There is a huge variety of outdoor furniture products out there at the moment, with a number of companies more readily associated with interior design having made their move into the outdoor sector. High quality is guaranteed throughout the range of products, which vary from seating to tables, side tables and other pieces designed to make patios, gardens and indeed all outdoor spaces more inviting and cosy. In fact, thanks to this plethora of meticulously designed furniture, outdoor spaces are beginning to compete with the lounge and living room as the primary relaxation spots in the home.
This seems to be one of the main objectives guiding the design of the latest outdoor furniture lines – to make our outdoor spaces as comfortable and relaxing as possible, so that we can use them to spend time with our family and friends.
Key to this push to make minimalist, open-air lounge areas are new modular seating systems combining wooden bases (with either straight or criss-cross slats) and big cushions which serve to give the pieces their shape. Among the stand-out products are Quadrado, by Marcio Kogan for Minotti, an Emu series created by Patrick Norguet and a collection designed by Daniel Germani for Spanish company Gandia Blasco combining aluminium and Dekton® by Cosentino dead-burned stone surfaces. The minimal theme continues in tables from Ethimo, loungers by Tuuci, Unopiù and Slide – perfect for relaxing in the sun (or the shade!) – and chaise longues from Talenti and Alias, whose clean lines are enhanced by comfy padding.
There is more of a sense of softness to the inviting armchairs made by Smania, Paola Lenti and B&B Italia, with their shell-shaped structure covered with rope or fibre and super-soft seat pads.
The use of strips of fabric and elastic fibres appears again in seating by Roda, Pedrali and Tribu, giving the models a feeling of freshness and lightness.
The new Sauve collection of sofas and vases by Marcel Wanders for Vondom, meanwhile, opts of a more classic style, all rounded lines and soft edges.
And last but certainly not least, one completely different product range is the line of pavilions by Ketall, who have put a brand-new slant on the concept of outdoor living with these structures made from wood and other natural materials, which create semi-open spaces as cosy as they are beautiful.
