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Imagine building a beautiful patio with impeccable landscaping for a client, only to have him or her add the ugliest outdoor furniture imaginable. Even though this has probably been the case for a few landscape masterpieces, it is possible for contractors to avoid this travesty by offering furniture advice or selling it themselves as an add-on service.
Henry Hall Designs, San Francisco, Calif., is one of many companies that sell furniture through landscape contractors. President Henry Hall explained that although the majority of customers are homeowners or business locations, Henry Hall does have landscaping clients looking to complete the look of an outdoor project.
“Many of our clients are landscape architects and designers, for whom we extend discount net pricing,” he said.
The desire for outdoor decorating is growing, Hall remarked, and the need for high-quality, coordinated furniture is growing along with it.
“As life gets busier for most Americans, they want to appreciate their ‘down time’ as much as possible,” Hall remarked. “There is greater attention to high design outdoors – designers are now approaching the décor of outdoor spaces as they would indoor spaces. The clients that we work with not only want to enjoy the outdoors, but also want furniture which complements their landscape.”
And that doesn’t necessarily mean the sale furniture of the week at Wal-Mart.
“Over the past few years, the bar has been raised for outdoor furnishings,” Hall added. “Clients are looking for a sophisticated look – no longer is white plastic furniture acceptable.”
Many accounts have a need and a desire for just the right furniture in their new environment. Hall emphasized that both residential and commercial customers are looking to simply enjoy their outdoor spaces – or else they would not have had a landscaping job done in the first place. He noted residential customers, in particular, are looking to create a relaxing conversation area and the sense of an outdoor living room or dining area outside, making furniture a much-needed addition.
Landscape designers who may not know an armoire from an armchair do know what they want a finished project to look like, so finding the right materials and colors of furniture to match the look is the next logical step.
Furniture materials are as diverse as the landscapes in which they’ll be placed. Stainless steel, wicker, oak, bamboo, wrought iron and natural stone are among the many choices available to go with the look the client wants. Hall favored teak for his company because of its durability and strength.
“Teak is a naturally durable hardwood and by far the most desirable wood for outdoor use because of its combined value of being both strong, yet light enough in weight for practical outdoor use,” Hall marveled. “Teak has a naturally high oil content which creates a built-in resistance to the elements so that it is rot resistant, pest resistant and will not splinter.”
Hall stated that knowledge of the furniture materials is vital in selecting the right furniture for a particular environment. When suggesting furniture materials to a client, consider that the furniture will be constantly exposed to changing temperatures and conditions in most areas.
Most importantly, when making suggestions or selling furniture to an account, Hall advised, contractors should make sure they know what customers want and need with the outdoor area.
“The best way to recommend a piece/set to a client is by asking a lot of questions – turning to the client to explore what kind of look they would like to achieve, understanding the environment of where the furniture will be and the amount of use it will have,” Hall explained.
Landscape designers interested in adding on furniture sales or learning more about selecting furniture should contact local or national outdoor furniture dealers for more information.
The author is a contributing editor for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached via nwisniewski@gie.net.