In the Mix

When you walk into a showroom and see all the tables and chairs, they usually appear to be in sets and, because of this, each manufacture\vendor is going to want you to purchase the complete set from them. What if you find one element, say - the table and don't love the chairs, or you find the chairs and don't love the table. Mix it up. Look for another table or different chairs. If you are able to do this within the boundaries of the same manufacturer then you will not have issues with color or pattern matching your selections.

If you decide to move completely from one manufacture to another, you will have to consider frame color, height and style. Selecting furniture this way can be daunting but it is not impossible. Here is one important thing to keep in mind - Make sure to correctly calculate the arm height on your table. You will need to measure from the floor to the underside of the table to make sure that the arms can go under the table. Leave room for a finger width gap and be aware of any supporting structures under the table top that my prevent your chairs from being placed flush or evenly against the table sides. Also make sure to give yourself enough room laterally for you and your guests to be seated at the table comfortably.

Having made this mistake early in my career for a client, it is not so easy to fix the mistake when chair height is too low for the table. Fortunately, I was able to correct for the chairs being far too low for the frame by going to a third vendor and pulling in a base that was the perfect height. The clients where gracious and patient but it was an additional six weeks (and this was a rush job) to get the base. A loaner table had to be provided for their use and several functions they had planned were slightly disappointing as they missed the opportunity to show off such a fabulous mosaic top table.

Here are some fine examples of mixing element with your table and chairs:

One table, four very different chairs.

This table is by Room and Board The Rand is a great choice for mixing and matching chairs and it comes in just about any size you can imagine. Yes! You can send them the size and they will make the table for you. You can also choose the thickness of the handcrafted stainless steel base and an all-weather top. The tops are available in glass, frosted glass, black granite and brown granite.













The chairs are all designed by Casprini of Italy. Here are the details:


The Caprice stacking chair with shell in shiny technopolymer or transparent.















The Tiffany stacking chair for in and outdoor use in shiny technopolymer or transparent polycarbonate moulded with gas technology of the second generation.

Scratch resistant, self-extinguish classification V2, antistatic, UV resistant tubular frame in chromed or painted steel.











The YuYu chair is constructed entirely in sheet-steel, with a thermosetting powder coating.

One Table and four chairs giving a very different look. Don't be afraid to try mixing things up a little... Just take a tape measure and make sure you have the correct height. If you choose a chair that swivels and or rocks, be very sure the height is correct when you are sitting back in the chair.

It's Funky... It Must Be Friday!

It's Friday! Lets take a look at some really interesting and funky furniture pieces to get the weekend off to a great start!


Could I love the colors of these chairs anymore? I don't think so. These chairs are composed of a UV ray resistant polyester gel coat for exterior use, They are supported on polished stainless steel bases and have internal support. Also available with a polished chrome base and internal support. Tongue in Cheek by
Peter Harvey is so retro, it cradles the body with it's reverse cantilevered dynamic. It just looks so cool in a assortment of colors which include; red, white, orange, pink, yellow, purple, blue and lime.


Nobody and Co has a rockin' name and some amazingly innovative designs. Each piece of the Missing Table and Chairs is a collection of seven chairs and one table. Each chair is different and once placed together you can create an awesome optical illusion. The concept of the collection is this:

A chair never sits alone but is part of a greater object.

The table has an open space on one corner giving the space to allow for a fifth leg. Made from iron tubing and a lacquered white seat, it is constructed to be outdoors or indoors.



I took one look at this piece and thought "Eiffel Tower!" Sure enough, that is the name of the chair, leaving me to conclude that the Sifel chair est un succès!

The Sifel chair has been forged by the award winning designer and undisputed genius Caroline Corbeau. Her ability to work with metal is simply astonishing and her breadth of talent exposed in the process of laser cutting each geometric form, and then using the composite to hand craft each chair. The colors are available in mat black, lacquer red and natural aluminum. Not only is the Sifel a work of art but it has attained the purpose for which it was designed - A beautiful and comfortable chair upon which to reflect.

The kids are all right!!

How cool it is to see designers taking an interest in children. I love the idea of a seating area just for the children and when you can make it look as good as the grown up furniture, why not go ahead and plan a special area just for the kiddos too!


Loll Designs has created a small but nice line of outdoor pieces for children. Comfortable seating for the toddler to tween crowd. The pieces are crafted out of durable, washable, and recycled high density polyethylene. The company only uses recycled materials in the making of their furniture pieces and the colors are great. From black to sand they all look glossy and will stand up to the all the little one's can throw at them.










Kartell has a "baby" version of the coveted Louis Ghost chair. The Lou Lou Ghost chair is everything we have come to expect from Kartell and the brilliant designer Philippe Starck. The iconic Ghost chair is on my list of must have furniture pieces.














Barbie celebrated her 50th Birthday and Philippe Starck commemorated it with a Lou Lou Ghost chair of her very own. Of course, the color is pink and the chair is all Barbie! One for Mommy and then for the little princess in your life!















The colors are fabulous in jewel tones for the extravagant tea parties under a nice big tree or around a lovely rose bush. Find a cast aluminum tea height table and you will have the perfect look to compliment these flawless chairs.















Jewels of Java have created Grade A teak furniture just for children: A collection called the The Secret Garden.

Your little one's can have a space of their own to explore and enjoy and the set includes a garden bench, chair and a table all constructed as the adult furniture.

Jewels of Java purchases only quality plantation grown teak ensuring the sustainability of local forests and lands for future generations.

Other collections created by Jewel of Java are the Steamer Lounge and side table. Just like mommy and daddy's, they can be positioned in the garden for lazy afternoons or places to enjoy the warm sunshine after an afternoon in the pool.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Marlborough bench and matching chair. The Marlborough bench was inspired by Sir Edwin Lutyen's original 1902 design and it looks just like the adult size bench. All the pieces in the Jewels of Java children's collection are heirloom quality teak, giving your children the option and joy of passing them down to their own children someday.

Life is not gray. Add some color!

I love bright bold colors and like to add color whenever possible. Not only as accent pieces but as the primary focus, as well. I think too many people are afraid to add color because they are not sure which to add to their outdoor living space. With that in mind and if you are a little hesitant to change the color of your primary outdoor furniture, how about adding some color with accent pieces? A table, some pillows or even a small grouping of chairs can make any area "pop" and become even more inviting.





Add a Kartell T-Table as an accent piece to your furniture. Available in three sizes, the T-table comes in amber, light blue, crystal, yellow and red. Made from PMMA (A thermoplastic, also known as thermo-softening plastic ) You have a choice of a smooth or transparent style.











Still not convinced that adding a splash of color is going to give your outdoor living space something special and extra? Lets take a look at some really great pillows that will have you calling this quaint shop to order them ASAP!


Love-Love-Love these pillows!

Find them at the Wilshire Garden Market founded and owned by the mother daughter team of Carol McPheeters and Christy White, This fabulous little oasis is in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. If your lucky enough to visit in person I am sure you will be greeted with the utmost charm and grace. If it's just too far away then try their online shop.







The pillows all have a polyester insert and soft canvas cover that can be removed for washing. The collections I am featuring are just a small sampling of what they offer at the Wilshire Garden Market. They also carry pillows to reflect the changing seasons and all pillows are bright and fade resistant. The store also retails fabulous table linens and outdoor surprises of all kinds.













I get excited when I find something new, innovative and a designer that has such promise. The colors are exquisite, the designs are playful and filled with imagination. Jessica Carnevale of Carnevale Studio has sent my mind back to a time when I remember playing with my spirograph - Inserting the pen into the various shapes and then frantically going around and around inside the circle to create my own private masterpiece. I can see these chairs around a mosaic bistro table or even a large scale dinning table in a simple black or white.










The Stretch Collection

Each chair is unique in seat and back materials. The pink chair is made from powder coated steel frame and latex coating. The green chair is made with powder coated steel, latex coating and bungee cords and the white chair is made with powered coated steel frame and silk rope and hog clips. Hog clips are wire based fasteners that have been used in the auto and furniture manufacturing industries for years.



I hope looking at some colorful choices has given you the inspiration to add some color to your primary furniture. With the addition of some colorful pieces, you can take your outdoor space to the next level of WOW!

Hammocks

Hammocks are a great way to spend the afternoon but getting in and out of them can be a challenge. Fortunately, gone are the days where your only choice was that of a hammock with a wide open weave that twisted and bound as soon as you moved. I'm sure you remember the less than graceful exit that left you wondering, "Who saw that?" Thankfully, difficulties with ingress and egress of that tantalizing hammock is no longer a concern to the savvy outdoor lounger. Today, the venerable hammock has new updated descendants that will bring a WOW factor into your outdoor living space. Just in time for those lazy, late August afternoons to lounge and enjoy!





Tucci has the Twin Air lounger designed to contract and expand to give your body the support and comfort it craves for a truly lovely way to spend a few hours lounging. It has an ultra-dry core and wooden stretcher bars of the highest quality for years and years of serene relaxing. Along with the Twin Air lounger is the Wave hammock stand. Constructed of stainless steel, the stand maintains a perfect balance of tension from which to hang your twin air lounger. The stand and hammock are sold separately so, ultimately, you could use another hammock with the Wave stand.


The Wave hammock was designed by Erik Nyberg and Gustav Strom and is manufactured by Royal Botania, using only the finest craftsmen and the most luxurious materials. The Wave hammock is made of electro-polished stainless steel and mesh while its canopy and seat sling are made from batyline – a semi-transparent fabric that blocks 86% of the sun’s rays.













With a staggering 12 ft x 9.5 ft x 8 ft silhouette, the Wave hammock seems to challenge gravity by touching the ground via a single point. This structural feature gives the perception that the structure is actually floating. With the ability to rotate 90 degrees around it's base, anyone can select the view they want. The design concept behind the Wave hammock is to allow the person sitting inside to feel as though they are under a grove of tree's while enjoying the expansive natural space around them.











The Leaf hammock is designed by GAEAforms, a relatively new company started in 2003 by Tuğrul Gövsa. The Leaf hammock is known by GAEAforms as a rocking daybed and comes in the following colors; pure white, passion red, lime green, navy blue, bitter chocolate, ocean turquoise, night black, maroon and beige. The hammock is large enough for two adults and it's stability is unquestionable.

Shade

Do you remember when your choices for outdoor shade included only one or two umbrella styles? Not anymore. The umbrella has come along way in the last ten years. Some companies are turning back time and giving us updated versions of the favorite market umbrella.

Location, location, location...

While other manufactures are taking shade in new directions we never imagined, choosing the right umbrella for your space requires some attention. Here is a questions that should be asked before you start shopping:

What area do I want to provide shade for?

Are you thinking of putting a umbrella in your dining table? You then might want to think about a traditional market umbrella with a good sturdy base. Depending on the circumference of your table, ensure your umbrella is large enough to accommodate your setting needs. A table that seats four people is going to need a much smaller umbrella than a table that seats six or more people.

Here is another question you should ask yourself:

Do I need more shade at certain times of the day?

If yes, you should ensure you invest in a umbrella that has the ability to tilt. There is nothing worse than a fabulous luncheon or early afternoon dinner with half the table squinting because they are looking directly into the sun.

Size matters!

You are going to find most market umbrellas to be between 5' and 11' in diameter. For the most part, it has been my experience that these umbrellas will give you enough shade to comfortably and aesthetically accommodate a table from 2-8 persons. If you require more shade then perhaps you need to look beyond the market umbrella toward a Shade Sail or Cantilevered umbrella.

Style and color

Your umbrella shouldn't be an after thought. If it's in a prominent place, it's going to be one of the first things people notice when they walk out to your outdoor room. Your umbrella should be apart of the design concept you have created for your space. That includes the material for the pole, base and the fabric you choose for the frame.




The lifespan of your umbrella is going to be determined by the way you treat it.

Consider the location you will be using your umbrella in. Wind, rain, sea salt, snow etc... These factors are all going to play a part in the longevity of your umbrella. If you leave your umbrella up during the Santa Ana winds and then it blows into the neighbors yard, it will, quite simply, break. The secret to your umbrella's longevity is this:

Put your umbrella down and tie it off not only during in-climate weather but when it's not in use.

Many of the better manufactures have already anticipated your needs and will include or sell covers for your umbrella.

Funky Friday Returns

I live in San Diego California but I grew up in Vancouver Canada. Don't get me wrong but if your going to move away from Vancouver ( Really? I, know!!) then San Diego is a pretty darn good place to land. I can pretty much wear flip-flops 360 days a year, the weather is amazing, people are friendly and it lends itself really well to my business. However, I do miss Vancouver. It's so green. Green tree's, green lawns, green mountains to look up at green lakes and green streams. So today, just for fun, I thought we might look at some really funky furniture made by some designers that scream, "GREEN!!!"

I love this piece by the talented designer Deger Cengiz which is currently on exhibit at the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt Design Museum .

Deger trained as an architect. His professional resume includes architecture, archeology and industrial design. The Chaise Lawn blurs the line between sculpture and furniture. Grass seeds included but the Chaise Lawn also looks great planted with wild flowers or aromatic herbs.



Hong Daode was granted the coveted Red Dot award in design concept. This chaise lounge was chosen out of the 12,000 submissions from over 60 countries. A winner is chosen in each of three categories: product design, communication design and design concept. The winner's entries are then put on display for the public to view at the Red Dot design museums. There is one museum in Essen Germany and one in Singapore. The simple premise behind the design is this: People who live in apartments and want the opportunity to feel the grass under them should be able to do so.

Rather clever, if you ask me.


5.5 Designs in collaboration with
Bton Design, Mobilier à jardiner is an outdoor furniture collection that includes a bench and chair with seat-backs made of shrubs and a coffee table with a grass table top. Just imagine being able to plant whatever you desire in the back of your chair.

Very cool (and green) indeed!

Paola Lenti

Paola Lenti founded her company in 1994 in the Italian city of Meda in Monza e della Brianza Province (Lombardy Region). Meda is well known for hosting one of Italy's leading furniture districts.

Paola Lenti was quickly noticed for the innovative textiles the company was creating and quickly set the design world abuzz. Highly praised for it's constant research, experimentation and cutting edge entrepreneurial spirit, Paola Lenti designs incredibly sumptuous rugs in vibrant colors for both indoor and outdoor. These rugs are such a treat to the eye that you may be reticent to actually walk on them. My suggestion? Go ahead...throw caution to the wind and step onto these rugs. Once you've done so, you won't be able to resist again because they feel as amazing as they look

The flowers and leafs on these rugs are all hand crocheted then assembled and hand sewn onto a supportive netting. They are also stitched with a high resistant polyester thread that allows the rugs to be used for indoor or outdoor. Can you say colorful!







Designer Francesco Rota for Paola Lenti. The frame of the Wabi is stainless steel and the base material is iroko wood (often referred to as African teak.) Rota uses aquatech (a high performing signature yarn) or a modified polyolefin-based yarn
called rope to weave the frame over the base.






Design Francesco Rota's Sunset table is available in both a dining and side table size. The structure is colored varnished cement or anthracite. The top is available in natural iroko wood and in granite stone trademarked as Nero Assoluto. This stone is Gabbro from Africa and is sealed to make sure it is water and oil repellent. The table and chairs are shown inside a Cabanne (An architectural structure) and demonstrate the collaboration between Paola Lenti and BestettiAssociati. The design objective is to find the balance between "container and content."
The metal is treated with the latest innovations to guarantee resistance to the elements. The (Iroko ) wood is left untreated to allow for the for the natural process to evolve over time. The Cabanne is modular, leaving the owner to design and place the structure as they see fit in the desired space.
Inside the structure is the Haven sofa designed for Paola Lenti by the Scandinavian design firm of Claesson, Koivisto and Rune. The frame is painted through a process called cataphoresis (The motion of charged particles in a colloid under the influence of an electric field; particles with a positive charge go to the cathode and negative to the anode.) The sofa itself is made from varnished steel. Covered with Rete, a 100% polyester material that is strong and elastic in composition, the seat and cushions are completely removable.



At the hand of Paola Lenti, the furniture created for her company has a sensuous feel. The curves and lines are decidedly feminine while the structure of each piece maintains the strength and edginess for the most discerning consumer. I look forward to seeing what the offerings of this innovative design icon will bring to the the 2011 season.

Understanding the benefit of your purchase.

Here's a question I've heard a lot over the years:

"Why should I purchase my outdoor furniture from a retailer that only sells outdoor furniture? I can go to a big box retailer and get the same furniture for so much less money."

The short answer:

You get what pay for.

There is an associated benefit with any cost and it is almost always a proportional relationship. Market law demands it. I will try to explain why, on the surface, the offerings of a mass retailer may be hard to pass up but should be. High-end outdoor furniture companies do not exist in a vacuum. They exist because they offer a superior alternative to products that may cost less but are less than adequate for a long term investment. Let's begin with the quality angle.

Quality

Chances are good that the furniture you purchase from a mass retailer will be of lesser quality as is the furniture that is made by a company that specializes in outdoor furniture. These specializing companies stake their name and reputation on what hits the showroom. Trying to foist poorly manufactured furniture on unsuspecting customers would have them out of business in no time flat. Some companies, with whom I have worked, do manufacture indoor as well as outdoor furniture. However, the quality of the two always remains the same. These companies have (and earned) a reputation for making high quality indoor as well as outdoor furniture.

Product persistence and part replacement

Be sure that you are getting not only the best quality materials but the ability to add to your collection in the future. It has been my experience that mass merchandise stores don't carry the same styles or even companies from season to season. This constant product turnover makes it virtually impossible to add pieces or to get parts for existing furniture should you have the need.

If you purchase furniture that is less expensive and you end up replacing it after a few years you have caused yourself an unnecessary headache and wasted your initial investment. Finding something you love is hard work. More so, finding necessary parts when required. The high-end outdoor furniture companies have catalogs for replacement parts. Collections do fall out of style on occasion but the manufactures offering higher quality furniture will keep parts and cushion patterns in stock for years and years.

Choice

When you purchase from a mass retailer, you get what you see. If you purchase from a outdoor furniture showroom, you will be given choices. Most of the furniture will come with a finish and cushion that the retailer has chosen but that is not all they can offer. With a little patience, you can get the product on the showroom floor in many finishes and many fabrics. In fact, the fabric choices for outdoor furniture are staggering these days so you can truly customize the furniture you purchase to your individual taste.

Warranties

You are going to make a substantial investment in your outdoor furniture. With the mass retailers you will get a limited warranty. Here's an example:

Let's say two years down the road you notice the finish is starting to chip. Your natural instinct will be to call the company from whom you purchased the furniture. The retailer carries thousands and thousands of products. They get the best price from season to season on what they need and then move on for the next season utilizing the next vendor who gives them the best bulk deal on the outdoor furniture segment.

More often than not, the mass retailers will be unable to retrieve the vendors name from a lot sold more than a couple of years ago with out a great deal of time-intensive searching which they are usually loathe to do. Weeks can go before anyone gets back to you. You decide to investigate for yourself only to find that, in the end, your ultimately disappointed because the trail has gone cold. Why? Because you hadn't realized that the furniture you purchased was OEMd from a manufacturer now out of business.

Just because the chair say's "Acme" on the back does not mean that "Acme" made the chair. It could have been any one of a number of vendors. On the other hand, high-end outdoor furniture will usually be sold by a well known and established retailer who specializes in this niche. With few exceptions, they will have direct contact with the vendor. This direct contact with the vendor, in turn, will make the process of having your needs met that much faster.

Bottom Line

Chances are the financial commitment is going to be larger when you purchase furniture from a showroom that only deals in outdoor furniture. For all the reasons I have cited in this article and in the preceding Smart Buyers Series, at the end of the day you are going to have quality furniture that you desire. As well, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that the furniture is going to last, that you'll be able to easily access parts if needed and if there is an issue requiring the exercise of your warranty, it won't come up short. All these things, together, should enable you to enjoy your outdoor furniture investment to its fullest.