DOUBLE TAKE: Adirondack Chairs

The Adirondack chair has recently made my "Love List." They've been around forever but I've been noticing them more lately in all sorts of eye-catching colors from fire engine red to canary bird yellow. They are making their appearances at outdoor cafes, around fire-pits at the beach, alongside tree swings on the front lawn. They're simple. Chic. Functional. And they even come in kid's sizes too!

As I looked into some Adirondack chairs for myself (and no I'm not talking the cheap-o beige or hunter green plastic ones from Home Depot), I learned this wooden piece of furniture comes with a very interesting history. The original Adirondack chair was made with eleven pieces of wood, cut from a single board. It had a straight back and seat, which were set at a slant to sit better on the steep, rural mountain inclines. It also features wide armrests to set food and beverages on, which became a hallmark of the Adirondack chair. Hence why we'll be seeing more and more establishments embrace the Adirondack. It's versatility to provide individual seating without tables is gaining momentum in restaurants and cafes.

So imagine yourself sipping wine, engulfed in a juicy convo with your girlfriend in her new patio chairs. Would you be able to tell a diff between the steep and the cheap? My guess - probably not.

(LEFT: $99.99 -currently on sale for $79.99, Cost Plus World Market. Available in 9 colors and kid's sizes too. RIGHT: $199.95 - currently on sale for $169.95, Crate and Barrel. Available in white only)

(LEFT: $124.00, currently on sale for $89.00. Target. Available in 4 colors and kid's sizes too. RIGHT: $249.00, Pottery Barn. Available in 3 colors and kid's sizes too.

Shocked that Pottery Barn was the most expensive? Not for a second. Shocked that Cost Plus came in less expensive than Target? I was. But that's good. Target can't always be the cheapest. And I personally like the look of the Cost Plus chair better. Soooo in short - if you're looking to make a quaint outdoor space, add a punch of color to your front porch, add a classic chic touch to your backyard patio or just want a place to curl up and watch the birds fly by, this season is all about the Cost Plus World Market Adirondack chairs!