Chinese Garden Stools

Fifteen years ago, maybe more, I saw a little Blue Willow table made out of ceramic at TJ Maxx. By the time I thought about it and decided I couldn’t live without it, it was gone. And I have repented ever since.

Every time I see one in a picture on someone’s porch, I wish I had bought that when I saw it.

Well DUH! There is nothing you cannot find now. I went on Amazon. It’s just a matter of choosing the one I want.

You can spend a lot if you want. This Pierced Garden Seat from Ethan Allen is beautiful!

Ethan Allen Porcelain Garden Stools on Amazon

Jonathan Y Blue and White Chinese Garden Stools on Amazon

They show it used as a side table or as accent furniture.

But you can get one at a much lower price. The Blue Glazed Ceramic Gateless Mist Chinoiserie Garden Stool from Safavieh’s Castle Gardens Collection is very reasonably priced! It looks very like the one I did not get so many years ago.

Safavieh Blue and White Porcelain Garden Stools on Amazon
Safavieh Porcelain Garden Stools on Amazon

The Ocean Jewel Chinoiserie Garden Stool from Safavieh’s Castle Gardens Collection has figures in cobalt.

MD Group imports this Square Chinese Garden Stool in traditional blue and white floral pattern. Here they show it as a great place to keep your towel in the bathroom.

Blue and White Square Chinese Garden Stools on Amazon

Here they show the cobalt blue floral MD Group Square Chinese Garden Stool bringing color and pattern to this porch.

This Blue and White Ceramic Garden Stool is less Chinese looking, but I just love it. The branches, leaves, flowers and birds, all painted in cobalt over bright white with a high gloss glaze… just beautiful!

And last, doesn’t this have a Japanese feeling? With the cherry blossoms in white on a dark cobalt blue background?

And there are so many more! It’s just a matter of choosing which!

Short History of Chinese Garden Stool

So, what is the story? It is not actually a little table. They are garden stools, originally from China. Garden seats, made of wood, have been found in paintings and in archeological digs going way way way back. They think the first porcelain garden stools were based on these barrel shaped or drum shaped wooden seats. Later garden stools made of stone or glazed stoneware or porcelain were incorporated into traditional courtyard gardens.

The garden stools we see now have been exported for at least 300 years.