High-quality and vitaminized garden furniture for the summer

Coloured metal outdoor furniture: the star models

Dashing, sparkling and full of vitality, coloured metal furniture brings a new lease of life to an exterior. It stands out in the garden and offers a modern and festive design that seduces in the summer season. Yellow for an exotic touch, green for a wild atmosphere, blue for a seaside effect or red to fill up with energy; with this wide choice, the garden will never again look grey. For a softer atmosphere, the outdoor furniture is decorated in pastel shades. The more daring will opt for mix and match. 

The Italian design brand Talenti has also launched a dynamic line of outdoor furniture in aluminium or wood, Cleo Alu and Soft: modular and canopy sofas to be combined with colourful textiles, coffee tables, lounge chairs or sky blue or burgundy rocking chairs.

With its straight lines and pure aesthetics, metal furniture is a perfect match for vibrant colours. The proof is in the collections Picnik (design by Dirk Wynants and Xavier Lust) and Hopper, of the Belgian manufacturer Extremis: minimalist garden tables and benches in structured powder-coated aluminium in warm colours such as copper brown or pastel shades such as rush green. 

In France, the manufacturer Fermob still presents its emblematic Luxembourg range, whose origins date back to 1923, when the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris was built. This aluminium garden furniture is available in 24 bright colours, offering lightness and a joie de vivre. At Matière Grise, a manufacturer specialising in metal design furniture, it is the Zef collection that is currently attracting interest, with its sober and elegant pieces, as well as the Hegoa line, in a resolutely industrial spirit; both of which are coloured in a totally original palette.

Contemporary and vibrant: in search of the most beautiful garden furniture

Enhancing the design of an exterior with colour is still a trend that is in vogue. The combination of a sober contemporary style and colours is therefore more than appropriate. This design offers personality, charm and character to the garden. Here are the highlights.

To mix these two elements, the Belgian manufacturer Tribù offers us a collection of the most modern poufs, Nomad, imagined by the Italian designer Monica Armani. These pieces, with their harmonious round shapes and light, contemporary design, reveal delicate pastel house colours: Radiant Sunset, Sunshine Glow, Exotic Green, Sky and Sand. Evocative names reminiscent of holidays and summer. A beautiful object, as aesthetic as it is comfortable to integrate into a small corner of greenery. With its Loop collection, Belgian furniture manufacturer Vincent Sheppard also combines contemporary design with vibrant colours. This line consists of outdoor chairs made of polypropylene rope and a powder-coated aluminium frame. The chairs have a light, airy and attractive design and are available in many colours, including the classic terracotta, indigo and taupe.

If you want to showcase perennial colours with elegance and refinement, you should look to Royal Botania garden furniture. This high-end outdoor furniture company designs models, some of which are inspired by the natural beauty of lush botanical gardens.

Famous designers have already had the opportunity to propose their vision of contemporary and colourful garden furniture. This is the case of Belgian designer Xavier Lust and his iconic minimalist bench in white, red or black glossy sheet metal, produced by MDF Italia since its creation in 2002. And the Thinking man’s chair designed by the British designer Jasper Morrison in 1986, since produced by Cappellini. A chair with sinuous shapes, in green, dark grey or terracotta, designed for periods of relaxation and reflection. The French brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have also recently made a name for themselves with their Palissade range of hot-dipped galvanised outdoor furniture with a modern aesthetic, which has been included in the Hay catalogue.

High-quality garden furniture in new colours

The major manufacturers are becoming more and more attracted to the festive atmosphere of colour in the garden. Some of the classics of indoor furniture are now available in an outdoor version.

One example is the Cassina outdoor collection, which combines comfort, aesthetics and innovation. This range includes recliners, dining tables and outdoor sofas, designed by a number of historic designers such as Afra and Tobia Scarpa, as well as contemporary and leading designers such as Patricia Urquiola. The brand’s artistic director since 2015 completes the family of outdoor furniture with Trampoline, sophisticated, colourful products that celebrate the joy of living: garden beds, sunbeds and seats. Environmentally conscious, Patricia Urquiola adopts a sustainable and innovative approach while relying on a vibrant and daring design.

The French manufacturer and retailer Cinna has chosen to re-edit a pioneering model dating back to 1995: Michel Ducaroy’s Saparella modular outdoor living room, with its round, airy lines. A real upholstered cocoon, consisting of a seat, available in different colours, including carmine top (carmine red), bombay top (olive green) or oslo top (emerald blue) for the most original.

In a more colourful genre, the Italian house Moroso presents Tropicalia (by Patricia Urquiola), Banjooli (by Sebastian Herkner) and Supernatural (by Ross Lovegrove). Outdoor furniture with original shapes and surprising colours (turquoise, neon green, purple…): an explosion of gaiety and an undeniably dynamic garden.

Kettal and Unopiù, two manufacturers of exceptional terrace and outdoor furniture, are available for more sobriety. Their catalogue includes sofas, chairs, armchairs, tables, pergolas… cleverly designed to enhance green spaces. The delicate Mesh collection from Kettal and the Quadra range from Unopiù are particularly appealing. Indeed, these two great manufacturers combine wood, a noble and durable material, with colours with subtlety and finesse: a gentle blend for a refined landscape design.

 

Outdoor textiles and furnishing fabrics anything but classic

Cushions, poufs, mattresses, carpets… Textiles also take on colour. Festive or more neutral shades are subtly invited for a joyfully variegated effect. These furnishing fabrics add the final touch to the decoration of the garden, so it is essential to pay attention to them. The Belgian furnishing company Gommaire selects the best fabrics to offer a neat finish. Woven from high quality yarns, they are waterproof and resistant to wear and tear as well as the sun. In its outdoor catalogue, Gommaire presents square or round poufs with soft or hard seats, cushions, side tables, all available in many colours; simple or extravagant.

Kvadrat, a Danish textile manufacturer with a skilfully executed design by international designers, also pays extreme attention to detail. In collaboration with the designer Patricia Urquiola, who has become a household name, Kvadrat has created a collection of furnishing fabrics: Atrium Outdoor. This high-quality fabric is made from Trevira CS yarn, which is flame retardant. It is also environmentally friendly and dries quickly: the perfect fabric for the garden. On a plain background with a slightly vivid pattern, this fabric combines two similar coloured yarns with a contrasting one to give depth and a wavy visual effect. The palette consists of warm and neutral shades.

In the summer months, we often celebrate our creativity by using colours. Outdoor accessories such as outdoor pots, like those offered by the Belgian editors and manufacturers Serax and Atelier Vierkant, can be chosen with intuition. An open door to positive vibes for the entire summer.