Far, far beyond the $7 plastic lawn chairs in aisle 10 of your local grocery store, a wonderland of well-designed alfresco furniture beckons. But is it better to go sublimely campy or seriously classic? We compare. On your right, designer Richard Schultz’s cool, cast-aluminum and mesh “1966” lounge, designed in — you guessed it — 1966, and a favorite of architects and aesthetes ever since.
On your left, the Lazy CF Ranch armchair, straight from Somerset, Colorado. But don’t let the authentic antler appearance fool you: It’s also cast from aluminum. The 1966? Exhibited in museums the likes of the Louvre and MoMA. The Lazy CF Ranch chair? It looks like a prop piece from Bonanza. Which should you put on your patio? Well, now, that depends on if you prefer Prada or the Ponderosa. 1966 chair, $2,600, www.richardschultz.com; Lazy CF Ranch dining armchair, $2,500, www.lazycfranch.com
— ROB BRINKLEY