Inside out

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As a tranquil extension of any interior, outdoor spaces should reinforce the general design style, and intelligent furniture selection is key, says Lauren Hills

With more and more people considering outdoor space as the ‘fifth room’, or an extension of the interior, there is increased demand for innovative, stylish outdoor furniture that is not only functional and durable, but a complement to the interior design.

“People want to have the same luxury outdoors as they do indoors, so making innovatively-designed furniture is very important. Terraces and gardens become living rooms,” said Kevin Snyders, marketing manager at Royal Botania, a Belgian outdoor furniture manufacturer.

While an interior space provides a wide canvas for the designer to explore, there are challenges unique to outdoor spaces that need to be considered. In creating and selecting a durable product, the impact of sun, wind and rain needs to be taken into account, therefore only fabrics and textures that are proven to withstand outdoor conditions can be used. 

“It is actually easier to create furniture for the interior. We are limited in the use of materials for outdoor furniture. For example, we need to know that a material is UV resistant and durable,” Snyders pointed out.

Symbiotic

Quality and design go hand in hand in the creation of successful furniture for the outdoors. An innovative design that is durable and long lasting is what end users ultimately require and unique, creative designs that are of luxury quality are in high demand in this region.

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“If the article lacks design, no matter how good the quality is, it will not sell. And if the design is fantastic but the article does not offer good quality, the high-end customer will ultimately be disappointed and will not buy it,” said Guiomar Alvarez, general manager of Spanish outdoor design firm Ogapora.

Both durable and attractive, natural materials such as teak have always been a popular choice in outdoor furniture. However, synthetic materials such as rattan, melamine and polycarbonate products have also been developed to fulfill those two critical criteria.

“The trend in outdoor furniture at the moment, and what we specialise in, is the association of materials such as batyline, lacquered glass, ceramic and other synthetic materials, such as corian,” says Dominique Lafaurie, export manager of Ego Paris.

In trying to create innovative designs, companies are now also exploring ways to take materials typically associated with indoor usage outdoors. Spain’s Andreu World, a leader in the design and manufacture of interior furnishings, is developing a new outdoor line that was showcased for the first time at Milan Furniture Fair 2008.

“We want to use solid beech wood; that is not typical for outdoor furniture. Normally, teak or other tropical woods are used, but we want to use beech because it is at the heart of the company – 80% of our products are made from beech,” says Jose Palau, marketing and sales manager of Andreu World. “We are doing all the tests and we will soon be able to say that these specific products made from this specific beech wood, treated in a particular way, will be suitable for outdoor use.