It's the ultimate family room where kids play and belly flop, dogs run, and nobody cares if you track dirt with your shoes. It's the American back yard, and there's no place like it.
Photo by NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN; styling by JIMMIE HENSLEE/Special Contributor/On Set Management; model CANDACE HENRY/Kim Dawson Agency; Hugo Boss white linen dress; hair, makeup, AL TIDWELL/Kim Dawson Agency
Jensen Jarrah Pemberton 70-inch table, Integra benches and Lazy Jane round lazy Susan, (
www.jensenjarrah.com); throw pillows, stacked ceramic dinnerware and ivory ceramic platter, Ralph Lauren Home (
rlhome.polo.com); dishes held by model, clam shell, ceramic fruit bowl, porcelain jar with flowers and Temple Jar with Foo Dog lid, Ceylon et Cie (
www.ceylonetcie.com) From coast to coast, homeowners are rediscovering their yards, and increasing their quality of life and home value by re-creating it as the newest room in the house. The race to backyard bliss is on, with plenty of participants.
"Americans are increasingly looking to outdoor spaces around their homes for a tranquil retreat," says Jackie Hirschhaut of American Home Furnishings Alliance. According to the trade group, 42 percent of homeowners surveyed last year said they think of their outdoor space as an outdoor room.
"The only difference between an outdoor and indoor room is that the room outside has no physical walls and its ceiling is the sky; so it makes perfect sense to design your space as a whole, with the same respect for the exterior as the interior," says Steve Elton, vice president of product development at Brown Jordan.
And what a room. Tri-level custom decks with outdoor spas replace concrete patio slabs. Nondescript lawns have morphed into lush gardens with winding pathways and koi fishponds. The leaky plastic pool has floated away; in its place: a dramatic palm-shaded edgeless pool and waterfall.
Now the spotlight has turned to furniture, an outdoor room must-have. Woebegone wicker and duct-taped folding chairs are out. Instead, there's quality furniture that, like its indoor counterpart, is chosen for its ability to set the design tone.
SEARCH FOR SANCTUARY: Leading the fashion parade this season is the return of nostalgic canopy-draped furniture, popular in the 1950s. It creates a private getaway space in the yard, something that 57 percent of consumers say they want. Look for this in contemporary and traditional styles with comfy cushions and dramatic, elegant draping.
PICK A STYLE: Whatever your preference, you'll find it this spring. Lovers of contemporary will gravitate to designs inspired by modern architecture and clean-lined sculpture. There's also furniture with a sense of history with designs dating back from the recent retro period all the way to George Washington's time.
For fans of international style, striking contemporary looks from the Aussies are coming ashore. Cozy vintage furniture from France is particularly popular, drawing from the 1940s bistro cafe scene; it's ideal for small spaces such as apartment balconies and patios. "Vintage designs recall the comforting traditions of family," notes Ludovic Grandchamp, CEO, Comptoir de Famille. "Furniture that draws a link between now and then brings to mind occasions shared with those who are special to us, like summer dinners under the sky and family picnics. It's the same for people everywhere whether in Texas or in France."
A LA THE RUNWAY: Just as home interiors require a fashion punch to pull the look together, so does the outdoor room. Black and white is essential this season whether in solids, stripes or fun polka dots. Against nature's backdrop, bright colors create contrasting focal points with innovations in fade-resistant fabrics. White, ivory and gray neutrals look fresh when paired with richly colored woods, cool metals or painted wicker. New is furniture in unconventional shapes, such as round loungers and Cleopatra-like draped daybeds.
BE NICE TO MOTHER NATURE: Furniture with eco-friendly materials continues to gain favor. Look for weather-hardy woods such as teak and jarrah, harvested from controlled forests and abundant species. Other options are wood look-alikes and metals, created to endure harsh climates so they don't require frequent replacement and disposal.
INVESTMENT FURNITURE: Like indoor furniture, quality design-driven outdoor furniture can get pricey. But it's worth the investment because it's made to hold up in hot climates.
"Just as you would choose the best quality you can afford for inside your home, you should do likewise outdoors," says Mr. Elton of Brown Jordan.
"Everyone's outdoor furniture lasts about two years, but then it's a different story – that's when the value of quality furniture really starts to pay off." Look for manufacturers who'll back this claim with multi-year warranties for both fabric and frame constructions.
So, fire up the blowtorch and take aim. Now's the time to melt that faded bargain-basement plastic patio chair into a modern sculpture and replace it with furniture for grown-ups.
Carla Jordan is an Irving free-lance writer.
Janet Wansor of Jensen Jarrah leisure furniture says that Q&A is the key when shopping for outdoor furniture:
1. Ask questions about the manufacturer:
How long has the company been in business?
Where's the furniture made?
What are the characteristics of the wood?
Are cushions made with fade- and stain-resistant fabrics?
What is your warranty?
2. If buying eco-friendly is a goal:
Is the furniture made with a renewable resource?
Does it contain toxic materials? (Stain, paint and finish products should be water-based/non-hazardous.)
How is the harvesting of the timber managed?
3. Take time to sit in the furniture and ask yourself:
Is it comfortable?
Is your lower back supported?
4. Don't forget to "kick the tires":
Lift the chairs and tables. They should be sturdy and sound or they'll likely blow across your yard in a storm.
Push the end of a table – give it a "wobble" test.
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