Outdoor Furniture

Sometimes you just don’t know what you will read. It started innocently enough discussing the effects of gardening and digging in fresh black soil that usually makes most people happy however, this article went on to discuss the benefits of a microbe geosmin that naturally occurs in compost piles that acts essentially as a natural happy pill. That smell of fresh earth after a rain is the essence of feeling good. In keeping with this thought, enriching the garden so we can bloom just as well as our plants, it is important to make this space work so we can enjoy its bountiful environmental and health benefits.

Getting a handle on how much space you have, first consider how you would like to use it then immensely useful for keeping projects on track, create a sketch of where, what, when and how. Since working in soil is beneficial to our well being be sure to include either in ground plantings or pots filled with medicinal plants such as aloe vera and edible plantings. It is not necessary to choose between flowering plants and edible ones as many produce beautiful intermittent flowers that presage vegetables as well as edible flowers themselves; case in point nasturtiums. Plan to design the garden in layers taking into account the size of mature plantings to ensure that there is adequate space for growing plants.

Taking a cue from such a healthy s/pl/ace, modern outdoor furniture should be situated to maximize both interactive engagement with the garden plants as well encourage reflective musings under the dappling of leaf filtered sunlight and gentle breezes slightly perfumed with what else, dirt!

Keep sectional sofas within easy reach of ripening tomatoes and fresh herbs spilling over the edges of scattered pots. You can decide to go with the typical wicker furniture however, there have been some recent intriguing design initiatives elevating plastic outdoor patio furniture to almost theatrical levels with eccentric baroque lines and vibrant colors that rivals the best that Nature has to offer. The “Design of Love” series offers high design in easy to take care of plastic along with colors that will double your happy level with a color selection that is definitely eye catching. Nestled next to blooming orange trees and tropical banana trees, they will compliment any garden design that champions vibrancy. Feel free to mix them with some more traditional patio furniture and wood deck chairs for an eclectic, one of a kind space.

While you are busy adding modern patio furniture pieces as your happiness level dictates, take a moment to make sure that this space is really your space. Including and highlighting those items that you zealously protected to bring home from vacations and perhaps challenged both nature and man to retrieve is the stuff of story making and good times to share. A treasured rock placed atop a cocktail table, adds both weight so on a windy day it won’t blow away as well provides that therapeutic feeling of connection. Why not use the collected beach glass as the mulch around the plants. Sea shells can serve similar duty.

A happy habitat is one that lets us celebrate our life and gives us meaning. Design also is ultimately very personal and should express us in the way that we live each and every day. Once the concern over whether we got it right or not is dispelled, we find the relaxation and comfort that good design, personal design should bring to our lives on a daily basis providing nutrients for our soul in the same manner that rich, black soil does for plants.

Pot Of Love Price: $119.00
Duke Of Love Price: $595.00
Joker Of Love Price: $395.00
Little Queen Of Love Price: $495.00
Queen of Love Chair Blue Price: $895.00
Queen of Love Chair White Price: $895.00
Deckchair White Price: $219.00
Outdoor Canopy Bed White Price: $989.00

Ball Outdoor Sofa Set White Price: $989.00

Outdoor Dilido Table White Price: $889.00

Tripoli 360 Large Umbrella Price: $550.00

If you are like most people, the size of your outside yard area is limited and adding a pool seems to  usually require choosing between a larger play area or an area dedicated to primarily pool activities, making the yard seem to shrink.  In places such as Miami or Los Angeles where the summer heat just begs for relief, having a pool almost seems a necessity however, there are some real positive and easy ways for creating a beautiful outside area that delivers the best of both worlds: a cool refreshing place for a dip and room for gathering and sharing.

Some tips provided by design experts for making small backyards seem larger are simple, straightforward and will make the difference between feeling deprived and fully enjoying your outdoor space.

One of the first things you can do is to create varying levels creating visual interest as well as providing for additional seating. This allows you to maximize the yards available space by perimeter plantings. These can be storage boxes or planters that provide storage, easy access to flowers, herbs and add an additional element of establishing distinct spaces which leads to the next recommendation…

Create at least two outside “rooms”. This definition between the spaces, especially in a small location, provides the sense of being able to travel even if it is around a planting of tall grass giving a sense of motion and “arriving” at a place of destination. Modern deck furniture is well suited to form groupings that informally invite conversations and help to define areas. Even a well placed umbrella or a cluster of them creates areas of interest, a focal point. In a small space these shouldn’t be too large or they will overpower the space but they also should not be so minimal that the effect is lost. Taking the time to develop a design concept for each room will increase the sense of having moved from one environment to the next. Try mixing sectional sofas in one room with a modern outdoor dining room in the other. In this way you have created defined areas along with great functionality. Be playful and look for color schemes as well to distinguish one room from the other which leads to the next recommendation…

Keep bright colors to the foreground in plantings. This keeps the eye returning to a position away from the back so the boundary of the space has a tendency to recede, again making the yard look bigger. Adding one continuous deck around the pool area provides for easy clean-up and the furniture should be both practical and fun. The “Queen of Love” is a recently released oversized colorful, baroque inspired outdoor chair that just begs for attention, ample use and inclusion as a made-to-order conversation starter. With delicious colors ranging from pink to yellow, white to black, surely you can find inspiration from the inclusion of this piece or get adventurous and consider the entire line, “Design of Love” which includes additional pieces that will add sparkle and uniqueness to your backyard.  Outdoor cocktail tables, champagne urns and storage ottomans with the ultimate in modern design will provide for lots of design possibilities.

Another consideration is to use tile. An excellent non-slip material, it allows for the flow through of water and supports wicker chairs and deck loungers, avoiding nasty gouges in the ground. A technique to visually fooling the eye and making a space seem larger than it is is to lay the tile down diagonally. This creates a sense of the space being larger than it is.

Source: http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/landscaping-ideas/small-yard/design.html

Design performance is a concept discussed and celebrated by Design Miami that allows for entrance into a slice of the life of a creative designer, Allowing for a rare public engagement in the unfolding and the dynamics of the creative process, it can lead to both the inspiration and the confidence for novice designers to try the same process for themselves.

It is clear that today’s top modern furniture designers have gone through the rigors of professional design training,. While they will most likely be the first to acknowledge that training has a lot to do with their success, they will also be likely to admit that there is also the intangible element of inspiration. That undefined element that transcends training, allowing the whole to become larger than the sum of its parts. Utilizing the relationships between volumes, colors, materials, textures and more in a design challenge is more readily understood by professionals because they have put in the time and have learned how to recognize and develop patterns, contrasting and complementing elements; a conscious rather than an unconscious process. With all this said, just what can the novice do to pursue also having the design performance experience?

An easier arena to start with is perhaps the outside living area. In places like Miami, the patio experiences as much exterior living as interior spaces due to its wonderfully subtropical climate. With less upfront dollars invested and with furniture more forgiving, this is the perfect place for creating an outdoor space that speaks to you.

Not quite sure how to begin? Visit a few modern furniture showrooms. If you happen to be lucky enough to live next to major design centers such as Houston, Los Angeles, Miami or New York City finding a location with the up-to-the-minute selections fresh off the hottest world designers’ drawing boards will be more readily available. If not, fret not and get online. There is much to choose from. Don’t be timid to mix and match seemingly unrelated pieces or styles. Now, take one of the lessons from professional designers, look for a unifying element. It can be an element that is similar or the link is in its difference.

An all white palette will look unified simply because it is all the same color. Just as much, a highly contrasted unifying theme like black and white is simply the repetition of contrasting color. Try to avoid overdoing any particular element as it can seem stiff and start to become counter to the intend experience and outcome of flow rather than only conformance to a design concept.

Just like a design performance, the goal is to allow the design to become an organic process that balances the needs of the practical; I am creating a sectional sofa to the artistic expression that allows for perhaps a grouping of outdoor storage containers in varying heights to create en masse seating that allows for opening and grouping the pieces as desired.

Gather together elements that appeal to you perhaps a low synthetic rattan table with large, oversized umbrellas arching over the seating area for an instant party like atmosphere. Adding lights always brings out a special element. Play with color to allow for exuberance or for a quiet interweaving of the natural with the manmade. Let what you like, what you enjoy be a part of this process. It is not necessary to over commit to the final design. Don’t like it? Do it again!

There are times when professional designers collaborate on a design so consider making it an afternoon activity where you and your family become the stars of your own design show. Take turns designing for each other voting and keeping the best until the next time.

Enter spring in style with modern and chic home designs inspired by Modani’s latest collection. Stop by Modani Furniture showrooms in Miami, New York or Los Angeles the week of January 24-31 for ultimate savings on furniture for every room in your home, office or outdoor patio. Visit our sale page here for all items.

Comfortable, clean and easy to design around, the Oria Dining chair is the perfect modern complement to your dining room set. Original price: $190 Sale price: $169 Pair these dining chairs with the Alina Dining Table also on sale for $690.

Create the backyard oasis you’ve always dreamed of with Modani Furniture’s cushy outdoor Bonifacio two-seater sofa. Save $50 on this purchase during Modani’s 7-Day Sale.  Add the coffee table for $290 or the matching armchair, also on sale, for $440.

Go bold this spring with Modani’s Calypso Rug. Bring the energy of the islands to your home with this vibrant mini carpet. During Modani Furniture’s 7-Day Sale, save $100 by purchasing for only $290.

Bring the glitz and glamour to your home with this specially carved mirror from Modani Furniture. Oversized with decorative accents, the Malipiero Oversized Mirror  is $150 off for a price of only $840. Feel the old-world romance and add this to your modern collection today.

Modani Furniture has three showrooms nationwide in Los Angeles, Miami and New York as well as three new showrooms opening in 2012. You can also visit www.modani.com to see the latest in modern, stylish and affordable furniture.