How to create a joyfully elevated outdoor room

Although outdoor spaces never really went out of style, they’d never been afforded the same care and attention we dedicate to our interiors. However, the onset of the global pandemic in 2020 changed that, with those who had even an iota of outdoor space looking to upgrade and elevate it.

The tiniest of porches became veritable breakfast spots, balconies became people-watching locations, and backyards experienced a complete overhaul, becoming expansive entertaining zones.

“Since the pandemic, we noticed that people wanted to spend more time outside,” Laura Exbrayat from Fermob told ArchiPro. “While people couldn’t travel, they found their way back to gardens and outdoor spaces, wanting to enjoy the fresh air and make this place as comfortable as their indoor areas.”

And while we’ve somewhat returned to our former ways of socialising, the desire to spend time and entertain outdoors hasn’t waned. Gone are the days when a couple of rusty chairs and a table constituted an appropriate outdoor seating arrangement. The outdoor spaces of today take their cues from the fine arts of escapism and adventure, and are approached with the same dedication as our indoor spaces.

Founded in 1989, French design brand Fermob has become renowned for its colourful, aesthetically pleasing approach to outdoor residential and commercial furniture. Combining a continually evolving colour palette and both on-trend and timeless designs with technical outdoor fabrics and UV-resistant paints, each Fermob piece works to add a sense of joie de vivre to an outdoor space.

Recognising the garden as a space for freedom and creative expression, Fermob has a continually evolving colour palette of 23 unique metal colours, specially designed by the brand’s in-house designers, ranging from deep hues to pastel shades.

An ardent advocate of the bistro chair – found in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris as well as in cafes around the City of Lights – Fermob has redesigned the iconic furniture piece and imbued it with a sense of contemporary style. With Fermob now the trustee for the patent for the folding Bistro chair, initially created in the late 19th century, the metal-worked Bistro collection is an integral part of the Fermob identity.

Like Bistro, the Luxembourg and 1900 collections are reflective of both the Fermob identity and French heritage. Their unique style refers to the hallmarks of the Jardin du Luxembourg and heritage Parisian balconies. Like all Fermob furniture, it’s available in a wide array of striking colours.

Accompanying the iconic garden furniture collections is the Balad lamp, designed by Tristan Lohner, a frequent collaborator with the brand. Released in 2015, it represents Fermob’s first lighting offering. The mobile lamp is both fun and functional, able to be placed on tables or hung by its colourful metal handle.

We asked the Fermob team for their insights on how to create the ultimate elevated outdoor space.

According to Laura, the best outdoor rooms serve as an extension of the indoor space, rather than an afterthought. “As part of the house, the garden is considered as an additional room,” Laura tells us. “Therefore, it requests the same attention as any other room in the house.”

Outdoor spaces are blurring the lines between inside and outside. Traditional aluminium and wicker chairs are being swapped for lounges and sofas that take on an indoor aesthetic, albeit constructed to withstand outdoor conditions. Designed with outdoor weather conditions in mind, Fermob’s collections such as Bellevie and Bebop lend themselves to use indoors and out.

Outdoor furniture and furnishings have come a long way in the past few years, with the monotone starchy, itchy and stiff materials of yesteryear replaced with luxurious outdoor linens and cotton. Blending comfort and style with durability, patterned or colourful textiles in the form of cushions or throw pillows are an easy way to add interest to outdoor spaces. For a more minimalist take, the Bellevie collection combines beautifully streamlined metal-wrought furniture pieces such as dining chairs, armchairs, ottomans and sofas with comfortable technical fabric designed to withstand the elements.

Perhaps reflective of our collective desire to escape to Europe, French bistro furniture has enjoyed a revival of late. Sleek and streamlined, Fermob’s metal Bistro chairs are available in 23 colours to suit any outdoor room. “The design is simple as it refers to shapes and objects that are part of the French heritage,” Laura says.

Nostalgic cutout accents have been revived with a twist. Adding texture and interest to timeless silhouettes, they’re equal parts modern and classic. Inspired by the French countryside, Fermob’s Lorette collection draws on the motifs of canework used in garden gates. Crafted from durable steel, the motifs are employed in a monogram style as a nod to luxury fashion houses, creating a chic retro collection with a contemporary twist.

Explore more outdoor furniture and lighting options from Fermob.