Outdoor furniture: new buying criteria Anne Robert on Garden Design www.gardendesign.com New outdoor furniture is increasingly a candidate for indoor use, The Outdoor Stylist trend watch checks through a few new things to consider when buying an outdoor set to ensure the investment is maximized

1. Outdoor furniture: new buying criteria
June 09, 2010
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photo: Kettal PR
I am sorry to say the list of things to consider when shopping for outdoor designs just got longer !
The explosion of options available for outdoors had already made buying pieces quite tricky. As anyone
who goes for a first buy suddenly realises, looks are not the only thing to consider. A huge amount of
questions need answering. How will the design age? What precisely does the term 'suitable for outdoors'
actually cover? What about if it snows? How do the cushions stay out? Can then stay out ...out as in
whatever the weather ? etc, etc, etc ... And now, we need to add a new consideration: interchangeability.
New designs are so stylish people are buying outdoor furniture for indoors!. But again looks are not the
whole story and as many questions need to be considered. I would love to offer a magical tip providing
a silver bullet solution. Fact is homework and research are necessary. Here are a few pointers to help you
draw up a wish list when looking for pieces with 'interchangeability' potential.
Textures, finishes and colors
I started really realizing the potential new designs have to look and 'feel' great indoors when I visited a new
Kettal store. I discovered the Manhattan range (picture) covered in a lovely amazingly soft fabric. The base
of the seat is in a soft polyurethane material. This means that even the parts not covered by cushions such
as the armrest are easy on your arms and pleasant to rest on. If you think you will perhaps bring pieces
indoors at some point, then perhaps all teak designs or hard plastics are not for you. Choosing textures also
directs choice of colors if the intention is to maximise interchangeability. Let me illustrate the point:
Polypropylene furniture : take the new design by Callegaris, the Area 51 available in white or color.
Experience has shown me white polypropylene tends not to age well. It becomes rather grayish. So if you
go for a polypropylene piece, opt for the colored version.
Table tops: some table top materials are perhaps too 'hard' and you would not want to use them indoors.
The lovely new wafer thin ceramic tops for example fall in that camp. On the contrary a table like the new

2. Serralunga Banquété seen at the Milan Furniture fair, made from composite wood, offers a very soft and
gentle touch ensuring its 'interchangeability'.
Floor lamps: new designs totally replicate indoor designs. Looking at advertising images you may not see
the difference of textures and imagine how they would look if you had them indoors. I love online shopping
but if shopping with interchangeability in mind be sure you have seen the model or similar designs in real
life. I was shopping around for an outdoor light when I realised this. I saw the Viteo's dual energy ZOE
light in opal acrylic glass which looks very crisp and glossy ( not too glossy !). The finish makes it look
very suitable for a chic indoor set up. Right next to it was an outdoor lamp in regular plastic looking really
sad in an indoor context because one could see the ' welded' junctions and those parts very slightly frayed.
That often is the case with pieces in polypropylene or plastic and really looks strange indoors.
Equally important is the choice of finish. An large amount of the most modern designs in polypropylene for
example, roto moulded or not, are now offered in lacquered versions. Far more expensive than the base
product in ranges, they do tend to age really well. Depending on your style, they might work well indoors
thus justifying the initial extra cost.
Shape and size
Again many outdoor furniture designs have come to resemble indoor designs shapes and proportions
completely. As a rule of thumb choosing the right size and proportions means imagining if your newly
acquired ottoman would happily live indoors alongside your current furniture or how a possible outdoor
dining set could easily become the feature of your dining room.
Modules are obviously widely available now allowing sofa to be huge or tiny by adding or withdrawing
some parts. They are clearly the way to go as they can adapt to changing spaces.
Upholstering options
Fellow Garden Design blogger Gina Wicker wrote a great piece on outdoor fabrics and how they have
come so incredibly close to those traditionally used indoors.Check it out here. Beyond choosing the fabric,
you need to consider how they work. Separable or removable covers obviously make it easier to make a
quick change and use textiles you want to more specifically fit your indoor decor. Also consider things like
sofa covers. The Manhattan design shown in the picture for example uses a material and has a shape that
allows you to have it bare. Some designs may benefit from a cover to really make them fit indoors.
These are just a few pointers, love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Happy shopping!