Beautiful and kid-friendly don’t always go hand-in-hand, but I am forever determined to create a space that is both functional for our family and esthetically pleasing. Our backyard dining area is no exception, and I think this might be our most kid-friendly indestructible space yet.
Some of you might remember the marble table I found on Craigslist a few years ago. It was a great piece of furniture, and I loved so much about how it worked out here. But I also worried about what might spill on it. Last summer the kids played with some bright blue slime on it that left some stain on the lighter parts of the stone. Along with the staining issue, the dark stone was unusable until the late afternoon, when the sun went behind the trees and provided some shade. And while Micah made some incredible repairs after the infamous break, they were not holding up as we had hoped. It was time to get something new, and one day I had an idea. We had recently put a product called Dekton around our living room fireplace. The manmade stone can handle just about anything. I sent my friend, Chip, at Premier Surfaces an email and just asked, “Is there any chance you could make a table out of Dekton?” He came back with a yes, and we started scheming. I wanted a similar look to the Craigslist marble table, just lighter in color and a bit bigger so we could crowd more people around it. You can have loads of seating scattered for entertaining, but everyone wants to be in one place.
Once we had settled on a design it was time to pick a color. There are so many great color and texture options, the decision like all of my decisions was obsessed over. I wanted a stone that felt natural and calm. I loved the warmth of Sterling, the subtle movement, and the fact that it spoke to all of the concrete. Once I landed on Sterling, Premier Surfaces got to work fabricating. They brought this beauty out and assembled it on the spot last summer. It’s hard to believe we’ve had it almost a year, and I’m just sharing! But I love that this is a testament to what Dekton is all about. This has sat outside, uncovered, all winter long and we had a rough winter. It looks as good as the day they put it together. You can clad a building in Dekton, so I knew it would stand the test of time, kids, and the elements out here. Now that we had a table that could withstand anything we threw at it, it was time to find some chairs to match.
We have tons of white cushions all over our backyard, and I still stand by my choice to use white fabric. As long as they sit in the sun most of the day, practically anything will bleach out of them. But in this season of life I wanted to create an area where people could eat or drink whatever, and I didn’t have to bat an eye. The chair requirements were 1. something that anyone could sit in comfortably 2. cool to the touch and 3. something that kids could enjoy popsicles and brightly frosted desserts on – chairs I could just hose off at the end of a crazy, sugar-filled evening. The Svelti chairs from Article ticked all the boxes. I went with armed chairs for the captains’ and armless for the rest. I love an arm, but they can be tricky to get in and out of when you’re sitting next to someone else. Especially when you’re moving on concrete. The Svelti are simple and beautiful, clean up like a dream, and stack in our basement during the colder months. Plus, they are very budget-friendly! Outdoor furniture rarely falls into that category, but these modern beauties are so reasonable. And they’re pretty enough to use indoors too. We pulled them up from the basement a few times this winter when we were entertaining inside our home.
Here’s what it looks like to have a baseball team of 9-year-olds over to party. The next morning I was happily hosing off ketchup, orange soda, and lots of colorful, star-shaped sprinkles. No cleaning products or elbow grease required!
Do you have an outdoor dining table? Do you use it a lot?
Click here to see the beginning of our Backyard Overhaul.
*This post is in partnership with Article, Cosentino, and Premier Surfaces, but all thoughts, opinions, and selections are my own.
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Love your outdoor space! That outdoor table sound too good to be true!!!! How much was it?
Thank you! To be fair, I partnered with them on it. I would guess it would be a bit more than getting countertops in your kitchen, but such a permanent and low maintenance piece!
That table and those chairs are Awesome, indeed!! Fashionable AND kid friendly! Doubly Perfect!!
Totally agree, Jane!
Love your table and chairs! Several years ago I wanted to build a table that would withstand all weather. I found 3 pieces of travertine 3′ x 3′ x 1″ thick on craigslist. My husband and a friend welded a simple modern table frame for them, I painted it black and paired it with black iron chairs. I now now have a 3′ x 9′ table that is indestructible! And we use it every night that the weather is accommodating.
Amazing! Love that, Mae!
Where did you find your enormous clam shell for your centerpiece?
It’s from At Home last year. Not sure that they have it this year but worth checking!
I have been eyeing these dining chairs for awhile for our indoor everyday dining table. We have 2 young kids and wanted something that easily cleans. From your post it seems like it meets that requirement. 🙂 You mentioned they are nice enough for inside-score! I can’t decide between the deep blue or white. Is the white bright or an off white? Also, do they stack?
I would say they’re a true, clean white. They don’t stack easily…I can stack two or three but they leave about 6″ between the seats, if that makes sense. They’re so great for the price!