FRESHEN UP OUTSIDE
Slimmer furniture styles, colourful accessories star in season’s outdoor decor
As the weather warms up, it’s often a time when people give their outdoor furniture a once-over to get set for entertaining outside. Here’s a look at what’s new and trending with some Canadian brands this spring-summer season.
“I truly believe that your outdoor space should be an extension of the interior of your home,” says Maureen Welton, vice-president of creative and design for online furniture company Article. “It should reflect the same style, and comfort, while functioning as an outdoor entertaining space.”
Being realistic about the climate you live in is important when deciding on outdoor furniture, says Welton, as there’s no point in buying something that looks great, but won’t last outdoors.
Vancouver-based Article’s outdoor pieces, she says, are made from “strong, weather resistant materials, including waterproof galvanized steel, and concrete composite, water resistant synthetic wicker, and certified teak, which is naturally water-resistant.”
Even so, says Welton, they do recommend covering their outdoor furniture to protect it from the rain, and bringing the pillows inside, when you’re not using them.
Some of the trends we’re seeing in outdoor furniture this season — such as the movement away from bulky, oversized pieces, towards slimmer, more modern versions, and the return of classic rattan — are reflected in Article’s new collection.
“If you’re a city dweller, you may not have the luxury of a large outdoor space, so your furniture has to reflect that,” Welton says.
“We created a collection that would look as great on a balcony as it does at an expansive seaside getaway. We also draw inspiration from Scandinavian and West Coast modern design, which influences the clean lines, and simplicity of each piece.
“Our articles are very durable, without the bulk of typical patio furniture, and we also launched two new rattan pieces, which are proving to be really popular this season.”
The latest outdoor furniture from Winnipeg-based EQ3 also reflects this trend away from bulky outdoor furniture with the new Cape collection, which includes a dinette table, full dining table, chairs, ottoman, side table, and lounger, in a slim, sleek, design that is both ultra modern, and casual at the same time.
“The slender powder-coated aluminum structure makes for a lightweight construction that’s both resilient to the elements, and easy to arrange and adjust,” says creative director Thom Fougere.
“The neutral grey and white material palette make it suitable for any outdoor environment where seating, lounging or dining is desired.”
Interior designers often recommend sticking with neutrals for big-ticket furniture items, and accessorizing with colour and pattern, so PC’s new Home collection for spring-summer, which is a tasteful overload of colour and pattern in outdoor tabletop ware, is a good fit.
Bright florals and tribal prints — featuring toucans, along with flowering cacti — are just some of the themes running through the bamboo fibre and melamine collections.
“We wanted to surprise the customer with some expected juicy colours,” says creative lead Stephen Michlits. “So we have banana, and papaya, and are playing with mint, and chartreuse, and even pink.”
Acrylic glasses that look like they ’re made from glass, complete with gold rims, are part of this new collection.
“They’re perfect for outdoors,” says Michlits. “Unbreakable.”
The Micro Mosaic tabletop collection features a lot of blue, as “it’s the most popular colour in the world” and with their customers, says Michlits, in a graphic pattern inspired by Portuguese tile, and the Amalfi Coast.
“We learned last year that our Canadian customers love coastal,” Michlits says. “They want to imagine they ’re by the beach. They want a toucan in the backyard,” he jokes.
We learned last year that our Canadian customers love coastal. They want to imagine they’re by the beach. They want a toucan in the backyard.