Outward Bound

Forget the term "patio furniture"—21st-century technology has produced couches, chairs and tables pretty enough for the living room ... but built to withstand the elements.

The days of "waffle butt" (or the impression left by the grid of a metal lawn chair on one's derriere) are over; so are the days of chaise lounges made with criss-crossed ribbons of plastic or unsubstantial white patio chairs blowing around the yard like tumbleweeds.

The latest trend is the "outdoor room," or a patio or back yard transformed into a home addition, sans walls. Outdoor furniture has evolved accordingly to look like indoor furniture, but thanks to all-weather wicker and a new generation of durable fabrics, it can still withstand rain, wind, heat, cold and sun.

"People are decorating their outdoor rooms just as they would a family or dining room," affirms Charlie Blaylock of DeckSiders Outdoor Living. "Another trend we're seeing is coordinating outdoor and indoor rooms so that the same colors and patterns continue from indoors to outdoors." He says that deep-seated chairs, couches and benches, big cushions and "conversation groups"—tables at not-quite-coffee-table height surrounded by big club chairs—continue to be popular. When made of cast aluminum, he says, the pieces are "almost zero maintenance," although some of his customers go for the softer look of all-weather wicker with pillows and cushions. Though not quite as indestructible as aluminum, the wicker will never split or fray, Blaylock says, and the cushions are a far cry from the old square-of-Styrofoam hermetically sealed inside vinyl fabric. "There are hundreds of outdoor fabrics to choose from, hundreds of patterns and colors," he says. His favorite outdoor fabric line is Sunbrella, a solution-dyed acrylic that's manufactured specifically for outdoor use. "I could see a decorator using Sunbrella indoors, because it's as nice as what you'd choose for an interior," he says. "We're also seeing outdoor rugs that are surprisingly soft, which have a very nice look and feel to them, that are made from recycled plastic."

Angela Carter of Mary Tuttle's says that "color is in." One of the shop's most popular lines is Adirondack-style furniture in "blue, pink and very bright colors," says Carter. "We also carry a line that's all cast aluminum—it comes in tangerine orange, lime green, yellow, purple and hot pink. The paint is the same type used on airplanes and tractors; it will never chip or crack. The Adirondack furniture is treated so it will never rot—you never have to think about it." This year, Carter says, the store will carry cushions and pillows with an "indoor look," so you can update an outdoor room just as you would your living or dining room.

"The biggest seller is still cast aluminum," says Joe Forshaw, president of Forshaw of St. Louis, "because it's really carefree. These days, I think people want something more streamlined and modern, unlike six or seven years ago when they liked a little more frou-frou." Another big trend, Forshaw says, is the cantilevered umbrella, which is far more versatile than the standard pole-mounted type you see perched over poolside tables. This freestanding umbrella has a heavy, weighted pull, which makes it easy to adjust despite its huge diameter (usually around 11 or 12 feet), and it can be moved to create shade wherever you need it.

Now that options for outdoor furniture have exploded, Carter encourages people to play with the new range of colors, textures and styles, in furniture as well as accessories. "We even have an ice bucket that comes in white, red or yellow and clips onto the side of the table, to keep your wine or beer cool," she says. "Little details like that just make it so much more fun."

garden party

• To get the indoor look of regular wooden furniture, try teakwood. Because it’s a close-grained, oily wood, it is nearly impervious to weather. Laneventure, which is carried by DeckSiders, makes a line of designer teakwood furniture built from sustainably harvested trees.

• The Gifted Gardener offers traditional outdoor benches, but with the same durability of contemporary outdoor furniture. That includes cast-aluminum benches with powder-coat finishes and fiberglass slats, plus pieces made with cast concrete that’s smoothed with a silica base and tint cast directly into the stone.

• TVs, DVD players and stereos are making an appearance outdoors, too. ThermoSpa offers an “all-weather entertainment center” that can be left out year-round. A “marine-grade” television is ensconced inside a watertight cabinet; the screen is treated for sun glare and is twice as bright. There’s even an option for a cedar-lined humidor door in the console, if you want to puff on a fresh Rothschild Maduro while screening Casablanca.

• At Gringo Jones, copper-top tables, as well as tables covered in handmade tiles, are popular; for extended garden rooms:end tables and consoles in aluminum or wrought iron basketweave. But by far the most favored items this season, due to the Chihuly show up the street at MoBot, are blown glass, wall-mounted bowls in primary colors that can hold flowers or just look pretty by themselves.