Why is well designed outdoor furniture so hard to come by????????? Everywhere I look I am visually assaulted by poorly designed and equally stinky, (as in smell) off-gassing furniture manufactured in China. I have through diligent searching found some truly amazing, beautiful to look at, and environmentally friendly outdoor furniture that is not manufactured in China. FYI Knoll practices Sustainable Design. All Knoll Space seating is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® for low-emitting products. First the UGLY........
Okay that's enough of that, now for the sublime...................
These chairs are so beautiful and sculptural and are appropriately call "The Clover Chair"
A truly classic and timeless design by Knoll - the Bertoria Chair and the appropriately named Paperclip Table
I am partial to the Bertoria chair in white powder coated finish with a white vinyl chair pad.
It also works equally well indoors.
This is a design by the prolific Philippe Starck called One Cafe
The One Cafe also comes in black/ivory and a bar stool is available
with slip cover options in white cotton.
Another design by Philippe Starck called Dr No by Kartell is stackable. The Dr Na aluminum table is practical, simple and a perfect companion piece.
The Lord Yo Chair (above) designed by Philippe Starck, is a take-off on the classic Lloyd Loom chair. I like the cotton slipcover. They also come with Leather Slipcovers so you can take them indoors in the winter for an attractive addition to your kitchen or dining room.
Knoll Noguchi Cyclone Table Kissi-Kissi Table One Cafe Table
Bo Chair Miss Lacy Chair Toy Chair
Now for a few divine settings to get you in the mood for those lazy, hazy days of summer
Sigh
What makes a perfect outdoor setting for you? Please leave a comment and let me know.
Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you. © Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009
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71 comments:
The clover chair is a great find.
It IS so hard to find good-looking patio furniture! Is it so hard to manufacture wrought iron Chinese chippendale furniture? Apparently so. And the cast aluminum,please.
Even that is outrageously expensive!
Those clover chairs are wonderful!
-Lana
I love all of the Knoll products!! It is quite the breath of fresh air!!!!
The ugly is truly ugly! The outdoor settings are to die for! Well done.
I’m with you on the Bertoia chair and Miss Lacy.
sumblime is right. I love those clover chairs too. gorgeous!
I want to lounge on the swinging daybed- Such a great outdoor space!
What a great post for outdoor living! My absolute favorite is the hanging daybed. Wow! I'd love to have one of those.
Gorgeous, makes me want to run out side and re-do my patio.
Thank you! Perfect timing. I need backyard inspiration and this is sooo helpful.
That was a fantastic post! Great pictures and explanations. I am kind of partial to the Knoll chairs.
Hi, your blog is creative, Keep up the great work. Those chair designs are really unique.
What inspiration...and loved the other post on gardens designs. For truly amazing/wonderful/gaga outdoor furniture, try janus et cie. I die over their stuff and use it in installation after installation, always with fab results.
One of my best friends works at Knoll so I am at their Santa Monica CA showroom (and occassionally Paris) a lot...not my personal style but I so appreciate their aesthetic. And such QUALITY!!
Phillippe Starck's Bubble Club Sofa + Armchairs should be added for an ideal setting
I love the genius Philipp Starck, his pieces are amazing.
But I also love old french outdoor furniture, you know, the classic bistro look, my heart pulls me in those two directions, very cool modern or truly retro.
It all depends on the setting, the garden, the house...
It needs to be comfortable and easy to care for, good quality and not too expensive, that sums it up for me!
The antique wrought iron style furnitue is usually all that appeals to me, but I like the Knoll "Toy" chairs you featured and could see those paired with a rustic or antique zinc table. Visiting your blog is always an eye-opening experience! Deborah
Love the Bertoia chairs...so timeless and airy for small spaces, I love the great Dedon pieces also!!!
Jillian
I think the Bertoria chairs are classic & come to think of it...that looks like my Aunt Martha Lee's patio in Paradise Valley, Az. Hmmm.
Ok my truly favorite outdoor setting is simple...77 degrees, 50 % humidity, a slight breeze, no lawn mowers or small children, great conversation & great cocktails!
If i have all of that...i'm happy to sit my ass in the grass!
Lisa
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That's funny I was just thinking about writing an outdoor post on umbrellas. My sister a few years ago bought one of the hideous sets without consulting me. . . she's sorry now.
Love this post with all the beautiful and tasteful furniture!
I love you blog! What makes an outdoor setting shine for me... It has to comfortable. Have a place to retreat to as well as entertain. I love a daybed you can read a book on. A wonderful table and chairs to have guest around, some sort of outdoor heating element for the evening. I love the fire pits! And if you don't have have a view, then you need a lovely focal point in the garden or on the veranda. Candles, lots of them.
Philippe Starck is a genius and I love the kissi-kissi. I would be quite content in any of those outdoor spaces. beautiful!
So funny, as I was disturbed by the initial images and then realized you had labeled them "the bad", lol. And bad they are!
Onto the good, absolutely love the clover chair, so sexy, love, love, love! And of course the classic Bertoia and soon to be classic, anything by Mr. Stark. I also love the Ikea rocking chair, have that in a file to blog on later this week;) The dock setting with the umbrella and lanterns is fabulous as well and one can never go wrong with a classic Klimos, again, it has really sexy lines, always great! Thanks for the gorgeous selections.
Oh you had me at the Clover chair...unforgettable for sure. (And you are so right...there is such a dramatic difference between quality and ugly!)
Tricia - Avolli
Patricia,
When you are a visionary you will always be ahead of the normal flow of things. That's why you can't find what you need. Upon searching sometimes or later you find something that will work.
Now that you have exposed your discovery more suitable outdoor furniture will appear. Magical isn't it? Just like a great designer.
Bette
The bo chair is quite lovely. And that umbrella on the dock looks like a party I want to be invited to.
Thanks for such a timely and delicious post Patricia! I have been living outside the last 2 weeks, and loving it :)
I love my patio in the back with pots of flowers etc. BUT the one thing I do not have that would make it all perfect is a water view. I would love to sit in the evening with a glass of wine with my husband looking at the water [ river, ocean lake, whatever] and the boats traveling on it. That would be Heaven!!
I like the way you design these stuffs, great blog, keep up the good work...
* I've searched SOOO many places for "MY" version of fabulous outdoor furniture....
FORTUNATELY, I D*I*D find some...
UNFORTUNATELY, it costs an arm, TWO legs, an ear AND one's FIRST BORN!!!! DANG IT ALL!!!
Best,
Linda in AZ *
My favorite time of the year, lounging in the outdoor living space.My idea of a perfect outdoor space..water, green, scents of lavender, damask roses,rosemary, simple beautiful furniture. I also love the outdoor collection by Paola Lenti, very contemporary, colourful, great design
Where can I get a purple patio umbrella?!? Love it!!
You've posted some great pieces and wonderful outdoor spaces. I love the table set up on the dock. That would probably be my perfect outdoor setting, sitting at a table right by the water.
The clover chairs are awesome!! I also really like the Miss Lacy chair. I actually just came across a painting of that chair yesterday, and thought it looked so intriguing and pretty.
Unfortunately, hubby isn't willing to invest much money in patio furniture. So I have to do my best with Canadian Tire & The Bay finds :-)
Kelly
I LOVE those clover chairs and the One Cafe set by Starck! I want them both! I never really thought about patio furniture much and it's off-gassing. But, interestingly enough, I just found out that IKEA has a pretty wonderful policy about no or low VOC's. I don't shop there much, but a client wanted to check a few things out there. Having my first ever contest.... stop over!
super images!
barcelona chairs on a terrace...
not too shabby eh ?
xx
Sigh is right. That was gorgeous.
Awesome outdoor furniture shown in your post. I've thoroughly enjoyed watching these images.
Especially Knoll furniture & Bertoria Chair
Love the clover set what a find, but those first few talk about being ugly you couldn't be more right. I love patio stuff its like taking the indoors out doors
I appreciate the labour you have put in developing this blog. Nice and informative.
hey Patricia , enjoying canadian summer like a glass of water in the desert ? ;-)
the arabic modern architecture are a blast ,,, would like to see more if you have more pics of them ,,,,
have a nice day !! \Zelda
Great selections Patricita. Also Patricia Urquiola has the most beautiful exterior furniture as well - I Love the scale of her pieces and I also found some cool plastic furniture from Germany check the links
http://meadedesigngroup.blogspot.com/search/label/Patricia%20Urquiola
http://meadedesigngroup.blogspot.com/search/label/Barcelona%20Chair
Wonderful post Patricia - I absolutely adore those clover chairs, they are just fabulous...actually I would be pleased with most of those furnishings. Pretty images too....xv
Good heavens, you are savior for all backyard owners! How absolutely wonderful. You would be very proud of the furniture and architectural elements that are included in New York's latest park, located on an elevated train track. Just wonderful.
I love Miss Lacy chair and also the Clover chair. Really original and avant-garde.
WOW, the Clover Chair is gorgeous - a real work of art! As I enjoyed the rest of the outdoor furniture, I did wonder why it's so difficult to find great looking patio chairs that fold...
These are truly beautiful patio sets, however I find myself buying the ugly sets due to the fact that they are the only ones that withstand the Arizona summers. Any suggestions?
My biggest struggle is finding outdoor pieces that not everyone and their mother owns.
Dedon's woven style was great but is ubiquitous now. I'm always keeping my eyes peeled for new looks...
You have a nice post.. I like the third post of a chair. It is a good design of chair for a simple but elegant restaurant
Really love those clover chairs. But after some cocktails on a nice summer night, something to recline in would be a good thing. Love even more the white Barcelona chairs. Then add the fire pit.
All designs are very unique and very interesting.
I am in search of just the right furniture for my deck. I am like most however, my taste far outweighs my budget. You have shown some lovelies!
Blessings...
I feel like I have just gone on a vacation looking at these great pictures Patricia! Thank you...best wishes
Marta
Oh Patricia they are all beautiful especially the fifth from the bottom, it is absolutely divine. That is the patio I dream about.
I love the picture of the clover chairs! They are so sweet and I could completely see them in a little garden or beach front.
Oh, that clover chair is beautiful!
I had my deck redone in the spring, and still have not ordered furniture because nothing has really been quite right (on top of the fact that my 21 year old built in fridge and oven died, and I had to replace them - that seemed to be a more important expenditure than outdoor furniture!). My sister keeps telling me what a pain teak furniture is...so I am not sure what I will do.
I saw a home recently that had the most gorgeous, streamlined outdoor furniture - made by Dedar for Janus et Cie. It was really gorgeous.
Sorry, that is supposed to say Dedon by Janus et Cie!
Love your work. Great inspiration.
cristin
http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/
well said! (and shown...)
What makes a perfect outdoor setting for me...hm...
Plants are a must. Especially nowadays, the green just relaxes the mind. Wooden decks, and lounge chairs, maybe a garden
Ooooh I soooo NEED some NEW patio furniture!
I loved all the gardens and their designs. I especially liked the introduction to new and amazing patio furniture. The clover chair is to die for!!
What a beautiful post Patricia. I just saw it since your link on our blog is not updating !!
Beautiful settings and furniture. My Ideal outdoor area would be under my Bauhinia tree.
Most of my outdoor furniture is Thai Teak meant to be indoors. I love bringing the indoors out and outdoors in.
FAB patios... I would glad sit in any of these areas... I'll even bring the wine!
How are you? Fine I hope!
ENJOY!
Fifi
Love the purple outside and umbrella
What an awesome selection of beautiful patio furniture. I would like to have some of them.
I love the clover chair. It really is sculptural, so creative. I love seeing what people can create with their mind and seeing it in actual form, it's so inspiring! I'm glad to have discovered your blog as I think you do great real reviews.
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Jenni
I do like the ones onthe patio by the fire! Wonder how they stand up to rain or do they need to be taken in?
Great pics! It's pretty obvious how the designs are derived from European styles given the homely and rustic appeal of the furniture position vis-a-vis the location. Also, the designs embrace the sun and its warmth, which help in projecting the feel of summer. Nonetheless, these pics will certainly give people with interior decorating ideas for their homes.
The sublime images are definitely sublime. Make me want to sit out on my back patio with a good book today!
really like those chairs, got some similar but not as cool and contemporary as them,
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