Sometimes a condo patio really is too minuscule to fit almost any furniture, and that is where the season’s new fold-away pieces are just about the only option.

You can tuck them against the wall when you want to stand outside and get some fresh air, and pull them out when you want to relax with a cocktail or book. They also make for easy storage in your pint-size storage locker.

We found some foldouts that look good, and sure beat the folding vinyl sun chairs Mom and Dad used to tote around.

Two for tea
Urban Barn’s three-piece Somerset Patio Set is small in scale and big on style. Made with aluminum frames and a tempered-glass tabletop, it looks more urban and contemporary than the usual wooden bistro sets. Sturdy and rust-resistant, the set is sophisticated in basic black, but we also like it in clean, futuristic white ($249 at Urban Barn [2354 Granville Street, 818 Howe Street]).

Neon Brights
If the season’s plethora of greys, neutrals, and blacks seems too depressing, check out the IKEA summer line’s new Härö folding chairs, with Popsicle-hued pops of pink or lime green. We like the breezy mesh material and clean lines that show you don’t have to go chintz to get brights into your outdoor colour scheme. The price is right: chairs run $17, with a matching, foldable light-grey table at $25 (various locations).

Tray Chic
Local deck-chair manufacturers Gallant & Jones have come out with a clever footstool that turns into a portable tray table. Handcrafted from North American black walnut, the trays come separately at $125, while the folding footstool—which can come with a fabric top, should you want to put your feet up—is $100 (that’s $225 for the set), via Gallantandjones.com. They’re the perfect accompaniment to the company’s Brit-seaside-inspired fabric deck chairs, with prints that range from bright stripes to mod geometrics.