Create a contemporary oasis with the new Green room separator from Dedon.

Divide your space with this unique piece, designed to create distinct areas in your home without visually blocking them off. The Green separators feature a multi-faceted, organic shape inspired by a spider’s web, done in a cool white “chalk” finish to complement your contemporary decor. This versatile piece is perfect for indoors and outdoors; placed vertically or horizontally; decorated with vines and blooming plants or on its own as a showcase of designer Jean-Marie Massaud’s modern sense of style. The possibilities are endless and you’re only bound by your imagination.

In the 18^th century, the rocking chair was the vogue. It was made out of wood and a lot more comfortable than the wrought iron furniture of the day.

The porch swing was also in the spotlight back then. Considering that there were no air conditioners back in 1800’s, the porch swing was the perfect relaxing piece of outdoor furniture on a hot summer evening.

Along with the Victorian era, the wicker outdoor furniture came into vogue. It was more appealing due to being more sophisticated and having more furniture pieces. To the old porch, plant stands and many different types of tables were added. Also the Victorian style was based on the idea “the more, the better”, due to this most of the porches were full of outdoor furniture in that period.

Over time, the outdoor furniture switched from large, over sized furniture such as wicker to cotton upholstered, from iron made furniture to wood and cushion for more comfort.

Around the 1930’s, casual outdoor furniture began to appear. Years later, handcrafted wrought iron cast and tubular aluminum became popular. However, costumers were focusing more on comfortable outdoor furniture. Lawn chairs, along with straight back chairs became the rage.

As time passes, more high-tech materials are developed for the construction of outdoor patio furniture, as people are more picky and want both durability and comfort. There is also the trend of extending the home through the concept of outdoor kitchens and rooms. As the people emphasize more and more on outdoor patio furniture, this industry will continue to evolve into stylish pieces.

There are several factors that must be considered when deciding on outdoor patio furniture. The first three things you must consider are:

• the material the home was built with,
• the colors used,
• the furniture itself.

Building material and color

Different types of building material can be used, including brick, wood, steel and also other kind of stone. Conventional wisdom would suggest that a building structure comprised of wood would likewise have wood based patio furniture. In certain situations color may be used as a substitute for building materials. The main idea when choosing colors is that the furniture should blend nicely in the homes décor, be it with matching colors or styles.

Indoor and outdoor styles

There might be home owners wishing to match their interior furniture with the exterior one. In some cases the patio is technically in the home enclosed with a roof on a balcony. These settings make it easier to decorate in order to match sofas, recliners and desk located indoors. For enclosed patios, wallpaper and/or tile colors can be the basis for the color scheme of your patio furniture just as the actual colors of your home can be applied for outdoor patios. Also, the patio furniture could be chosen to match the environment.

Simply by mixing and matching colors and materials any home can be brought to life with patio furniture.

Each table consists of various types of dried moss beneath a transparent glass tabletop; no watering necessary.

This indoor/outdoor collection was shown at The International Furniture Fair in Singapore 2010 (IFFS) alongside Ayodhya’s series of products made from recycled newspapers: mirrors, stools, trays and boxes. The Thai company’s designs are traditionally eco-friendly and sustainable, based on natural fibers found in an Ayodhya abandoned local eco-system. So beyond enjoying the simplicity of maintenance-free lush landscape, you can feel good about supporting environmentally-friendly design.

Determine the use of the sofa

Before you go out for a sofa search, you should make sure that you determine how you will use it; whether it will be included in the living room furniture, in the bedroom furniture or in any other room furniture. Similarly, you have to decide how big it should be, who would be using it and how many people would be using it. Depending on these factors and also if the sofa will be used for everyday activities such as relaxing, reading or watching TV or if it will be needed for more formal occasions, you have to base your selection. Outdoors sofas are also different from indoor sofas, so choose accordingly.

Determine the shape and size

The next thing to do is to determine the shape of the sofa that you need and also its size; for example, if you have to put it in the corner of a small room, you should exactly measure the amount of space you have reserved for it. Other features related to shape include arms, shallow or deep seating, tight back, and whether it should be deep and cushy or shallow with loose pillows.

Sofa styles to choose from

You also have to choose a style for the sofa you want, such as whether you want a skirted one or one with visible legs. Sofas also have different leg styles, such as heavy square chunks or delicate carved ones used in formal sofas. The finishing of the legs is also very important and also their colour.

Sofa Fabric, Color and Pattern

If you are adding a sofa to a room which already has other furniture in it, you should make sure that the fabric, color and pattern used for the sofa compliments the other furniture. For example, the sofa should match the theme of your bedroom furniture if you plan to put it in your bedroom, or should go with the living room furniture if you are buying it for your living room. If the sofa has to be used in the living room, the fabric you choose should be tough so it lasts several years. Formal seating and sofas require elegant fabric, such as silk, plush or leather.

Check the frame, springs and joinery

The springs and frame of a sofa are very important as they form the basic structure of the sofa. The frame should be made from wood which is durable, such as oak or beech and not from pine wood which tends to wobble after a few years. Similarly, sofa frames made from plastic or metal should be avoided. Also make sure that the sofa joints are constructed solidly with wooden dowels and not just from staples, nails or glue.

The springs used in the sofa should be made from heavy metal so they do not press on the frame and sag over time. They should be placed close together on the frame, which you can check by pressing and feeling through the upholstery. If the sofa uses webbing or mesh instead of springs, it may be uncomfortable and flimsy.

Determine your budget

Deciding on a budget is also very important because it can help you shorten down the list of sofas you can buy from a wide range. However, do not go for a very cheap sofa; instead, buy the best quality you can afford and it will last you a long time.

Buying a sofa, divan or couch is a major investment, so make sure you get the best deal for your bucks. By following the simple steps listed above, you will be able to buy a sturdy and comfortable sofa which can easily last 10 to 15 years.

Dubbed “Planter Wall Tiles,” the wall tiles are finished with recycled materials and create an innovative space to grow your indoor plants and herbs. The green pockets not just enhance the interior of your living, or working for that matter, space but also let residents breath fresh all the while. In addition, you may arrange various types of plants to create different patterns, courtesy of its unique fish-scale shape that interlocks the planters. In case you don’t want to grow, or even reveal your plants to others, the green pockets hiding your plants can be turned into a flat surface as well.

Giorgio Biscaro’s inspiration to create the Atlas bench came by noticing that since many pubs and bars in Europe no longer allow smokers to smoke inside, they’re all outside on the street with nowhere to sit, although they can often be seen sitting on the front of parked cars. So the idea is to provide a bench for one or two people to sit on. The benches are well suited to be used outdoors, since they’re made from rotational moulded polyethylene. Atlas is a rotational moulded bench designed for Slide Design, intended for indoor as well as outdoor use.

The BUX is available in black, white, liver-brown and box tree green with handmade padded soft imitation leather finish. Vase in white, terracotta and black.
The design is interesting and makes you think about the royal seats, the varied range of colors makes the buyer’s choice more difficult. You can choose between making it an attractive piece of design in the room or just letting it “hide” in the environment.

Alien

The designer describes this collection as: “It seems as if a strange creature is sliding down a rope.  Gently and almost weightlessly, radiating a warm and graceful light.  Alien.  Available in two different sizes and four variations, as pendant, table, floor lights, and outdoor.”

The strange but appealing design makes from these lightning pieces the perfect items which can add a modern touch to any of your rooms. I am sure you can’t wait till it gets into stores because so do i!

In 1986 Peter had the idea of growing a chair. Nine years later Peter and Becky became partners. Pooktre was born. Together they have mastered the art they call Pooktre, which is the shaping of trees as they grow in predetermined designs. Some are intended for harvest to be high quality indoor furniture and others will remain living art. And this is how a beautiful story started…

Pooktre is the art of gently shaping trees as they grow. The designing and setting up is fundamental to the success of the piece. The growing of the idea is the magic of time bringing the piece to fruition. The tree’s growth is guided onto predetermined design pathways. This is a very gentle but time consuming way of shaping.

The tree species that they have used the most is wild plum (Prunus myrobalan). They have been trailing Black Cheery (Prunus Serotina) and they are happy with the process so far. The type of tree is not the reason for the even and balanced growth however – it’s the method of shaping the trees that results in even or uneven growth. They guild out tree’s growth onto predetermined design pathways. They “evolved their techniques of shaping trees in complete isolation from the rest of the world”. With their techniques they know what will or won’t work and they can reproduce any of their pieces.

About a year ago they decided to write a book about their process Knowledge to grow shaped trees. This book consists mainly of photos with explanation text. It goes through how to choose a tree type to the finished piece. They are “flat out trying to finish the book and they plan to release it as a printed book and then an ebook”.

Peter and Becky have two different styles of art. One is the trees that are to remain alive and the other is the trees the are to be harvested so that they can be enjoyed indoors. The shaping of the tree takes place in the first few years, depending on the length of the piece as to the time needed. Once the shaping is finished most people don’t see the tree/trees and will walk right pass the young trees. The trees need to mature in girth before people notice them. A grown neck piece takes about 1 year from seedling to be ready to be worn. Other pieces have taken 8 or 10 years before they mature enough be photographed. The people trees are one example. Most of our pieces take 8 to 10 years as we like to do the bigger projects. Their photos have the date of planting marked on them for the living pieces. The harvested pieces have the date of planting and harvest marked on them.

As they have two types of art, the moving process is different for each type. For the living pieces they grow, when the piece reaches the perfect moment they transplant it to the new owner as in for the harvested one, they just cut it off and transport it.

Their work has only been shown once, at the World Expo 2005 in Japan. After that, they have been told that the effect of their trees on the bonsai community has been profound. The producer of the Growing Village John Gathright said that they have the most refined pieces in the world, and that they rarer that the finest jewels.

A word from the artists who create Pooktre: “Most people seem to think tree shaping takes too long. That’s not how it should be viewed, rather think of it like this: the time you spend shaping a tree is captured by the tree, then amplified. Twenty, thirty, fifty or maybe a few hundred years from now people will be able it see a tree shaping that you did today. Whether or not you chose to shape a tree, the time passes.”

Designed by the designer Alain Gilles,  the Translation Armchair pays close attention to ergonomics, the shape cradling the user most assuredly—perhaps too many days at the office in uncomfortable chairs (and restrictive suits) inspired Gilles.

Qui est Paul?, the design company that carries the chair, describes it as nothing less than an experience: “A comfortable armchair suggesting an appeasing experience either on the terrace or inside your home or office.” They are French and may be using English oddly, but that makes the Translation Armchair that much more perfect, since a quirky translation serves to describe it. The Translation Chair is concerned with curvature, making use of sinuous arcs, instead of hard lines, that refuse to abruptly break the top and bottom of the chair. Instead, its design and material enable it to be one seamless entity.

Qui est Paul? has partnered with Les Bouchons D’Amour (the corks of love), an organization that collects plastic corks and resells them to recyclers, with profits benefiting the disabled, to create a limited-edition Translation Armchair (100 only). The numbered Translations are made of 70% recycled bottle caps. It is fitting too that this edition is made from round objects, making the Limited Translation Armchair round all around, from its initial material to the final product. Not to mention that the process of using recycled materials is in itself a cycle, again emphasizing the Translation Armchair’s circularity.

With either Translation Armchair, you have an interesting (and responsible) use of materials to create an appealing product that can be used inside or out—a product whose form eschews the hard edges too often relied upon for modern design.