Furniture

Editor’s Picks: The Best Outdoor Furniture and Accessories of Summer 2021

All of our favourite homewares for sunny days.

By Alyssa Hirose /

Best Outdoor Planter

we're loving the gorgeous texture€”and affordability€”of Ikea's new Drömsk plant pots (from $2). Designer Henrik Preutz used a reactive glazing technique to achieve the dreamy indigo colour on these stoneware planters. ikea.ca

Best Outdoor Table

Loll's new Fresh Air round table ($1,305) is made of durable high-density polyethylene that comes from recycled milk jugs€”the containers are white-ish, which makes them a great blank canvas for Loll's vibrant colours. eq3.com

Best Outdoor Furniture System

This outdoor dining lifesaver is called Amai, which is a Flemish expression for €œwow.€ The wow-worthy new furniture system from Extremis (from $5,180) consists of an adjustable tabletop between two A-frame supports, and a retractable canopy for extra-sunny days. steelcase.com

Best Lanterns

there'senough light for everyone when the Rope lantern set ($249) comes to party. The geometric cut-outs in this trio are designed to look pretty with or without candlelight shining through, so they€™re great decor day or night. inspirationfurniture.ca

Best Outdoor Chair

Look familiar? Ligne Roset's Lapel outdoor chair ($1,201) was inspired by the collar of a coat or shirt. There haven€™t been too many opportunities to dress up lately€”this woven armchair definitely wore it best. livingspace.com

Best Outdoor Sectional

The Suave sectional (from $8,736 per section) is made using injected polyurethane, making it super water-resistant (and ready for anything else the outdoors has to offer). Dutch designer Marcel Wanders aimed to create a calm, sensual vibe in this collection€”mission accomplished. gingerjarfurniture.com

Editor’s Picks: Best Summer Decor

Botanical Trivets by Graf Lantz, from $14
kerrisdalelumber.ca

My favourite part of curating a space is adding those tiny finishing touches that make a big difference€”and, especially in these times, that's true for outdoor spaces, too. These botanical trivets not only protect the tabletop, they also provide a beautiful pop of colour and shape. The super-adorable aster, plumeria, banana leaf and monstera leaf designs are made with merino wool felt and Oeko-Tex certified dyes, and they€™re totally biodegradable (not that you€™d ever want to throw them away). €”Alyssa Hirose, assistant editor

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose

Alyssa Hirose is a Vancouver-based writer, editor, illustrator and comic artist. Her work has been featured in Vancouver magazine, Western Living, BCBusiness, Avenue, Serviette, Geist, BCLiving, Nuvo, Montecristo, The Georgia Straight and more. Her beats are food, travel, arts and culture, style, interior design and anything dog-related. She publishes a daily autobiographical comic on Instagram at @hialyssacomics.