My Urban Garden Deco Guide

At Maison et Objet 2010 I met Stéphane Ducatteau, who is charming and whose work is top notch. I really liked the look of these pieces ( affordable) and was totally surprised at how confortable they are.

These are pieces I would buy.

www.stephane-ducatteau.com

 

Yes yes yes... the garden is the new outdoor room...OK OK OK it is the new lounge and cooking space...
Now that is kind of old news.

THE NEWS now is the revival of the Narguile,the Hookah. The news is that they will be the hot item on terraces and outdoor spaces. Some designers will even dedicate special corners to this 'pleasure'.

A French company, Airdiem , will be presenting a completly new approach to this 5 century old product at the forthcoming Maison et Objet show.

The site is www.AIRDIEM.com .

 

International designers

Airdiem has teamed up with a whole range of elite designers including Hilton Mc Connico .. they have a range of designs that make this not only a sublime deco object in its own right but it is set to be the hot item any decent terrace will have very soon.

Hot Hotels are ordering, the press is tapping them... because they are great entertainment pieces for guest.

 

'Top Gun' high tech meets design

Narguilés designed by Airdiem have an extra secret added oumpff because the components are top notch.

Mr Gormand, the co founder was a helicopter pilot in the elite french school of Saint Cyr... That says a lot about him and his demanding nature.

When he and his wife fell in love with the Narguile they decided to up the game in line with France's tradition of producing the most exceptional pieces.

They researched and researched and went so far as to use aeronautic's most adavnced materials....

Honey, apple, cinnamon...

They offer a range of flavors and aromas in beautful bijou/ perfume like 'pots'

I 'll post a few images when they come in... Here is the newest of the range a very cool design for the younger party animals!

 

 

If you look closely  at new outdoor furniture, it seems that sleek straight lines are really losing their appeal or at least their supremacy.I love this organic pebble shape table set by french brand Matière Grise.

http://www.sabz.fr/e-boutique/mobilier/table-basse-galet-3-matiere-grise-p-20110.html

Lovely colors too.

 

 Dividers offer more than just a way of structuring a space. They can provide privacy or protect from the wind.
 
Flora[  www.Flora-online.de] - who are really upping their game and taking on the non furniture part of outdoor décor, have developed Wing with the help of designer, Michael Koenig who was inspired by Moroccan moucharabieh
As with many designs by Flora, it is a modular design available in 3 heights.

As promised, first a quick update on www.OutdoorzGallery.com, run by Beth Boutry and Deborah Sommers which opened earlier this fall  > It has now become an actual company, which is good news  ...though their terms and conditions really need to be read if you shop their cool pieces .

I would certainly not be satisfied  with them given the high ticket value of the products sold, the international nature of the orders and the fact they have no real control it seems over the stock amongst other things.
I hope that these  terms of business will indeed evolve as the company grows.

This inspires me to encourage checking your transactions are really safe and your guarantees are meaningful.

As the holiday season approaches, I am concerned over the issue of security of transactions in online shopping. I was defrauded recently so I learnt to be a little more cautious.The police told me fraud was up 60 % in the past quarter...

A few tips from someone who did not follow them:

> Really check terms and conditions in full- however dull and boring that is ! Ask yourself if these seem to be designed to protect you first or the seller only?
> Though the recession seems to be behind us, many online stores are going bust: check what would happen if your provider went out of business?
> Are they in control of stocks they sell etc...? If they do not you are at increased risk something goes wrong as more people in the process can drop the ball.
> Does the 'store' comply with general online standards and are they a member or an affiliates of regulatory bodies? Remember this is key if a dispute happens > you will have some kind of possible leverage ensuring things are put right.
> Do they have the 'safe to trade' icons such as ?

> Remember that guarantees are only as good as are your ability to enforce them:
If you shop a piece from the comfort of your Nantucket home ...and the company is based in Europe : how will you enforce your rights?

A great example of a well managed online store  is http://www.madeindesign.com/


 

Lovely variation of the full sofa by Blofield..the inflatable outdoor version of the famous Chesterfield.
www.Blofield.com

B&B Italia presented this new re-interpretation of a classic garden bench in Paris.

The wavy simplicity looks great in landscape ...

I have to encourage you to visit http://www.whitegold.be/catalogue_main.html and read about how Domani has added to its amazing modern planters with a collection inspired by ancestral traditions.

VISIT the site http://www.whitegold.be/catalogue_main.html

Forget bulky wind friendly designs! The trend is on slimmer outdoor furniture designs able to happily live indoor or out.