On a balcony or in a backyard arbor, on an office terrace or in an outdoor cafe… Regardless of the venue, we have never yearned so much for relaxation in the open air. Even if it’s only for a few moments, it is worth taking care of the setting so that it turns out even better. Its indispensable element is outdoor furniture.
Outdoor relaxation is more than only long hikes in the mountains, or seashore or lakeside walks. Much more often we seek moments of relaxation much closer to home – on the balcony, or in the garden on a summer evening and lazy weekend, on the terrace in the office, somewhere between our first and second business meeting, or in a nearby cafe sipping cappucino with friends. In each of these venues, we can reset our mind. But each one requires a slightly different arrangement.
Office space extension
A moment of respite is an essential element of efficient and effective work. Especially when professional duties require long-term, absolute concentration. This is why in large corporations and offices increasingly contain specially separated and designed relaxation zones. Sofas, armchairs, swings and even hammocks appear indoors, but also… outdoors. Importantly, when properly arranged, they can both facilitate relaxation and maintain a slightly more formal character.
Furniture from the HAY’s Pallisade collection is a perfect choice for such spaces. Designed by French brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, it’s made of powder coated or hot-dip galvanized steel. The line includes armchairs, benches, tables, double and triple sofas and comfortable deckchairs that stand out due to their openwork design. They all share symmetrical geometry, simplicity of structure and color neutrality, which makes them minimalistically elegant.
The 13Eighty chairs, which were also created with urban space in mind, demonstrate a different organic character. Designed for HAY by Dutch designers Scholten & Baijings, they owe their name to their specific structure. Dozens of small holes in the molded polypropylene chair casing create characteristic aesthetics, its openwork character and thus the play of lights and shadows. The differences in the size of the openings give the chair a sense of movement – it trembles like hot air. The openings also have a purely functional use – they are used to drain rainwater. A special coating protects them from overheating. 13Eighty are available with or without armrests. They can be stacked.
Addition to the hotel room and cafe
Hotel terraces, patios and balconies, as well as garden cafes, are usually somewhat more laid-back. Although they generally don’t feel completely “homely”, they are designed to provide maximum comfort and a sense of uniqueness, or even luxury. In these places, guests just need to feel good.
Such arrangements requires furniture that is fully functional – easy to clean, and at the same time original and aesthetically interesting. Some good examples are the Riverstone collections from Tonon, Linear Steel from Muuto and Adell from Arper.
The first of these lines boasts absolutely unique shapes – seats and tables resembling huge stones washed over by river waves. Although appearing hard at first glance, Riverstone furniture actually offers a pleasant feeling of softness and comfort; the material from which it is made resembles the structure of leather, is satin to the touch and pleasant to the user, it has nothing to do with plastic hardness. This material is completely fireproof and waterproof thanks to the compact outer two-component polyurethane surface and also resistant to stains, e.g. red wine. Highly hygienic and non-toxic, the Riverstone furniture is available in many shades of gray, beige and white.
The Linear Steel-Muuto line was designed specifically for meetings. This furniture is about a synergy of shapes, straight and curved lines, materials and functionalities, manifested, for example, in the holes allowing rainwater to drain off. Maintained in the style of visual simplicity, the furniture attracts the eye with details that define its timeless aesthetics.
The Adell-Arper armchairs, designed by Lievore and Altherr Désile Park, are a nod towards calm and balanced elegance. They are like a precious souvenir from the natural world. The shell is made of 80% recycled polypropylene, making them soft yet supportive, sturdy yet lightweight. Adell’s shapes and configurations can be adapted to countless contexts. They are available in many variants: only with a textured plastic finish, fully upholstered, plastic with an upholstered seat cushion or plastic with a removable cushion and full cover. Base options include configurations with metal or wooden legs or a metal skid base.
Living room in the garden
What about spaces where we want to feel as safe as possible? In your backyard garden, on the terrace, by the swimming pool or in the arbor you need extremely comfortable furniture.
This is the case with KRISTALIA’s Brioni line, named after the famous archipelago in the Adriatic Sea. It includes pouffes, lounge chairs and couches in many sizes. Their shape resembles small islands emerging from the sea. Visually, they tempt with the softness and comfort. Brioni furniture upholstery is made of Sunbrella® fabric: stain-resistant, breathable, UV-resistant and waterproof. The furniture dressed in it is soft and comfortable, thanks to the flexible polyester lining and plastic strips enclosed in a waterproof casing. Light and easy to carry, it allows you to create countless outdoor arrangements and experiment with different shapes, colors and sizes. Another nod towards functionality is the use of a dark band in the lower part of the seats, which prevents direct contact between the ground and the upholstery.
The wide range of outdoor furniture allows you to arrange spaces that vary in the expression and function. It is a necessary condition for the perfect adaptation of the equipment to the context of the place, and thus maintaining harmony and coherence and enabling a comfortable rest.
