Minimalist outdoor furniture is trending – our Editor has picked 15 pieces to style a relaxed backyard
Minimalist, modern and organic outdoor furniture shapes and colors are trending - here are the 15 best pieces for a relaxed backyard
Just like with interiors, the minimalist mood of pared back palettes, soft shapes and modern-organic materials is trending in outdoor furniture. It's a look that creates relaxed spaces to linger on for hours, is ideal for informal entertaining and ultimately fits the mood we all want now, of peace and calm.
'Organic shapes are just very inviting,' says the interior designer Bryan O'Sullivan, known for working on wonderful hotels like the Maybourne Beverly Hills with its perfect terraces and poolsides. 'Curved sofas are more suitable for entertaining, a cocktail space with little end tables to put your drinks on.'
The British based designer Olga Ashby has used this aesthetic for the newly opened Hotel Tenuta Negroamaro in Puglia, shown above. Rounded edges and linens in natural colors contrast with wood, stone and wicker, perfecting the minimalist backyard vibe. And here are the most wonderul pieces from the best outdoor furniture brands with which to get the look.
The best minimalist outdoor furniture
Livingetc knows design.
Modern-organic outdoor chairs
It's hard to believe this rounded chair is suitable for outdoors - it looks so like what we've been seeing in the smartest living rooms all year. But the fabric is acrylic, and so backyard-ready it is.
The wicker frames contrast perfectly with any linens you might be using. Just add a throw pillow in warm grey or beige for a seat you can settle into.
All-weather wicker has been woven to create an outdoor chair that manages to feel both sculptural and organic - almost architectural. It's a clever design detail that the seat almost seems to float.
Round outdoor table in smooth finishes
Its spartan form is definitely minimalist, its color and shape is very organic. And this is the perfect lightweight outdoor table for sociable gatherings - just one central pillar means you can get plenty of legs underneath it.
Its architectural shape is more detailed than a classic minimalist table, but its organic form and bleached-out color allows me to count it in this group. I can picture it indoors against concrete and rough linen....or outdoors alongside the same.
Made of a concrete resin mix this table has just the sort of textured polish you'd expect to see on an interior wall in a minimalist home. It's beautiful, so much smarter than your average wooden table and seats up to six easily.
Portable lamps for warming, evening glows
So clever to have wireless table lamps you can move around depending where you want to sit each night. This vaguely retro mushroom-shaped lamp comes in five colors and casts a gentle, downlit glow.
In a muted grey, this lightweight lamp has all the curves of an organic design, and all the subtlety of a minimalist masterpiece. The best of both worlds.
Having been designed by Norm Architects - one of the biggest names in modern minimalism - it's no surprise this lamp is a beauty. The arching strap acts both a frame for the light and a handle to move it around.
Side tables and stools
One of those hidden gems you only find after a long day of trawling, this end table is a Wayfair treasure. Polish concrete and angular in shape, it's much cooler than its affordable price tag suggests.
With the weathered texture of concrete or limewash this simple stool blends well into a minimalist backyard, as a table or extra seating option.
As seen in the photo at the top of this page, a wooden stool can go a long way. It can be a place to put your drinking glass, a prop for plants or portable lamps or - of course - extra seating.
And the finishing touches
The cotton weave of this towel is so thick and luxe that it equally works as a blanket to wrap up in. The ultimate in day-to-night backyard dressing.
It's my belief that even the most minimal schemes need a pop of color - why be relaxed if you're not also uplifted. This slightly muted coral shade is perfect as a linen pillow cover.
If you're gathering people over in your newly relaxed and minimalist haven of a backyard, you're going to need to feed them. A dessert or tower of berries and fruit served on this would make a perfect organic-looking centerpiece.
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The editor of Livingetc, Pip Rich (formerly Pip McCormac) is a lifestyle journalist of almost 20 years experience working for some of the UK's biggest titles. As well as holding staff positions at Sunday Times Style, Red and Grazia he has written for the Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times and ES Magazine. The host of Livingetc's podcast Home Truths, Pip has also published three books - his most recent, A New Leaf, was released in December 2021 and is about the homes of architects who have filled their spaces with houseplants. He has recently moved out of London - and a home that ELLE Decoration called one of the ten best small spaces in the world - to start a new renovation project in Somerset.
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