OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS
The interconnectedness between our outdoor and indoor living spaces is indisputable. Today’s modern home should be equipped with ample space for outdoor entertaining, lounging, and thoughtful gazing. The more time we spend outside, the more effort and attention we need to give to designing our outdoor spaces.
Structures and finishes should harmonize with the surrounding flora and fauna. Furniture selection is crucial in creating a stunning, yet site-appropriate outdoor tableau. Whether your backdrop is an urban jungle or wooded rural vista, your decisions on outfitting the patio should be rigorous—no less informed and no less expensive than outfitting your interiors. Just because outdoor seating and tables are exposed to the elements doesn’t make it okay to scrimp on style.
Lounge Around
In today’s marketplace, you’ll find a host of streamlined chairs made of synthetic materials with slim profiles. But not just any seat will do when it comes to creating an inviting atmosphere for outdoor entertaining. We’ve undertaken rigorous research into the comfort, form, and label recognition of countless deck chairs, benches, and chaise longues to bring you the top choices for outdoor seating.
COCO CHAIR BY LOLL DESIGNS
Reminiscent of the Eames molded plywood seat, this chair is made from 100 percent recycled polyethylene (that’s plastic to you) from milk jugs and the like. It’s also totally recyclable itself. The company, headquartered in a hip factory Loll calls “Hawks Boots” in Duluth, Michigan, offers the Coco chair in eight vibrant colors. The youthful hues and casual profile are ideal for arranging outside a prefab home.
DRAGNET CHAIR by Kenneth Cobonpue for MOSS Outdoor
A graduate of Pratt, this Philippines-born designer’s work has garnered acclaim with in-the-know design fans. This high-back seat features his signature take on his homeland’s knotted and rattan furniture. Bright red and surprisingly lightweight, it’s an excellent choice for modernists living in artistic coastal enclaves. However, it should be approached with caution by city dwellers, as it may skew too whimsical for the gravitas of an urban roof deck.
TOLEDO CHAIR by Jorge Pensi for Knoll
Pensi’s work as an industrial architect in Barcelona has gained him many admirers. Made from thermo-treated aluminum polished to a glossy shine, the beauty of this chair is that it doesn’t become hot to the touch—even during the harshest heat wave conditions. The chair is 100 percent recyclable. You may be tempted to add a seat cushion to the metal seat, but we advise against it. A pillow may be soft for your rear, but it detracts from the clean lines of the cutouts on the aluminum panels. Because they stack neatly in sets of four, this is the perfect chair for party throwers.
CASE STUDY CHAIR
For purists, this teak and stainless-steel confection is a true delight, realized in the most simple materials and elegant shape. The original pieces were manufactured as part of the Case Study Program, which ran from 1945 to 1966 and was sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine. Major architects, including Charles and Ray Eames and Richard Neutra, were commissioned to create model homes for servicemen returning home to the United States. after the war. Today, reproductions of these furnishings are made in Los Angeles by Modernica. The most versatile outdoor chair, this seat is equally at home on a roof, in the yard of a prefab home, or on a slick concrete patio.
Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space.
LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE (1886–1969)
The son of a German stone carver, Ludwig Mies reinvented himself after his marriage dissolved in the early 1900s, adding his mother’s maiden name “Rohe” and the Dutch “van der.” He moved to the United States following Nazi pressure on artists to cease creating controversial pieces. His final masterpiece was to come full circle back to Germany with his “New National Gallery” in Berlin. Unfortunately, he was unable to attend the opening and died shortly thereafter.
Notable Works: Barcelona chair, Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois. Seagram building, New York.
Talking Points
Without the comforting enclosure of walls, many find shaping an outdoor living area bewildering. It’s up to you to arrange the seating in your outdoor space to facilitate or prevent communication and interaction. Try the following seating plans to determine which formation complements your furniture, the square footage of your accommodations, and the sort of mood you wish to encourage.
THE ESTRANGED
THE CONVERSATIONALISTS
THE SOLOIST
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Most people have become attached to the idea of “comfort” when sitting. With modern furniture, however, it’s important to rethink your concept of what is comfortable. In a thickly cushioned chair, your body may be supported—but at what price to your design values? Your intellect? Your psyche? How comfortable are you with losing those aspects of self? It’s better to focus on the pure joy and thrill of being close to high design than to slump into an overstuffed chair for a nap.
CASE STUDY #5692
“Even the dog was concerned when Sunday came and went without a sacrificial bivalve added to the pyre.”
