An outdoor patio set, that folds away between dinners

An outdoor patio set tends to stay put: a table, six chairs, a parasol. Terraces that switch jobs through the week need something lighter. Dedon, the German company known for hand-woven outdoor furniture, makes one family that folds, Seax by Jean-Marie Massaud, and it shows Seax alongside Play, a pair of chairs by Philippe Starck.

A set that folds

Folding chairs have a reputation for wobbling. Massaud built Seax around the mechanism. The aluminum frame is light enough to carry and sturdy once open. It locks into place, and one press of a button closes it again. Stainless-steel details sit at the joints, so the chair looks finished from any side.

The armchair and the lounge chair have a back that swivels and follows you as you lean back after dinner. Armrests in marine plywood with a teak finish put warm wood under your forearms, and Dedon offers versions with and without them. See the Seax collection.

Frame color first

Pick the frame color before anything else, since the tables share it. Dedon powder-coats Seax in Black Pepper or Lipari, a coating chosen to resist scuffs. The seat and back take a Sail fabric in taupe, shade or dove. Cushions come in the Dedon fabric families, from Natura and Tucson to Gaia, Muse, Nube and Borneo.

The dining tables run from 100x100 and 140 cm for a small group to 220x100 and 280x100 cm for a long terrace table. Add Seax lounge chairs and footstools and one family covers the dinner and the fire pit afterward.

Play: color at the table

Dedon Play keeps the choice short. The Armchair A86 gives you arms at the head of the table. The Side chair A88 drops the arms, so more chairs fit along the sides of a long table. Both come in Alpine, Aqua, Cascade and Bluestone.

You can seat the whole table in one shade or alternate colors for a looser setting. Play suits a dining terrace, a pool house or a covered porch. See the Play collection.

Mixing Seax and Play

A mixed set reads as planned when one element repeats. Keep the Seax frame color and the Play color in the same family, dark with dark or pale with pale. Seax armchairs at the ends and Play side chairs along the length give you arms where the hosts sit and room for more guests in between.

Terraces that suit a folding set

A folding set suits a terrace that does more than one job. A roof deck in a city can host dinner on Saturday and stay empty for a party on Sunday. A pool terrace can hold a long table in July and give the space back to loungers in August. A holiday house can lock the chairs in a shed for the months you are away.

A fixed set suits a terrace with one job. If the table stays in one spot all summer, pick chairs for comfort and color first, and let Play carry the table on its own.

Storage and care

Seax folds flat for a garage wall or a storage room. Wipe the frame with warm water and a soft cloth, store cushions dry in winter, and use coasters on the tables. For Play, clean the chairs with a soft cloth or brush, warm water and a mild cleanser, keep alcohol and solvents off the surface, and wipe away wine, citrus juice or soda at once.

Tell us the size of your terrace and how often you need it clear. We reply within one business day with a Seax and Play plan, colors and a price for each piece.