The balcony off a one-bedroom flat in Fitzroy, Surry Hills or Teneriffe is rarely more than a metre and a half deep. Push a six-seater out there and the sliding door stops halfway. Leave it empty and it quietly becomes the home of the clothes airer. The piece that actually fixes it is an outdoor bistro table: a small round or square top, roughly 60 to 80 centimetres across, with two chairs that slide underneath.
This guide is for anyone furnishing a balcony, a courtyard, a stair landing or a narrow side passage where a full outdoor setting will never fit. We look at sizing, whether to buy a table on its own or a matched cafe setting, chairs that fold away, and the strata and weather issues that catch apartment residents out. If you would rather buy the lot in one go, start with our balcony furniture sets.
What makes an outdoor bistro table work in a small space
An outdoor bistro table has two jobs. It has to hold two coffees, two plates and a phone without anything sliding off the edge. It also has to stop being in the way for the other twenty-three hours of the day. Anything wider than about 80 centimetres struggles with that second job on a compact balcony.
Shape decides more than most people expect. A round top has no corners to catch a hip as you edge past, which suits balconies shaped like a corridor. A square top gives two people more usable edge and sits neatly against a wall when you only need one side of it.
The Palmerston Bistro Table ($237) shows the round approach well. It measures 60 centimetres across, with a 5 mm tempered glass top over resin wicker weaved on an aluminium frame in taupe. That is enough surface for breakfast for two, and small enough to walk past without turning sideways.
Measure the balcony before you shop
Depth is the number that ruins most balcony plans. Measure from the wall out to the balustrade, then take off the space a chair needs when someone pushes back and stands up. Allow roughly 60 centimetres behind each chair, and closer to 75 if anyone has to squeeze past while you are sitting there.
Then look at what is already competing for that floor. The door track, the air-conditioning condenser, the tap, the clothes airer and the recycling bin all take a share of it. Whatever rectangle is left is the real size of your table, and it is usually smaller than the one in your head.
Write that number down before you start browsing. Our range of outdoor dining tables runs from compact bistro rounds up to extension tables, so knowing your measurement saves a lot of scrolling.
Table on its own, or a matched cafe setting?
Buying the table alone makes sense when you already own chairs you like, or when you want to pair a timber chair with a glass and wicker top. The catch is height. Outdoor dining tables commonly sit around 70 to 75 centimetres high and suit a seat height near 45 centimetres, so check both numbers before you commit.
A matched setting removes that guesswork entirely. The Coke Cola Cafe Set ($498) is two aluminium chairs and a 70 by 70 centimetre aluminium table, all standing 70 centimetres high. Because it is aluminium, one person can shift the whole setting when the floor needs to be clear. And if the kerbside cafe look is half the appeal, our guide to a cafe table and chairs at home covers the styling and ritual side.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Small round table only (Palmerston Bistro Table) | Narrow balconies and walk-past corners | You still have to source chairs at the right seat height |
| Larger round table (Idris Table) | A courtyard corner with a little more room | A 75 cm top needs more clearance than a 60 cm one |
| Matched cafe setting (Coke Cola Cafe Set) | One purchase with nothing to co-ordinate | Measure first; you still need room to pull the chairs out |
| Table plus folding chairs (Teak Folding Chair) | Balconies that double as drying or play space | You need somewhere dry to store the chairs |
Chairs that fold, stack or tuck right under
On a small balcony the chairs matter more than the table, because the chairs are what you move. If the space has another job during the week, folding is the honest answer rather than a compromise.
The Teak Folding Chair ($149) is hand made from 100% FSC certified plantation Indonesian teak, a tropical hardwood that copes well with being left outside. It folds flat, so a pair can live behind a door until visitors arrive. Like all teak it ages to a silvery grey unless you oil it or apply a sealer, which is a matter of taste rather than a fault.
If the chairs are staying out permanently instead, look for something light and non-rusting, and check the seat slides fully under the table top rather than jamming on the frame. Our outdoor dining chairs cover both approaches.
Balcony rules, wind and salt air in Australian apartments
Before anything is delivered, read your by-laws. Strata schemes and body corporates in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland often set rules about what may be fixed to a balcony wall or balustrade, and some limit what is visible above the rail. Those rules vary by state, by scheme and by council, so check with your strata manager or body corporate rather than assuming.
Wind is the next consideration. Balconies from the fourth or fifth floor up in Melbourne, Sydney and along the Gold Coast catch updraughts that will nudge a light table and tip an empty chair. Fold the chairs away when you go out, and think twice about anything you cannot weigh down easily.
Coastal and bayside apartments have salt to manage as well. A rinse with fresh water every few weeks does more for aluminium and powder coating than any product on a shelf. May is a good month for that job in Brisbane and Perth, while Melbourne balconies mostly need the autumn leaf clean-out. For more ways to make a compact outdoor area work harder, see our guide to furnishing small balconies.
Outdoor bistro tables — frequently asked questions
What size is an outdoor bistro table?
Most outdoor bistro tables measure between 60 and 80 centimetres across. A 60-centimetre round, like the Palmerston, suits two people having coffee and toast on a narrow balcony. Move towards 80 centimetres if you want dinner plates, side plates and glasses on the table at the same time.
Can two people really eat at a 60 cm table?
Yes, comfortably, for breakfast, drinks and casual meals. Two dinner plates fit on a 60-centimetre round with room for cutlery, though you will pass the salad bowl rather than park it in the middle. If most of your meals outside are a full spread, size up instead.
Do I need permission to put furniture on my apartment balcony?
Free-standing furniture is usually fine without permission, but your by-laws are the authority on it. Anything you drill, bolt or hang from the balustrade normally needs approval from the owners corporation or body corporate. Check with your strata manager before you fix anything to the building.
Can I leave a bistro table outside all year?
That depends on the material far more than the weather. Aluminium, resin wicker and polypropylene are built to stay out, while teak also stays out happily but changes colour unless it is oiled. On an exposed high-rise balcony, bringing lightweight chairs inside during storms remains the sensible habit.
Shop the range
If the balcony only has room for one armchair and a surface beside it, look at the Idris Table ($249). It is 75 centimetres across and 70 centimetres high, with a tempered glass top over UV-treated PE wicker on an aluminium frame. For everything else, the balcony furniture sets and outdoor dining tables collections linked above are the place to start. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free over $100, and most orders are dispatched in 3-10 business days.
