Vipp Goes Outdoors With the New Open-Air Collection

There’s something new this spring at Vipp, the brand’s first outdoor furniture collection – Open-Air – has been released! Like its name, the design of the furniture visually depicts the lightness and soft shapes of durable materials that are meant to be used outdoors. The collection includes a chair, a dining table, a lounge chair, lounge tables, and sofas that pull directly from Vipp’s refined indoor furniture pieces. Open-Air matches the same durable craftsmanship, timeless design, and attention to detail that can be found throughout the brand’s history of molded metal.

The collection is characterized by strong, lightweight grey powder-coated aluminum. The strong silhouette created is then complemented with rattan, teak, and outdoor-friendly textiles. Details in teak will naturally age to a soft grey with time, fitting in well with the existing neutral palette. The seats are filled with quick-dry foam and covered in an Italian Ten Stars yarn textile that is water and UV resistant.

To learn more about the Open-Air collection, visit vipp.com.

Balcony + Terrazza Glass Planters Feature Staggered Silhouettes

As spring inches ever closer I can’t stop thinking about and planning what I’ll be putting into the ground this year. London-based LSA International’s new Balcony and Terrazza collections also have me dreaming up what I’ll be adding to my empty planters – and maybe a few new ones. Inspired by biophilia – our affinity to engage with the natural world – Balcony and Terrazza’s designs are sculptural and purposeful. Their individually mouth-blown glass pieces add a sense of calm to their surroundings by echoing patterns found in the natural world.

Balcony is a two-part, self-watering glass planter that uses sub-irrigation to deliver water straight to a plant’s roots via a cotton cord that wicks water from the built-in reservoir to the soil. Inspired by visually interesting terraced landscapes and offset city balconies, Balcony maintains a consistent level of soil moisture – ideal for plants who don’t like to dry out before their next drink. The two clear and olive green glass sections neatly fit together and are suitable for plants, bulbs, and herbs.

Sticking with a staggered profile, Terrazza is a collection of floor and desk planters ready to help you add green life to your space. The two-part planter features a mouth-blown glass planting bowl that nestles into a powder-coated steel base. The resulting column mimics high-rise terraces and roof gardens, creating a shelf-like formation, while an open channel in the base provides the plant’s roots with exposure to sunlight. Terrazza is a great option for growing trailing plants, as well as bulbs and herbs.

To learn more about Balcony and Terrazza, visit lsa-international.com.

The Banco Bench Hopes to Enhance Your Experience With Nature

Skagerak by Fritz Hansen’s new Banco Bench was originally designed by Hugo Passos as a one-off exhibition piece in 2019. After the event, Passos worked with Skagerak to develop a lighter version of the outdoor bench that would be more suitable for production. It’s now available in two versions – a double-sided or single-sided bench.

The premise behind Passos’ furniture designs is enhancing the experience in nature, with a backrest that’s organically contoured for comfort. “I wanted to make it as pleasant as possible for people to enjoy nature. The sun moves so the double bench can be used on either side, and while seeking to design a backrest for comfort I also tried to achieve beauty,” he said. “The end result is somehow reminiscent of a Japanese daruma or edamame bean, bringing a sort of unexpected softness and dynamism to the strong straight lines of the long teak planks of the seat.”

“When I first saw it in the exhibition I was really struck by its unique typology with the organic shape of the backrest and the way it can be used double-sided. But there’s also something familiar with the classic style of the two long planks of the seat,” says Skagerak design manager Ditte Buus Nielsen. “Our history is built on benches, and this fits into our family and storyline with its teak and functionality, but also offers new thoughts and expression.”

Sold as a flat-pack, the Banco Bench is manufactured in teak, a wood that’s warm in tone when new and silvery grey as it ages.

To learn more about the Banco Bench, visit skagerak.com.

Rietveld Originals x HAY Relaunch the Crate Outdoor Collection

The latest addition to HAY’s offerings is the relaunched Crate Collection, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1934. Today, along with Rietveld Originals, the brand has released their take on the original. Based on Rietveld’s Crate Chair, the whole of the collection is distinguished by wide planks and a low silhouette.

“The Crate Chair is a wonderful example of a product designed by an architect who was seeking harmony between architecture and interior,” said Rolf Hay, co-founder of HAY. “It’s hard to imagine something which is closer to our core design values, because it was really Rietveld’s mission to create a super cool, affordable, open-source furniture range for everybody – taking an incredibly democratic approach to design, which of course fits HAY extremely well.”

The Crate Collection includes a lounge chair, dining chair, coffee table, and a side table that feature a strong yet simple aesthetic that’s appealing to many styles. Each piece of furniture stays true to Rietveld’s vision of embodying the idea of affordable, comfortable furniture that’s both beautiful and accommodating.

Made of solid pine wood and treated with a durable, water-based lacquer, the Crate Collection works well indoors and outdoors. Easy to assemble, it’s also made to last, and is offered in a select range of colors including Black, White, Iron Red, and London Fog. Both chairs can be fitted with seat and back cushions in different colors and textiles for enhanced comfort.

Titus Darley, Director of Rietveld Originals, shared: “Rietveld’s conscious use of material forms and his aim to design furniture for the masses is very suitable for today’s generation. With the relaunch of the Crate series we actually are able to fulfill Rietveld’s dream almost 90 years after it was designed.”

To learn more about the Crate Collection, visit hay.com.

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LAUN’s Sculptural Ribbon Collection Is Growing

Known for their California-inspired furniture designs as much as their architectural practice, Los Angeles-based design studio LAUN is expanding its outdoor Ribbon Collection. Two new pieces – the Ribbon Curved Sofa and the Ribbon Curved Bench – are joining the family of aluminum furniture. Modular in design like the rest of the collection, the curved sofa and bench can be moved around to create various seating situations to suit your needs. They were created by experimenting with the proportions and forms of the original Ribbon collection, allowing for the further expansion of its capabilities.

To learn more about the new additions to the Ribbon Collection, visit launlosangeles.com.

ONSEN Wins Wallpaper* Design Award for Best Outdoor Lounge

“The ONSEN collection is very simple and blends well with diverse architectural spaces. We developed it with the intention of transmitting calm, like Japanese architecture. We are inspired by rationality, by geometry, and elemental shapes that do not need heavy ornamentation,” said designers Francesco Meda and David Quincoces.

When Wallpaper* announced their 2023 Design Awards winners, Gandiablasco’s ONSEN came out on top in the “Best Outdoor Lounge” category. The iconic collection is lightweight, practical, and cozy – all things Wallpaper* considers when choosing ideal outdoor furniture. Smart decisions were made throughout the series’ design that features calm, clean, refined lines borrowed from elements of Japanese architecture.

ONSEN’s materials are chosen just as carefully, with efforts taken to maintain their natural properties. The structure of each piece is constructed from uncoated stainless-steel tubes, with the rest of the design employing repetitive vinyl straps resembling leather. Highly resistant and functional, the collection wraps up with two low coffee tables using the same steel. For their surfaces there’s a choice between thermos-lacquered aluminum – Gandiablasco’s flagship material – or iroko wood slats.

To learn more about Onsen, visit gandiablasco.com.

Nope’s Social Demons

In an interview that has gone viral in several places, Jordan Peele stated that he had five films planned on what he referred to as “social demons.” As he stated in the interview: “The best and scariest monsters in the world are human beings and what we are capable of, especially when we get together. […]

The Latest From Il Giardino di Corten Makes Their Debut at Maison&Objet

Looking to experience the outdoors in an unexpected way? We’re exploring Italian brand Il Giardino di Corten’s new steel solutions that made their debut at Maison&Objet earlier this month. The brand has introduced many of us to the regenerative abilities of Corten steel, a noble, versatile, and sustainable material. Corten steel transforms with weather conditions, location, and usage, while remaining maintenance-free – even after a long outdoor season. The material is also fully recyclable, giving everyone reason to stop and consider how it might be used in your next project.

La Stanza Che Non C’è (The Room That Isn’t There) is a versatile garden structure with a myriad of possible uses. Transform it into a study, a relaxation room, a sauna, and more. It’s a great space for people of all ages, with the design allowing for the customization of dimensions, finishes, and accessories. Additionally, La Stanza Che Non C’è can be disassembled, is self-supporting, and not anchored. In some cases, this translates to not requiring special authorization for installation.

When configured as a sauna, La Stanza Che Non C’è gives you the benefits of a Finnish retreat in your own backyard, in any season or weather conditions. The basic version is fitted with a front glass wall and door, and can accommodate up to six people. A mid-size model can fit up to eight individuals, and is equipped with a larger changing room that’s separated from the space by a tempered glass door. Choose to integrate a Bluetooth audio system, stove protection, a call button, and infrared protection to further personalize your space. The largest version can become a biosauna, providing lower temperatures – around 50°C – for a more moderate steam bath that’s similar to a Turkish steam room.

An outdoor kitchen and bar are a luxury, and with Convivium you’ll have all the equipment and space of a traditional indoor kitchen available to you. The modular setup made of Corten steel works with the design to accommodate cooking, serving cocktails, and easy cleanup in all weather conditions. Equip yours with an electric, gas, or charcoal grill, and with a wooden cutting board. Large storage compartments allow you to store plates, glasses, and more, while the countertop can be accessorized with spices racks, ice buckets, and cocktail trays.

The Convivium cocktail station basic set is equipped to serve as a bar, and includes a stainless steel sink and retractable tap. The connecting pipes can be hidden in the supporting legs and the top can be overlaid with a teak, beech, or Teflon working top.

A pair of Corten steel and leather outdoor armchairs – Cuordicuoio – are both comfortable and refined in woven and smooth versions. Large wooden armrests provide space for a book, a glass, or a smartphone. Amazingly, the leather has been treated to withstand the elements, allowing the armchairs to placed anywhere you please outdoors.

The e Biscotto Set includes four pieces: a round table and three matching stools. Thin but resistant, the Corten steel tops and legs give added character to the harmonious group. Lightweight in nature, each stool is designed with a cutout that allows for easy repositioning.

Looking once more to the perfectness of the circle, the Thebes Archimedes Set of cylindrical planters appear all but visually suspended in midair. The set includes planters in three different diameters and heights, each supported by thin legs. Able to be used indoors or outdoors, the trio employs a water collection system that keeps potting soil moist.

Finally, Sassopasso uses Corten steel to create a walkable path. Available in four shapes – round, oval, irregular, and heart – as well as custom made, the pieces are easy to transport and don’t require any preparation of the area before installation. The individual plates are so flat that a mower can be driven right over them when doing lawn care, and over time they’ll blend in with nature more and more.

To learn more about Giardino di Corten’s outdoor solutions, visit ilgiardinodicorten.it