Before you decide to run to the store and buy new patio furniture, check your budget — and your design style.

Manufacturers are strutting out bold pieces that can do double duty indoor or out. Sectional sofas are taking center stage in collections. Overstuffed cushions, custom fabrics, and tassels and trims are now becoming the norm alongside chairs that look like they belong in the family room and tables carved from glamorous granite slabs and manufactured synthetic stones.

The new “outdoor room” has taken on a new meaning with homeowners — it’s an extension of their home.

“People take a lot of pride in the patio. That’s the room that everyone in the neighborhood can see. It’s becoming a design statement,” says Marci Buckiso, co-owner and design consultant of the Fireplace and Patioplace in Pittsburgh.

One of the big outdoor trends this season is accessories. Everything from tables to lamps to privacy screens tailored to match cushions is all the rage. But before you start with the small stuff, you need great furniture to end up with a great look.

Manufacturer Brown Jordan, in business since 1945 and whose original “luxury leisure collections” marked the birth of outdoor furniture, sets the standard for the industry. The company creates pieces in cast, wrought, and extruded aluminum; stainless steel, resinweave, and teak wood.

Seamless welds, alternative tabletops of granite or synthetic stone, and stunning architectural lines in every design style are the hallmarks of the dozens of collections that look and feel good from every angle.

One look at the Asian-inspired “Fusion” collection and you’ll be tempted to make it your new living room suite. Lovers of the modern and minimalist look will gravitate to the “Nxt” collection constructed of stainless-steel square frames with see-through sling-style seat backs and bottoms in primary colors that appear to float in the frame.

Next in line is Lloyd & Flanders. Its new “Rendezvous” collection features outdoor sectional seating made of dark, hand-woven all-weather vinyl on aluminum frames with sleek, deep lines that can be rearranged to meet virtually any entertaining need. Cushions can be designed designed from 160 all-weather acrylic fabrics.

Winston, a mid-priced line, offers various designer collections with a sling design seat that can be replaced with various woven blend fabrics in a multitude of solid, stripe, and textured designs to meet homeowners needs for years to come.

If you love cast-iron and aluminum furniture with intricate scrollwork, you’ll want to check out Hanamint, whose finishes in various colors weather well and look elegant and stately in any setting.

Smith & Hawken’s trademark hefty teak and outdoor hardwood collections are guaranteed not to blow off the patio. You’ll also find other collections in basic wicker and sling styles.

Martha Stewart’s Everyday Garden Collection features pieces in all-weather wicker and rust-free aluminum.

Over at IKEA, easy and breezy is the buzzword. The Swedish retailer is showing cushions in fun primary colors like blue and orange that sit on basic white, outdoor teak or aluminum frames — family-friendly and easy on the budget.

Ms. Buckiso says there are other clever ways to make a statement.

“When upgrading indoor countertops to granite, customers are ordering an extra slab for an outdoor table.”

This enhances the indoor/outdoor transition, especially if the patio is off the kitchen. She also has a healthy business from customers ordering new cushions as a way to update an older but still useful patio set.

“Fabrics can be pulled to coordinate existing or new indoor decor. Custom cushions cost about half the price of new furniture, making it another smart choice.”

All of these choices come with a cost, but Ms. Buckiso finds that customers are no longer surprised by the price tag these days. A properly done space will easily run into a few thousand dollars. She advises customers to develop a long-term design plan, consider the cost of the investment, and deal with a company that offers service for the future.

“A well-selected and designed patio should be totally useful, enjoyable and calling your family outside for years to come,” she says.

The Block News Alliance consists of The Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Rosa Colucci is a writer for the Post-Gazette.
Contact her at: rcolucci@post-gazette.com.

source : toledoblade.com

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