Take it outside: 8 hot trends in outdoor home furnishing
Get out and stay out. Southern California’s typically glorious weather inspires a passion for luxurious outdoor living spaces — and there’s no shortage of new fabrics and furnishings to make that a reality.
“The customer is starting to think of their outdoor space like another room,” said Ann Marie Vering, Los Angeles-based designer of the Milano Collection for Restoration Hardware. “They are spending more of their budget outside, they’re entertaining and relaxing more outside, and it’s driving [furniture] companies and manufacturers to put outdoor lines in their collections.”
Vering said furnishings that were once an afterthought are taking center stage. “It’s no longer about clunky, cheap furniture to throw on the patio. … Customers want high design for their outdoor pieces.”
Here’s a look at eight ways the trend is playing out at stores across the country as summer 2017 gets underway:
Fabric first
The increased selection of colors, textures, prints and patterns for weather-resistant outdoor fabrics from companies such as Sunbrella is “off the charts,” said Doug Sanicola, owner of Outdoor Elegance in La Verne and chairman of the International Casual Furnishings Assn. “The fabrics have the look and feel of what you would use inside,” said Sanicola, “and they even make a synthetic down fill now and you can’t tell the difference.”
Pillow talk
In the past, the spongy Dacron filler inside traditional patio cushions and pillows wouldn’t allow for the cushy look, or the “karate chop” fluffing techniques reserved for indoor pillows. “With the new down-filled and high-density cushions you can put them on your sofas and chairs and they look really cool. It is about bringing the indoors out,” Sanicola said.
Vering agrees. “I think the biggest thing right now is seeing a lot of the oversized cushions, the same kind that showed up in interiors five or six years ago.”
Furniture design
According to Vering, consumer demand is also driving trends in furniture design. “[We’re] seeing a lot of outdoor furniture using two different materials,” said Vering. “It’s teak and metal, steel and rope, not just a single material.” She added, “It’s more complex to manufacture with multiple materials, but it adds more design detailing, and I think that’s what the customer is starting to look for.”
Flex time
Consumers today are also seeking flexibility. “Everything has to move,” said Sanicola. “We’re actually having to put casters on fire pits and things that are heavy … so [consumers] can just release the button on the casters and roll it where it needs to be.”
So hot
In addition to mobility, fire-pit design is also getting an update. “We have noticed over the past couple of years that longer, rectangular or linear fire pits and burners are becoming more popular,” said Hilary Reynolds, marketing communication specialist for the Outdoor GreatRoom Co. “Even in smaller outdoor spaces, we are noticing a trend away from traditional round fire pits.”
Daybeds
Ready for a nap? Online retailer Wayfair reports that sales of outdoor daybeds — circular, cushioned islands of relaxation — have surged by 89%, said company spokeswoman Julie Cassetina. And the season’s not over yet.
Throwing shade
With sunny skies in the forecast, Wayfair also reports a 225% increase in the sale of space-saving, nine-foot half-umbrellas over last year’s numbers in what Cassetina credits as a nod to the “compact living” trend — that living in smaller spaces can still mean living well.
Completing the look
“Another thing that’s picking up in the outdoor market are the accessories,” said Vering, “like outdoor lanterns, planters, mirrors and screens. I think we’re going to see a lot more accessories happen in the next few years.”
Bonnie McCarthy contributes to The Times as a home and lifestyle design writer. She enjoys scouting for directional trends and reporting on what’s new and next. Follow her on Twitter @ThsAmericanHome.
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