The evolution of the garden

Is there still a difference between indoors and outdoors?

Monica Armani: “From the point of view of the design of the spaces and of the furniture design, I would say absolutely not: in recent years we have designed comfortable, large, long-lasting products that have a formal reference to living rooms and lounge areas of enclosed spaces.

From a design point of view, however, outdoor and indoor remain two distinct habitats, with very different needs and characteristics in terms of materials, finishing and durability.

There has been a decisive evolution in material technologies and this too has contributed to the aesthetic trend and has opened up new markets for brands specializing in upholstered furniture.

Until recently, cushions were not included in outdoor products for obvious reasons: they got soaked in water when it rained, the fabrics faded and deformed.

Now we have materials and construction techniques in the upholstered furniture sector that allow for a very different construction of the products”.

Is there still a difference between indoors and outdoors?

Monica Armani: “From the point of view of the design of the spaces and of the furniture design, I would say absolutely not: in recent years we have designed comfortable, large, long-lasting products that have a formal reference to living rooms and lounge areas of enclosed spaces.

From a design point of view, however, outdoor and indoor remain two distinct habitats, with very different needs and characteristics in terms of materials, finishing and durability.

There has been a decisive evolution in material technologies and this too has contributed to the aesthetic trend and has opened up new markets for brands specializing in upholstered furniture.

Until recently, cushions were not included in outdoor products for obvious reasons: they got soaked in water when it rained, the fabrics faded and deformed.

Now we have materials and construction techniques in the upholstered furniture sector that allow for a very different construction of the products”.

What is the main novelty from the point of view of the product?

Monica Armani: “The end-user is very sophisticated, they expect catalogs with collections made up of many different pieces. Not only seats, tables and lounge chairs, but pergolas, daybeds, textile accessories, dividers, convertible swings, hammocks…

The market has completely changed even in its most basic segments. Companies have adapted and in some cases have even started the production of outdoor versions of their long sellers and historical design classics.

My Flair O' chair, which is part of a rather complete collection for B&B Italia, has also been produced in its outdoor version.

It does not happen rarely: B&B Italia has recently celebrated fifteen years of presence in the sector, confirming its significant economic impact".

So nobody lacks plastic deckchairs and iron furniture?

Monica Armani: “There hasn't been such a disruptive evolutionary leap: we all still have in mind the classic garden furniture, the wooden or plastic deckchairs, those few elements that decorated our spring lunches and summer afternoons. And they are aesthetic elements that return.

The straps in technological fabrics keep the memory of the colored plastic strings, the weaves are a typical pattern of the outdoor product and continue to be used. Just as cushions are nothing new: in the past we simply moved them and seats and sofas were built to be easily disassembled.

We have kept many formal and functional habits, unintentionally becoming even more sustainable. These are the materials and technological solutions that have allowed us to design more sophisticated products”.

What are the ideal outdoor shapes and materials for outdoors?

Monica Armani: “There are various types of products. More abstract, with a light and thin structure, minimal cushions, in aluminum or steel which are the materials of choice for the outdoors...

Or there are the padded products, deliberately abundant, comfortable, welcoming and easy to maintain, practically waterproof and with weather resistant fabrics.

In reality, what makes the difference are the materials and the finishing, which make everything more durable. In short, it is the technical details that make a piece of furniture suitable for outdoor living”.

From the point of view of sustainability, is recycled and recyclable furniture better than one in natural material?

Monica Armani: “As far as I'm concerned, sustainability deserves a very in-depth, technical and interdisciplinary discussion.

It would be foolish to make such an off-the-cuff assessment.

As a designer I feel like saying that our work allows us to take care of a fundamental part: the beauty of the product. I design thinking about creating pieces that remain in homes for a long time because they are beautiful, it is the first form of sustainability”.