Commercial Outdoor Furniture Guide: Layouts, Considerations, and Products
Like a good indoor commercial furniture arrangement, commercial outdoor furniture seating takes careful planning to find the right layout for maximum customer experience. The right design can even increase revenue. This guide covers the necessary considerations to maximize your outdoor dining or seating space.
Table of Contents
Key Considerations for Commercial Outdoor Spaces
- Weather and Climate: Outdoor furniture needs to be durable and able to withstand the weather. For most climates, poly outdoor furniture is a great choice. If you live in coastal areas with salty air, make sure you choose a quality brand with hardware capable of resisting corrosion.
- Durability and Maintenance (poly lumber vs. wood for commercial outdoor furniture): Wood provides a natural more rustic look, but if you need durability combined with easy maintenance, poly is the way to go. Commercial outdoor poly furniture is easy to clean and maintain!
- Space Optimization
- Make sure your layout has clear walkways between tables so your customers and staff members can navigate smoothly.
- Allow three to four feet between tables for walkways.
- Allow at least five feet between tables for main walkways or aisles.
- Accommodate different group sizes by pairing two- and four-person tables with larger single tables.
- Use bar seating or high-top tables near rails to provide unencumbered views and to create a perimeter.
- Include designated sections in your layout for waiting, dining, bar areas, and a lounge area.
- Use planters, dividers, or rugs to decoratively separate sections without closing off the space.
- Arrange furniture in clean rows and lines or utilize a cluster strategy to make spaces feel more intimate and less congested.
- Make the most of your space by utilizing corner seating along with high-top tables along walls and rails. Bar seating on rails can face outward for a nice view.
- Round tables work best for small spaces, encouraging better traffic flow.
- Square tables maximize seating and can be paired with stackable chairs.
- Local Regulations and Accessibility
- Ensure ADA compliance by keeping at least 5% of tables wheelchair-accessible.
- Avoid placing furniture too close to doorways, ramps, or emergency exits. I recently experienced outdoor seating next to the door. We had to get up and move when another table became available because the door would open up onto our table, and we would end up holding the door to prevent it from hitting us. That’s sloppy planning.
Popular Outdoor Seating Layouts for Businesses
Sidewalk Café Layout
A sidewalk café setup takes advantage of available street-facing space, allowing businesses to expand their seating onto the sidewalk while attracting foot traffic.
- Best for: Small restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, bistros, and ice cream parlors.
- Suggested Commercial Outdoor Furniture: Small round and square outdoor dining tables are the most space-efficient solutions for outdoor seating, especially if it is on or near a sidewalk. Bar-height seating along railings can clear space in tight fits and create a barrier of sorts. If you need umbrellas for shade, make sure they are UV and weather-resistant.
Things to Note:
When offering outdoor seating near a sidewalk, you’ll want to make sure you are in compliance with local regulations!
Courtyard or Patio Seating
A courtyard or patio is a private outdoor experience, typically enclosed by the privacy of a fence, wall, or shrubbery. You will often find this style of commercial outdoor furniture setup at a winery or a nice restaurant with an elegant outdoor offering.
- Best for: Restaurants, wineries, breweries, and upscale casual dining.
- Suggested Commercial Outdoor Furniture: Dining sets, benches, and lounge seating.
Things to Note:
String lights and overhead canopies can work together to create a romantic picture-esque atmosphere.
Rooftop Dining
Rooftop dining is a unique and memorable experience. Hotels and restaurants in city settings offer amazing views from above. There’s something about eating under the stars while looking down on the city lights that makes the food taste even more fine.
- Best for: Hotels, rooftop bars, and fine dining.
- Suggested Outdoor Furniture: Modern bar tables, outdoor sofas, and modular seating.
Things to Note:
Make sure your rooftop furniture is anchored and wind-resistant. You don’t want an umbrella or a table flying off the roof in a wind gust.
Poolside or Resort Lounge
- Best for: Hotels, resorts, and beach clubs.
- Ideal Commercial Outdoor Furniture: Chaise lounges, daybeds, and cabanas.
Things to Note:
You will want to get UV-resistant fabrics and waterproof cushions for poolside commercial furniture. Poly is the perfect choice to resist moisture!
Baseball Stadium Seating
DutchCrafters has a long, accomplished track record of serving large commercial accounts with customized poly perfection. We even provided a section of the seating for the Detroit Tigers’ spring home Joker Marchant Stadium!
We filled four sections of the stadium with over 200 Berlin Gardens Comfo-Back Chairs and Square Poly Tables.
Summary: How to Choose the Best Layout for Your Business
- For small spaces: Sidewalk cafe or courtyard seating with compact, stackable furniture.
- For social dining: Beer garden or rooftop layout with communal tables.
- For upscale experiences: Resort-style or fine dining rooftop layouts.
- For casual and versatile spaces: Patio seating with a mix of dining and lounge furniture.
Style and Color Themes That Attract Customers
- Minimalist and Modern: Black, gray, and neutral tones
- Rustic and Farmhouse: Natural wood, distressed finishes, and warm hues
- Coastal and Beachy: Light blues, whites, and soft pastels
- Industrial Chic: Metal finishes, raw wood, and dark colors
- Vibrant and Eclectic: Bold colors and mix-and-match pieces
Shop Premium Commercial Outdoor Furniture
DutchCrafters specializes in commercial outdoor furniture. Browse our entire selection or reach out to one of our trained furniture specialists to help guide you through the process!
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Seth Carter has been with DutchCrafters since 2020. Seth has won multiple awards for his work in Amish furniture while with DutchCrafters. He has advised and partnered with more than 150 Amish wood shops on furniture presentation, design, industry trends, product options, and the development of exclusive products. He is originally from Indiana and even lived in Amish country (LaGrange, Indiana) for an extended period of time while working with DutchCrafters. Seth was previously in charge of DutchCrafters' Amish bedroom furniture category. He was eventually promoted to lead the team that managed every product in DutchCrafters' world's largest online collection of Amish furniture.
