Mixtures of seemingly antagonistic materials, versatile pieces and home aesthetics. Discover the latest in outdoor equipment.
Terraces, porches, and gardens become the heart of the house during the months of good weather. This is helped by the furniture collections designed to adapt to the different times and needs of the day with an aesthetic that links with the interior rooms, blurring the boundaries between the two environments. The designs are always made of resistant, unalterable, and increasingly lighter materials - both in terms of weight, to make them more versatile and visually fit into any space. Discover the latest proposals offered by outdoor equipment firms for this summer.
Mediterranean light. "I have always been attracted by the play of light and shadow produced by Mediterranean shutters and by the works of some oriental architects who work with wooden slats and bamboo canes," says José Antonio Gandia-Blasco when talking about DNA, Gandiablasco's new outdoor furniture collection. Made with anodized or thermo-lacquered aluminum profiles in white, sand, bronze, or anthracite, DNA is completed with polyurethane foam seats and backrests covered with water-repellent fabric. The result is an elegant and essential outdoor furniture proposal that blends in with its surroundings, whatever they may be.
Elegant blends. A combination of brushed steel structure, on which teak slats are alternately braided, is one of the latest proposals of the Italian firm Unopiù. The collection is called Tweed - like the plaited fabric of Scottish origin - and plays with the tactile and visual sensations created by these two materials, teak and steel, to give rise to a balanced mix between the warmth of wood and the coldness of steel; the natural origin of the former and the contemporary and industrial character of the latter. The result, of elegant and subtle symmetry, combines tradition and modernity in equal parts.
Lounger by day, sofa by night. Versatility is the first word that comes to mind when we see the latest proposal from Extremis. Sol + Luna is a collection of furniture with pure and compact lines that offers a wide variety of uses in minimal space. For example, the shelf that runs along the entire side of the sun lounger, which provides a practical space to leave a drink, a book, or a suntan lotion while enjoying the sun, becomes a comfortable backrest by simply placing a few cushions that transform the furniture into a sofa with seating for three people in the evening. Likewise, the umbrella becomes a lighting element at night—a clever two-in-one design.
More than a daybed. Vondom's Vela collection has been expanded with the addition of a daybed with a canopy, which shares with the rest of the elements that compose it its desire to offer the comfort and warmth of indoor furniture, also outdoors. It is made of linear low-density polyethylene: a 100% recyclable material that withstands extreme weather conditions, from -60°C to 80°C, and is resistant to UV rays. Its rounded volumes seem to float a few centimeters off the ground, and it is also prepared to incorporate light inside, making it perfect for use during summer nights.
A comfortable living room. The Boma collection, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Kettal, responds to the need to create outdoor environments that are increasingly aesthetic and comfortable, that have nothing to envy to the interiors but that, at the same time, are ready for outdoor use. For this reason, the structure of this collection consists of an aluminum frame with minimalist lines - which nevertheless elegantly evokes a wooden surface - completed with oversized cushions that give a warm and welcoming image to the whole.
Let yourself be embraced. From Arborètum, specialists in outdoor equipment, Jaume Benavente (director of the firm's showroom) recommends some key pieces for a trendy terrace. The first is the Mbrace collection by Dedon, designed by Sebastian Herkner, shown in the image. It consists of three armchairs designed to ensure comfort through a comfortable embrace, as promised by its English name. Low, high, and rocker-type backrests can also be completed with an optional footrest. Made of teak wood and synthetic braided fiber, available in three different colors, its aesthetic evokes exoticism with a refined Nordic style.
Versatile modularity. Arborètum's second recommendation, in this case for a living area, is Gloster's Grid collection, made up of a wide variety of individual elements that make it possible to create countless compositions. Its modular character, together with a philosophy committed to a refined aesthetic but with great attention to detail, makes its pieces ideal for any space and need, thanks to the accessories included both in the different modules and in the complements.
Timeless functionality. For outdoor dining, Jaume Benavente of Arborètum recommends the latest addition to Royal Botania's Ozon series, which he says "is the most beautiful round or oval-shaped outdoor table available." With a structure in stainless steel or aluminum, available in various finishes, and a tabletop in teak wood or ceramic material, in four colors, its most characteristic feature is the center made of the same material as the structure, which lends dynamism and resistance to its elegant image.
Functionality and elegance. The Swing collection, by Ethimo, pursues visual lightness through a metal-based structure with teak rods that give it an elegant aesthetic that would fit in any interior living room but which, on the outside, gives rise to beautiful shadows with the passage of the sun through its framework. In addition, the ergonomic seats are upholstered in a water-resistant fabric so that they require no special maintenance.
Visual lightness. Malta, by Kavehome, is an indoor and outdoor collection consisting of a table and stackable chairs with an aluminum structure combined with details in solid teak wood. The mixture of both materials gives rise to a set as resistant outdoors as visually light, which is suitable both to enjoy an urban terrace and a garden by the pool and even as equipment for the indoor dining room of a vacation home.
Soft ethnic touches. Lightness and naturalness are the two key ingredients that stand out from PortobelloStreet when decorating patios, terraces, and gardens. "We are committed to incorporating quality pieces rather than quantity. In outdoor decoration, less is more," the firm says. An excellent example of this is the image's pieces, which reinterpret the traditional aesthetics of natural fibers with sinuous and minimalist shapes.