lounge Chair by Bodil Kjær for Carl Hansen & Son is intended for outdoor use as part of a \1959 collection of outdoor furniture by Kjær. It’s made of oiled teak for \$\1,750 at Lumens.
Above: The BK11 Lounge Chair by Bodil Kjær for Carl Hansen & Son is intended for outdoor use as part of a 1959 collection of outdoor furniture by Kjær. It’s made of oiled teak for $1,750 at Lumens.
Above: The iconic Bertoia Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia was introduced in 1952. Itcan be used outdoors with limited exposure to the elements; currently on sale for $1,708 at DWR.
The Panton Chair, shown in White, was designed in \1960 from durable colored polypropylene with a matte finish. It has an ergonomically shaped seat, is suitable for outdoor use, and still manufactured through Vitra; \$555 at DWR.
Above: The Panton Chair, shown in White, was designed in 1960 from durable colored polypropylene with a matte finish. It has an ergonomically shaped seat, is suitable for outdoor use, and still manufactured through Vitra; $555 at DWR.
Above: Back in production, the Sculptura Chair, “inspired by the airiness of wicker,” debuted in 1956; $1,495 at DWR.
The Paulistano Armchair was designed in \1957 by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha for the Paulistano Athletic Club in São Paulo, Brazil. In \20\1\2, it was adapted by Mendes da Rocha as the Paulistano Outdoor Chair with a waterproof and stain-resistant canvas cover, as opposed to the leather cover of its indoor counterpart; from €\1,\100 at Objekto.
Above: The Paulistano Armchair was designed in 1957 by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha for the Paulistano Athletic Club in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2012, it was adapted by Mendes da Rocha as the Paulistano Outdoor Chair with a waterproof and stain-resistant canvas cover, as opposed to the leather cover of its indoor counterpart; from €1,100 at Objekto.
Swiss industrial designer Willy Guhl made the Loop Chair in \1954 of lightweight natural fiber cement (cement, powdered limestone, cellulose, and synthetic fibers). While it’s made for either outdoor or indoor spaces, it’s typically seen as an outdoor lounge chair. It’s \$\1,560 at Unique Garden Decor.
Above: Swiss industrial designer Willy Guhl made the Loop Chair in 1954 of lightweight natural fiber cement (cement, powdered limestone, cellulose, and synthetic fibers). While it’s made for either outdoor or indoor spaces, it’s typically seen as an outdoor lounge chair. It’s $1,560 at Unique Garden Decor.
Above: The Butterfly Chair was the brainchild of three architects—Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan, and Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy—who met as assistants at the Paris office of Le Corbusier. Also known as the BKF Chair, it’s in the permanent collection at MoMA. Knoll stopped making the chairs in the early 1950s but the design was adopted (and sometimes adapted) by other manufacturers. We like Circa50’s reproductions of the original Butterfly Chair; from $400.
Jens Risom’s Outdoor Lounge Chair is part of his original \194\1 collection for Knoll made of teak and canvas webbing. The chair has been re-engineered for outdoor use by Knoll with the teak frame now finished and sealed with oil and the canvas webbing swapped for Sunbrella fabric; currently on sale for \$\1,55\2 at DWR.
Above: Jens Risom’s Outdoor Lounge Chair is part of his original 1941 collection for Knoll made of teak and canvas webbing. The chair has been re-engineered for outdoor use by Knoll with the teak frame now finished and sealed with oil and the canvas webbing swapped for Sunbrella fabric; currently on sale for $1,552 at DWR.

Looking for more outdoor furniture? See our posts:

N.B.: This post was first published April 2019; it’s been updated with new links, prices, photos, and products.

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