Outside chance of indoor elegance

The days of white plastic patio furniture may be numbered. The biggest trend in outdoor furniture is indoor furniture: Homeowners want interior decor that flows right outside into their newest living space, the great outdoors.

By: Cathy Lubenski
   "More and more consumers are identifying the adjacent space
outside their homes as livable space," said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president
of public relations for the American Furniture Manufacturer’s Association in
High Point, N.C. Furniture makers are more than happy to accommodate this back-to-nature
trend with lines that could look just as good in as out, including portable
wet bars, dining tables, game tables, rolling carts, serving tables and other
furnishings.
   "We’re also seeing more pieces for entertaining, like buffets
and servers to give you more space for food or dessert," Ms. Hirschhaut said.
"You can get a dining table for your patio or deck that seats eight comfortably."
   Wicker, rattan and teak are just a few of the materials used
in outdoor furniture because "these materials are treated with finishes that
allow them to age beautifully. Rainwater will just bubble off them," according
to Ms. Hirschhaut (who admits to being a very conservative consumer: "I’d cover
mine if I expected a storm or adverse weather").
   In addition to all that wood, Ms. Hirschhaut said, "Metal
in tandem with natural materials is also very popular. A cocktail table might
have fossils or stones on the top with glass over-top. The contrast of the glass
and metal legs with the stone gives it a great visual interest."
   Seat cushions are covered in colors that could have been lifted
right out of a painting by 19th-century landscape artist Thomas Cole. "There’s
a tremendous return to natural colors and maybe that’s because of the natural-color
wave that’s been so dominant in interior furniture," Ms. Hirschhaut said.
   Pastels, and that old standby, ticking stripes, are out. "Florals,
printed fabrics like paisley and other fashion fabrics are dominant," according
to Ms. Hirschhaut.
   Umbrellas also have changed. "Talk about engineering —
they’re engineered to be able to withstand the wind so that they don’t take
off and are constructed in tiers so that the water runs off. Colors and patterns
run the gamut, but the important thing is that they’re lightweight enough so
that they’re not cumbersome. The average consumer can open them and enjoy them
without losing them," Ms. Hirschhaut said.