Outside
When selecting outdoor furniture, there are so many options. It’s possible to find outdoor furniture that’s stylish and durable for all personalities, whether you want to be hip, retro, practical, modern or traditional. All you have to do is choose the one that reflects the way you want to live.
If there is a trend, it is the marriage of material performance with advances in manufacturing technology to create shapes which are lighter, sinuous and stronger. Fabrics performance has also increased, to the extent that many outdoor fabrics are now being used in family rooms and kids rooms. Fabric durability means that you don’t have to worry about kids with ice cream cones and guests with red wine. And since outdoor fabric now feel and look like indoor fabrics, you can bring the comforts of inside life outside. This is California living!
Here are a few of my favorite pieces of outdoor furniture. I love how playful, novel and modern these pieces are. I hope these inspire you to get outside and enjoy the summer.
This Lawn Swing is an update on your great-grandparents variety.
One trend in outdoor furniture is an emphasis on fun. New technology also allow for softer shapes, sharper curves and materials which are more durable.
Adagio chairs provide individual seating for those who don’t want to share.
The Smile Chair makes the kid in you do just that.
The 70’s seem to be coming back, with furniture that feels cool, sophisticated, and sexy…ideal for the bachelors life or urban trend setter. Again materiality highlights and exaggerates seamless and over scaled design, and color is used as an accent.
I love this casual seating by Paola Lenti…perfect for lounging by the sea or pool. With a cocktail, perhaps?
These chairs embody the 1970’s.
Gervasoni proves that outdoor furniture doesn’t need to be boring.
Modernist forms continue to dominate, with materials selected for function. Thick wood columns hold up sheets of thin metal; synthetic fibers are woven over bent metal; corners are softened with curves. The modernist takes an intellectual approach to outdoor design, creating clean, precise and comfortable furniture.
I love this ultra-thin table top by Gervasoni.
There is a nice contrast of the minimal wood & metal table with the woven chairs.
Not everyone wants avant grade seating. These pieces by Kettal are perfect for any modern home.
An update on the lounge chair you grew up with, by Gervasoni
This chair by Roda might be my favorite. Modern in inspiration, available in several finishes, and really comfortable! I could spend a lot of time staring out to sea in one of these.
Magenta and green are a great exterior combination.
Form also is taking center stage, with emphasis placed on volume and silhouette. Luckily good design comes in good form!
This chair by Janus et Cie is sexy and comfortable, and made in a fiber that won’t fall apart in the rain.
The perfect cubist outdoor table…or inside, perfectly named In Out by Gervesoni.
Woven lounge pods by B&B Italia.
Designers are examining how we gather, engage and enjoy each others company. This means new shapes, sizes, and materials are being consider to offer more variety in living. This is a good thing.
The trend for group lounging, 1970’s style, is evident in the Extra Soft sofa by Living Divani. Wouldn’t this be a lot better in a more vibrant color?
Rabbit and Tortoise by Living Divani. These look better with some Paul Klee style color.
I modular B&B Italia’s Butterfly seating would work just as well inside.
Woven basket-style seating by Paolo Lenti provides unexpected shape and texture, and is available in lots of colors.
Finally there is a trend towards embracing classic design, using new materials, with rounded edges and vibrant colors to offer an update to the pieces. Mid-century lines are popular again, and once formerly indoor pieces are being re-purposed for exterior life.
Richard Schultz for Knoll are the ultimate revival look: clean lines, well proportioned, and expensive, everything that a hipster will love.
These lounge chairs are a classics.
These Jean Prouvé inspired woven chairs mix spot-on welding, with woven fiber that looks like cane, by Triconfort..very Jean Prouvé, very comfortable.
Interesting mix of materials: metal, woven fiber, fabric. Even better in the grey metal and fiber
David Bjørngaard, June 2015
What do you think?