Patio furniture goes uptown

Sunset, March, 1997 by Ann Bertelsen

The latest outdoor furniture shows a lot of indoor style

Checkered cloths and rustic furniture will always be part of our Western lifestyle, but this summer you may notice a more elegant look on decks and patios. Manufacturers are giving today's outdoor furniture an indoor polish, blurring the line between inside and outside. That's the big news from the recent International Casual Furniture Market in Chicago.

This new elegance is especially apparent in formal dining chairs, sofas, slings, and armchairs. Combining city chic and country hardiness, the furniture ranges from ex-traded aluminum styles exhibiting nightclub sophistication to synthetic wicker recalling front porch simplicity. Even floor and table lamps are braving the elements to take up new positions on the patio or lawn. And the good news is, you can leave these stylish pieces outside all year long - unless, of course, you live in snow country.

DINNER AT EIGHT

These stylish chairs look as if they should grace a dining room rather than a patio. The chairs are made from both extruded and solid aluminum, which gives them greater heft than the standard aluminum furniture in most back-yards. The plush upholstered cushions are decidedly uptown, yet they can be left outside in the rain because the water runs off the fabric a synthetic called olefin) without penetrating the fiber filling. Moreover, the cushions can be easily removed for cleaning, or simply for a different look. There are eight other fabric choices, including polyester prints, stripes, and florals, with a latex backing to prevent unraveling. The frames are available in ivory, green, and black and come with a 15-year warranty.

Armchairs: 1997 Kingston Collection by Telescope Casual (518/642-1100, ext. 228); $329.

FOR AN EVENING OUT

If relaxing in a cozy wicker chair with a good book on a balmy summer night turns you on, take a closer look at these pieces. The chair, love seat, and coffee table look like wicker, but they're actually made from extruded resin handwoven over aluminum frames. And the plush cushions are made from a polyester print that's resistant to sun and water. So the handsome set is designed to stay put for the summer.

Likewise, the only thing standard about the familiar-looking floor lamp is its 100-watt bulb. Designed for outdoor decks and patios, the floor lamp is made from a resin material that is durable and weatherproof. An ingenious "rain roof" is built into the shade to shield the bulb from the elements. The shade's slipcover stretches over the galvanized powder-coated steel frame and can be easily detached for washing or for color variations. The stand, which resembles textured stone, is available in eight colors, ranging from stucco white and earth tones to a rustic copper finish. The 59-inch-tall floor lamp weighs 22 1/2 pounds and has a 14-inch-diameter base, a 25-inch-diameter shade, and an optional 19-inch-diameter table.

Love seat: Avalon from the 1997 Vineyard Collection by Shae Designs (805/486-7779); $700.

Coffee table: From the Reflections Collection by Lloyd Flanders (800/5269894); $682.

Armchair and ottoman: Avalon from the 1997 Vineyard Collection by Shae Designs; $300 and $200, respectively. The frame is available only in evergreen, but there's a wide variety of fabric choices in acrylic and polyester prints, stripes, solids, and florals.

Floor lamp: Caribbean Collection by Olympia Lighting Products (800/8434569); $375 (extra slipcover $70).

RAIN LIGHT

Touted by its manufacturers as "indestructible," this attractive, innovative table lamp mimics conventional table lamps in shape and texture, but it outshines them in durability and performance. The lamp base looks like ceramic pottery, though it's actually molded from a polyethylene resin guaranteed never to crack, chip, or break. And it is specifically designed to function outside in all types of weather - including the occasional downpour.

So how is this possible? Dual silicone-sealed sockets accommodate 60-watt outdoor bulbs that are rubber-coated for protection from the elements. A 9-foot-long weatherproof cord enables easy placement in hard-to-reach corners, and a double-insulated dimmer switch allows for mood lighting. The base is weighted with sand to increase stability, and the snap-on shade features a special clamp that "rocks and gives" to counteract sudden wind gusts. The lamp is available with a white, green, beige, or black base and a choice of 43 solid-color all-weather shades. The 25 1/2-inch-tall lamp weighs 12 pounds and has an 11-inch-diameter base and a 20-inch-diameter shade.

Table lamp: Southern Exposure by Olympia Lighting Products (800/8434569); $230 (extra slipcover $59). Extra weatherproof bulbs available from Olympia, about $4 a pair, plus shipping.

DINING ALFRESCO

These Greek-inspired beauties with their sensuous curves bring the elegance of the dining table to the patio or terrace. Fashioned from extruded aluminum with a polyester powder coating, the high-backed slings have hand-forged scrolls on the arms that simulate wrought-iron handrails. The legs are hexagon shaped and are reminiscent of a beautifully carved balustrade.