spring furnishings

High end outdoor furniture companies offer us sublime works of art, yet each piece can be more than our monthly wages. For those of us on a more earthly budget, I have been impressed with the line up in recent years from some of the classic “catalog companies” such as Crate and Barrel, West Elm and Restoration Hardware.  I still think of these retailers as catalog companies because I live on and island and getting inside one of these stores is a production that involves cars, ferries and half of a day. I’ve also found that seeing a broad range of their lines in the stores is rare.  Luckily, their online resources are extensive. I’m a fan of natural meets industrial & modern, and these retailers all have a take on this look.

Outdoor furniture should not only look good, but it should feel good.  Outdoor time is for relaxation and it defeats this purpose if your furniture is uncomfortable.  Also consider the scale of the space that you are furnishing and select pieces that are in step.  Finally, consider your climate.  Sometimes its best to store furniture away during the off season (I do), but if you live in a year round bonny clime, you can keep your exterior furnished year round too.  Keep in mind that relentless sun exposure or morning dew in a coastal climate can wreak havoc on furniture just as much as a rainy climate.   Make sure your cushions are weather and UV resistant, I tend to favor Sunbrella.

Promotions are on right now as we gear up for summer, so if you are in the market for an outdoor furniture refresh, take a look at a few 2012 favorites I’ve hand picked…

West Elm

West Elm is part of the Williams-Sonoma conglomerate and has always been more my cup o’ tea than their other retailers.  Their offerings are current, have clean lines and definitely appease my natural meets industrial bent.

Montauk Nest Chair. Photo courtesy of West Elm.

Textured Stone Planters. Photo courtesy of West Elm.

Verone Rustic Planter. Photo courtesy of West Elm.

Jardine Dining Collection. Photo courtesy of West Elm.

Crate and Barrel

To me, Crate and Barrel has always symbolized affordable design, and their outdoor furnishings follow suit.  Clean lines, colors and shapes, with a dash of natural.  They are a go to choice for me for interior and exterior.

Reef Lounge Set. Photo courtesy of Crate and Barrel.

Alfresco Natural Dining Set. Photo courtesy of Crate and Barrel.

Cadence Lantern. Photo courtesy of Crate and Barrel.

Marimekko for the outdoors. Photo courtesy of Crate and Barrel.

Restoration Hardware

Restoration’s outdoor line has really expanded over the past decade – they have a wide selection of styles and the detailing is clearly top notch.  Their online tools are exceptional and they offer many fabrics to choose from.  This all comes with a higher price tag, but if it fits in your budget, be sure to take a look.

Ibiza Lounge Chair. Photo courtesy of Restoration Hardware.

Belgian Slope Arm/Provence Beam Table. Photo courtesy of Restoration Hardware.

A great selection of Sunbrella colors in solids. Photo courtesy of Restoration Hardware.

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if you build it, they will come

I recently commented to Adam that I’d love a frog pond.  The evening chorus is what I am after…it tickles me.  A few days after sharing my secret wish, a lone croak appeared in the garden late one night. I investigated, and found this little guy raising a ruckus all on his own.  He is well camouflaged – look at the center of the photo:

He has taken up residence in my little pot o’ pond.  What is this, you ask?  Man made ponds can be beautiful when done right, but they also can be high maintenance and prone to leaks.  I keep my water features pint sized and in a pot.  With some creative engineering, you can wire the pot for a dripper or bubbler that will create soothing sounds and help to keep the mosquitoes down by moving the water.  Throw in some water plants and a few floating lettuce and voila – a pond in a pot.  I’ve created many glazed pot water features and have also ventured into galvanized metal stock tanks which work well in the right setting.  Typically I prefer a low & wide pot that is glazed both inside and out.  If the pot’s interior is unglazed, it can be better sealed by painting on a thin silicone coating.  If you want to get fancy, you can hard wire the pump to a switch that is controlled via a remote.  Impress your friends.

A few of the water features I’ve created:

Dragonfly dripper with black taro and dwarf papyrus

Bubbler is a copper pipe snugged just below the lip so you only see the water...

Stainless steel dripper in a galvanized stock tank

Still pond in a pot in the backdrop (the frog's home)

Not long after Frog A took up residence, I was heading outside for my evening slug hunt (no further details – I want you to still like me). I opened the front door to find another small green frog on the doorstep.   Since our resident frog has been calling out for a mate every night, I guessed that perhaps this was his Cinderella.  Since she (I am making some storyline assumptions here) was headed the wrong way and at risk underfoot, I moved her closer to her frog prince.  Maybe we will get some tadpoles.

The sun was out today, as was our resident frog who took to sunning himself on his private pond edge.  I think he is living the high life.

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