Spring presents a bouquet of possibilities to refresh your outdoor space. Poised on the edge of the full outdoor season, springtime is the perfect time to dress up your property and poolside setting for a new season of play and chilling outdoors. Here, two experts weigh in on trends in outdoor furniture, sharing insider information on how to fulfill your dream for a fresh, new look.
Everyone agrees that the new year is bringing new frame features, fresh prints, and a new appreciation of the importance of comfort.
Ben Collins, the president of Brown Jordan, is excited about the company’s new iterations of two of the company’s best-sellers: the Luca and Oscar II collections. He was excited to mention his collaboration with designer Ann Marie Vering to produce a brilliant new frame feature and renewed attention to comfort.
“We don’t see a lot of people talking about comfort in an outdoor space,” Collins says. “But there is no reason to sacrifice it for durability and strength of materials.” Collins and Vering also recognized the beauty of flexible movement, especially in a chair. “Having a swivel chair gives you the ability to engage in various positions without moving a heavy chair.”
The Luca collection – which had the most successful launch in Brown Jordan’s 80-year history –has undergone new framing, crafted of aluminum with a touch of teak. Aluminum, which can be powder-coated in various colors, has taken a brand-new look.
“We’re bending it in ways a lot of people don’t,” Collins says: A different kind of extrusion method, reflected in the arms and legs of Luca pieces, produces an oval shape. “It’s almost like a racetrack,” Collins says. “We’ll continue this trend in September.” He is also excited about a new material in the Oscar II collection (a reiteration of the highly sought-after original Oscar, launched in January). Here, designer Vering is replacing rope with two-inch flat woven straps of “sun cloth,” a collaboration with Sunbrella.
At Baker-McGuire, designers are presenting a new wave of designs that also retain durability and strength. “The newest line, The Baker Resort Collection® for McGuire – Outdoor (below), embraces a soft, neutral palette inspired by the elegance of luxury yachts and coastal living,” says Erica Wingo, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Baker-McGuire. The pieces are indeed reminiscent of seaside living, sporting sailcloth-white stone, warm travertine, and classic teak.
The take-home message: Like the inspiration of summer’s warm weather, look for sensual, organic, and easy-on-the-eyes trends for your new outdoor seating.
