Outdoor Hanging Chairs and Porch Swings: How to Choose

Few seats are as inviting as one that gently moves. A hanging egg chair turns a corner of the patio into a reading nook; a porch swing makes the front porch the place everyone gathers. Here is how to choose the right one for your space.

Freestanding stand or ceiling hook?

Most outdoor hanging chairs today come with their own stand, so you can place them anywhere: on a pool deck, a lawn or a balcony, with no beam to find or ceiling to drill. Every Skyline Design and Panama Jack hanging chair we carry includes its stand. Porch swings, by contrast, hang from a sturdy porch ceiling joist or a dedicated swing frame, so plan the mounting point before you order.

Single, double or swing

• Single egg chairs are the classic cocoon: Krabi, Heri and Dynasty wrap you in a woven shell.
• Lounge-style hanging chairs such as the Skyline Design Drone let you stretch out in a reclined, chaise-like position.
• Double hanging chairs like the Paloma seat two side by side.
• Porch swings seat two or three on a bench, from Lloyd Flanders' Low Country to Woodard's River Run sleeping porch swing, deep enough to nap on.

How much room do you need?

A freestanding hanging chair takes roughly a 4 by 4 foot footprint for its base, plus about a foot of clear space around it so the chair can sway without touching a wall or railing. Check the overall height too: most stand around 6 to 7 feet tall, which matters under a low porch roof or umbrella. Every product page lists the exact dimensions.

Materials and cushions

Look for all-weather synthetic weave or rope over a powder-coated aluminum or steel frame; both shrug off sun and rain. The cushion is what makes a hanging chair comfortable, so a thick, removable cushion in a performance fabric like Sunbrella is worth it. Skyline Design hanging chairs come with Sunbrella cushions in your choice of fabric.

Hanging chairs and swings we love

Skyline Design Krabi Hanging Chair with Sunbrella Cushion & Stand

From $3,589 →

Skyline Design Heri Hanging Chair with Frame and Sunbrella Cushions

From $3,300 →

Skyline Design Dynasty Hanging Chair with Frame and Sunbrella Cushion

From $4,320 →

Skyline Design Drone Hanging Chair with Frame and Sunbrella Cushions

From $3,183 →

Skyline Design Paloma Double Hanging Chair with Sunbrella Cushion

From $5,529 →

Panama Jack Hanging Chair w/Metal Stand & Cushions

$779 →

Lloyd Flanders Low Country Porch Swing in Natural Finish

From $3,609 →

Woodard River Run Sleeping Porch Swing

From $4,347 →

Frequently asked questions

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