Outdoors is the new indoors
Long summer dinners with friends, relaxing with a good book in the shade or a place to gather the family even when autumn is creeping up? We all use our patios in different ways, and with the right furnishings, your patio or balcony can become that extra room you've been longing for.
Never before have we enjoyed our outdoor spaces as much as in recent years. Most of us have been spending a lot more time at home, so it has become even more important that we can really enjoy it. We have found new ways to meet and socialise, and have moved many activities we used to do indoors to gardens, courtyards and patios. That is what we at Brafab know best.
The indoor environment moves out
The outdoor trend started even before the pandemic. In recent years, the desire to more our living spaces outdoors – outdoor homing – has grown strong. More and more people are creating patios that extend the season and become an extra room that can be used even when it's raining or windy.
In 2022, we see outdoor furniture for relaxing and unwinding becoming more prominent, with sturdy cushions to sink into and deeper seating in sofas and armchairs. We and our knowledgeable dealers will help you find the right outdoor furniture for your patio. The secret is really to think about how you want to use your outdoor space, what features you need and how you can turn the room into several rooms.
Furnish by function
Today, there is furniture for every need. If you have plenty of space, you may want both a large dining table with room for many, and a sofa corner to relax in after dinner. One trend is that we are furnishing more outdoors. In many ways, a lounge group is the perfect outdoor furniture, allowing you to gather many guests for a coffee and socializing, or just relaxing in on your own. If, on the other hand, you have less space, it might be a good idea to combine the functions - for example, with a slightly higher coffee table that is also great as a dining table.
We divide our outdoor furniture into three groups based on function. Lounge is the traditional low table seating group, which creates the most relaxed feeling. Low dining is groups with slightly higher tables, where you can both relax and enjoy a coffee or even a dinner. Dining is the more traditional dining furniture for dinner, with tables and more comfortable chairs.
Natural colours and tactile materials dominate
Beige shades and other earthy tones will continue to be popular in 2022, as will muted tones of green, brown and earthy auburn. Two examples are Brafab's Bistro brown and Garden green colours. Sand, stone and minerals inspire a natural and warm feel with a touch of Mediterranean aesthetics, where it's easy to enjoy a summer's day. A few olive trees in large pots, or why not a silver pear tree that is more resistant to the Nordic climate, will put the finishing touch to your patio. The natural trend is also reflected in the shape, with round, organic lines becoming an increasingly common complement to the traditional straight ones.
The line between our indoor and outdoor lives is blurring.
Some furnishing touches that were unthinkable before, like a rug under the dining table on the patio and lots of cushions on the outdoor sofa, are now a more natural part of the patio. They have been made possible in part by innovative textile materials, which have the same feel as ordinary fabrics but can withstand the elements much better. The outdoor homing trend has also made the season for outdoor furniture longer partly because many people are building glazed conservatories and partly because it has become more common to use outdoor furniture indoors too. This could be rattan furniture in bathrooms or sturdier dining chairs that have become popular in country-style kitchens.
Whatever you choose to do in your home, the most important thing to really enjoy is to decorate functionally. Take a moment to think about how you use your outdoor space today – and how you want to use it in the future. We are happy to help you on your way!