Nature is beautiful, but few of us have the capacity to rough it for any significant duration. Time outdoors means savoring the sun or shade in courtyards, plazas, parks, and backyards—planned and cultivated spaces embedded with amenities for comfort and convenience. As you contemplate your next exterior project, imagine yourself eating lunch, grabbing a drink, and catching up with co-workers, friends, or a good book with these made-to-endure furniture pieces and lighting fixtures.
Sconce, Bocci
Ambient lighting can be hard to come across outdoors. Sconce, an outdoor surface-mounted version of Bocci’s 14 Series chandelier, is an alternative to traditional architectural and landscape lighting that can bring mood lighting outside. The 4”-high-by-2”-deep luminaire is made with a cast-glass hemisphere and uses a 12V, 10W xenon lamp. bocci.ca
Emu Heaven Chairs, Coalesse
The sweet hereafter comes down to earth in this outdoor chair collection from Coalesse, designed by French designer Jean-Marie Massaud. Available in three powder-coat finishes, the collection includes an armchair, side chair, and lounge chair, as well as tables, vases, and stools. The chairs are made of 34% recycled content. coalesse.com
Kama Duo Modular Table, Ego Paris
City dwellers fortunate to have a backyard rarely have enough room for furniture. This space-saver from Ego Paris does double duty by acting as a low coffee table and as a dining table. The Corian or aluminum tabletop comes in eight colors, while the lacquered aluminum frame comes in 20 colors. The 129cm-long piece is 54cm wide when closed and 62cm when completely opened. furniture-egoparis.com
Cloud Sofa, Meridiani
The Cloud Sofa from Meridiani exemplifies the look and comfort of indoor furniture in outside applications. Designed by Italian designer Andrea Parisio, the sofa is part of the Cloud Collection, which also includes a modular seating system, a small armchair, and two lounge beds. Cloud is made using lightened solid Iroko wood. www.meridiani.it
Zidiz, Royal Botania
As the namesake for this outdoor seating collection from Royal Botania, Zidiz means “check this out” in Aantwarps, a Flemish dialect from the city of Antwerp, Belgium. Designed by company co-founder Kris Van Puyvelde, Zidiz combines a sustainably harvested teak base from Royal Botania’s XQI line with a white Corian tabletop. The collection’s chairs are stackable. royalbotania.com
La Jolla LPL6, Auroralight
La Jolla LPL6 from Auroralight is perfectly proportioned for small pathways and intimate garden areas. Made of solid copper and brass with stainless steel hardware, the 6"-diameter, 17"-tall landscape luminaire is lamped with a high-output LED. An internal diffusion option offers a softer glow with no shadowing. La Jolla is designed for 10' to 18' spacing. auroralight.com
Woven Vinyl Flooring, Architectural Systems Inc.
Architectural Systems offers a different take on resilient flooring with Woven Vinyl Flooring. Suitable for use outdoors, the collection consists of three patterns. Rolls are 78-3/4" wide by 65'6" long, and tiles are 20" square. Matte and gloss finishes are available. archsystems.com
