Outdoor living spaces come in all shapes and sizes, and regardless of size, share the purpose of providing an area of relaxation and entertainment in the fresh air and, preferably, the sunshine. The first and most essential step to achieving a relaxing outdoor space is to furnish it with outdoor furniture.
Finding outdoor furniture to fit individual spaces can be challenging, particularly for very large, or very small areas. A chaise longue might seem like the perfect find, until the design faces the wrong way to work with the view and other pieces in the suite. For small spaces, sofas with a fixed length sometimes won’t work with the dimensions, or the matching chairs are too big. For very large spaces, outdoor lounge suites with fixed pieces can be restrictive, requiring multiple sets to provide the right combination of seats. The scenario of getting multiple sets for a large space, or one set for a very small space, tends to create a surplus of coffee tables or sofas, which can make interesting gifts, but getting the right furniture from the start is a better option than peppering friends and family with random furniture items.
The perfect way to create an outdoor lounge suite large enough or small enough to fit almost any space, is to choose modular furniture. Modular furniture is designed so that individual pieces can be re-arranged in multiple ways to achieve the desired shape and size. American designer Harvey Probber is credited with the invention of modular furniture in the 1940’s. Since then, modular furniture has transformed the way designers and individuals think about furnishing both indoor and outdoor living spaces. Corner pieces, middle pieces, foot stools and even sofa-length pieces, can be moved around as individual pieces, and joined together to fit practically any size or shaped space.
Selecting furniture that can stand up to the sometimes-punishing New Zealand weather is another challenge in itself. Shade7 has designed and engineered beautiful modular furniture that combines durability and versatility with elegance. Shade7’s modular outdoor furniture is commercial grade, and will hold its appearance and function for years, standing up to constant use and extreme temperatures, in sun and in rain. And with the brilliant versatility of modular furniture, it can be assembled to form suites as large or as small as each individual outdoor space requires.
Another brilliant benefit of Shade7’s versatile modular furniture is that due to the simple aluminium joiners, your furniture arrangement will stay together for as long as you want it to, but the pieces can easily be rearranged to freshen your outdoor space, or to accommodate the changing demands of quests and events.
The most popular arrangement of modular furniture is an ‘L’ shape, with one individual corner piece forming the apex of the ‘L’ and a quantity of ‘middle’ pieces running left and right either side of the corner, extending it into a long or short L shaped sofa. The L shape can be closed off at either end with individual corners, or left open with middles, or with an ottoman, adding a chaise longue appearance. This arrangement allows family and guests to enjoy the view, as well as engage with one another, without being too closely seated or spread too far apart. With Shade7’s versatile joiners, middles can be removed from the L shaped sofa and used as individual armchairs, and corners can be paired to created generous 2-seater sofas, etc. The possible combinations provide great freedom to maximise use of your furniture and space.
Shade7’s modular Paris suite has a commercial-grade aluminium frame that is luxuriously woven around with German Rehau Raucord rattan, or wicker, and comes with outdoor weather-resistant cushions. Cushion inners are marine-reticulated quick-dry foam.
The Naples suite has more of a Scandinavian aesthetic as the commercial aluminium frame has no wicker, just the outdoor, weather-resistant cushions. Both suites are perennial favourites, and both are so well-wearing and durable that customers often extend their existing Paris and Naples suites with one or two more pieces as their outdoor spaces grow over the years, new pieces blending with the old and looking the same.
Another popular option with modular furniture is to pair one or two single lounge chairs of a contrasting or complimentary range of furniture. For example, with the Paris and the Naples being cube-like and square, pairing them with the woven curving Vienna armchair, or the deep and comfortable Sweden lounge chair can soften and create interest, elevating the simple L to an elegant suite. The Paris has a stunning huge stand-alone armchair available in Whitewash or Slate wicker.
Providing shade for family and friends in your outdoor living space is easy with Shade7’s stunning range of premium, strong and beautiful outdoor umbrella range. Tips on pairing furniture with the right umbrella are explored in this article.
Shade7 furniture graces homes all over New Zealand, as well as hotels, restaurants and resorts across New Zealand and the Pacific. To browse Shade7’s outdoor furniture range, visit the website, where you can also request a commercial catalogue, or pop into the Shade7 showroom to see the Shade7 furniture in person, and to meet the experienced team.
