Design Dilemma: Stylish and/or Eco-Friendly Outdoor Furniture

It’s the time of year when the party moves outdoors. As the weather heats up and the days grow longer, it’s natural to want to spend as much time outside as possible — relaxing, playing, entertaining. And that means, it’s time to head out to the patio, veranda, balcony or porch. But what should we put in those outdoor spaces?

Here are a few ideas:

The Frank Gehry Outdoor Collection is fashioned of plastic in Gehry’s characteristic sculptural style. It includes a chaise, bench and small twisted cube that can be used as a stool, seat or sidetable. It’s available as a collection (4 pieces) from HiveModern for $2,285.

DWR’s Cabrio Chair adds a burst of modern color to any outdoor setting, The weather-resistant chair gets special kudos as it is made of recycled plastic milk jugs. Designed by Greg Benson and Jefy Taly for Loll, the chair is currently on sale at DWR for $335.75. It comes in an array of colors.

Similarly, DWR’s Go Collection, which features the loveseat rocker above, adds a burst of cool to patios and verandas everywhere. The set was also designed by Benson and Taly, and includes a rocker, chair, and double loveseat rocker. The set is also made of reclaimed and recycled plastic milk jugs. It’s currently on sale for $731.

Also available from DWR is the Ms. Rio ottoman, made entirely of recycled flip flops. The ottoman not only looks fun and funky, but uses recycled soft rubber without any further manufacturing. It’s currently on sale for $297.50.

Finally, below, the grasshopper chair at Tectona, is the perfect outdoor chair for dining. Made by the Parisian furniture company, this chair was designed by Weiki Somers and costs 222 Euro. Although their store headquarters are based in Paris, they ship overseas.

Design Dilemma: Five Secrets to a Great Outdoor Space

Summertime means spending more time outside, in the outdoor spaces of our homes that are pretty much ignored during the winter months. But whether that outdoor space feels inviting, comfortable and practical will depend on how well you’ve done your planning. Honoring just a few principles can help you create a pleasant outdoor space that you can enjoy all summer long.

Here are a few tips:

1) Create spaces for intimate chats AND large gatherings. Your space should be able to handle multiple situations, whether it’s an afternoon iced tea with a friend, a morning out sunbathing alone, or a large dinner or cocktail party. Arrange furniture into groups that can handle all situations, or invest in stackable and double-duty furniture pieces that can be pulled out easily to accomodate larger groups.

2) Create both shady and sunny spots. There are times you want to lie in the sun and other times that you want to take refuge from it. A good outdoor space will provide places to do both. A space isn’t working well if it feels barren and forbidding in the heat of summer for lack of shade or too cold to enjoy on cooler summer days because the sun can’t get through.

3) When it comes to plants, investigate those that shed least. If you don’t want to engage in major clean-up of your outdoor space on practically a daily basis, you’ll want to avoid plants that shed blooms or leaves continuously. For example, while pine trees can provide wonderful shade, continuously falling pine needles can also make for constant sweeping and raking. Talk to your local garden center about plantings best suited to be planted near an outdoor patio.

4) Don’t forget the lighting. People sometimes forget that lighting outdoors is just as important for setting ambiance as lighting indoors. Since patios often get use in the hours after sundown, plan a multiple source lighting scheme that will provide a feeling of intimacy and romance, but also allow you to see what you’re doing. Popular options include lights on a string, as well as candles. A patio light on a dimmer switch will also allow you to create a mood.

5) Treat plants as sculpture. The major difference between indoor and outdoor spaces is greenery. So make full use of that difference by investing in lots of plants in bold sculptural shapes. Plants will quickly set the tone of your outdoor space, providing color, shape, texture, and even a beautiful smell. (Think jasmine). Plants can be used to camouflage a less than ideal location (as a cover up against a bad view), can provide privacy when your neighbors are a bit too close, and even set a tone of formality or informality.

Design Dilemma: Stainless Steel Vs. White

By now, if you don’t have a kitchen outfitted with stainless steel appliances, you are SO behind the times that you might even be considered ahead of your time. Recently, it has been clear among the design elite that the ubiquitous stainless steel trend is out, replaced by appliances hidden away and built into cabinetry.  Most of us who are not going for the top-of-the line Euro-style custom cabinetry, however, are still faced with the design dilemma: stainless steel or white?
Which way would you go?

Take these points into consideration when making the big choice:

1) What’s the temperature and humidity level like where you live? In some very humid climates stainless steel holds up better than other types of appliances that have the tendency to corrode.

2) How likely are you to be frustrated by fingerprints and streaks? Stainless steel appliances show fingerprints, grease and smudges much more easily than white appliances. On the other hand, owners of stainless steel stoves report that they clean up easily, sometimes more easily than their white counterparts.

3) How design conscious are you? Because stainless steel and granite countertops have become ubiquitous in standard tract homes across the country, they are not likely to remain in vogue for long. Within a few years, stainless steel appliances may scream 2002, and you may not want to send that message.

4) Do you have children? Stainless steel tends to dent and it can scratch. It can also be noisy if it is not properly stabilized on an appliance.

5) Will stainless steel fit with your kitchen aesthetic? Stainless steel is sleek, urban, industrial and commercial-looking. It may look out of place in a rustic country kitchen or in a retro-style kitchen. Most customers seem to prefer stainless steel with dark wood and warmer cabinet colors, although in truth, stainless steel usually looks good with any cabinet color, as long as there is warmth somewhere in the kitchen. Paring stainless steel with high-gloss lacquer cabinets will make a kitchen feel ultra high-tech and colder.

6) Will you be able to get the same stainless steel for all your appliances? There are different kinds of stainless steel. The stainless steel on your refrigerator should match that of your stove, microwave and dishwasher. Check out the stainless steel carefully on the appliances you want to buy to be sure the pattern and handles match.

7) Are you replacing only one appliance? If so, your one stainless steel appliance is likely to stick out if it is combined with white or colored appliances. Stainless steel usually blends better with black appliances