REFRESH YOUR DECK FOR START OF PATIO SEASON
Slimmed-down furniture is hot as the weather warms up
As the weather begins to warm up, and dry out, a little ... the possibility of entertaining outdoors draws nearer. It’s often the time of the year when people give their outdoor furniture a once-over, so here’s a look at what’s new and trending with some Canadian brands this spring/summer.
“I truly believe that your outdoor space should be an extension of the interior of your home,” says Maureen Welton, VP of creative and design for Vancouver-based online furniture company Article. “It should reflect the same style, and comfort, while functioning as an outdoor entertaining space.”
Being realistic about our climate 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.
“Our headquarters are based in Vancouver,” she says. “So we definitely had the rainy weather in mind.”
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 — such as the movement away from bulky, oversized pieces, towards slimmer, more modern versions, and the return of classic rattan — are seen 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,” says Welton.
“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 in 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 seeming at the same time.
“The slender powder-coated aluminum structure makes for a light weight 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, and flowering cacti, are just some of the themes running through their 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,” says Michlits. “They want to imagine they ’re by the beach. They want a Toucan in the backyard,” he jokes.