Patio furniture leaves lounge chairs far behind
June 3rd, 2007 Category Patio FurnitureForget formal living rooms. Outdoor living rooms are what’s hot.
Decks are being replaced by large roof-covered patios partially walled by fireplaces or columns and sometimes accented with roof-to-floor curtains, creating living spaces with indoor privacy and outdoor openness.
These spaces are usually furnished with sofas, chairs and tables that are virtually indistinguishable from indoor decor. Yesterday’s plastic-webbing lounge chairs are long gone, replaced by overstuffed cushions, fringed throw pillows and ottomans that seat four or more.
“Customers are coming in who haven’t bought outdoor furniture in 10 years, and they can’t believe what we have now,” says Keely Anderson, co-owner of Inside-Out Home Furnishings in Brentwood, where “estate-sized” outdoor furnishings are in demand. “The fabric today looks fabulous, feels fabulous and is completely weather-resistant. We even have a group covered with an outdoor leather. . . There are just so many different choices for everybody.”
Elizabeth Jordan, manager of Summer Classics on 12th Avenue South, says that the range of stylish fabric and finish options for outdoor furniture is as varied as it is for the indoor market.
“We have over 120 different fabrics to choose from — faux leather, chenille, linens and silk — and they feel amazing,” she says.
Create your own look
If you’re looking to create your own outdoor living room, here are some tips to keep in mind.
• Consider flexibility. Double chaises and sectionals are top sellers at Summer Classics: “People love the sectional couches because you can make it as big or small as needed,” notes Jordan. “And you can customize it to fit the shape of your patio — L-shaped, U-shaped, whatever works for you.”
• Think comfort. Overstuffed cushions were once troublesome when exposed to the elements, but many of today’s outdoor cushions drain and dry quickly. “Even the thickest ones dry in two hours,” says Fred Tarkington, owner of Mister T’s Patio Furniture in Nashville.
• Look for stain- and sun-resistant fabrics. Mister T’s carries lines from Woodard, a furniture manufacturer that recently partnered with Crypton Super Fabrics. Crypton anticipated the country’s move toward outdoor living and, two years ago, began developing a UV-resistant fabric that would not only stand up to stains, moisture and odor but intense sunlight as well.
• Choose a durable frame. At Summer Classics, faux wicker is winning customers over. “The newest thing we have is called N-Dura resin,” Jordan says. “It looks just like wicker” and comes in different weaves and colors, from raffia to black walnut. At Mister T’s, cast aluminum is the material of the moment, popular for not only its durability but its versatility as well. “You can do so many designs with cast aluminum that you can’t do with wrought iron,” says Tarkington, who carries the metal in five different finishes including antique bronze and green.
• Select natural colors. It’s outdoor furniture, so it only makes sense to use natural colors. Anderson, at Inside-Out says, “We’re seeing a lot of earth tones, gold and brown, and natural colors like robin’s-egg blue.” She also likes the combination of black and tan for this season.
• Try stone on accents. At Summer Classics, real and faux stone tabletops are best sellers, says Jordan. “We have slate, granite and marble, and then we have faux slate, travertine, black fiberglass tiles and a material that looks like weathered copper.” The faux materials are about 50 percent less than their authentic counterparts but are still attractive and durable. Marble and stone tables have been growing in popularity at Mr. T’s.
Information from: www.rctimes.com
