November/December 2023 - 29

OUTDOOR LIVING
Polly-Wood continues to upgrade its
Adirondack chairs. This Modern Curveback
Adirondack Chair has a spacious contour seat
and waterfall front.
continues to solve the functionality
equation for many consumers, while
being low maintenance and virtually
weatherproof. Options on display
included tables with foldable sides,
benches with storage and everything
from deep seating to bar height chairs.
" Even the Adirondack chairs are
getting more functional in that there's
a lot of versatility in the design, "
Hirschhaut said. " If you go into PolyWood,
you can look at four to six
different styles of Adirondack chairs -
how they shape the back, the pitch of
the seat, where the ottoman goes. "
Poly-Wood product arrives ready
to assemble, so retailers don't have
to allocate excessive space for the
inventory.
" I think Poly-Wood is an easier
buy for a garden center, " Hirschhaut
said. " It's relatively simple, they can
be as adventurous in color as suits
the personality of the store, and it's
not burdensome from a warehousing
point of view. "
Tactile Fabrics, Natural Looks
Exhibitors at Casual Market Atlanta
featured a lot of woven materials,
both authentic and synthetic, but
produced and designed in a way that's
very natural looking.
" Overall, I really got a sense
that natural looks are preferred, "
Hirschhaut said. " There's lots of
strapping - different widths, lots of
color options, but all in acrylic fiber, so
it's going to stand up well to wear and
easy care. "
Although some companies offer
vibrant colors, far and away a more
tempered-down palette prevailed.
Textured fabrics are an effective way
to add visual interest to more muted
tones, along with a lower-cost, bigimpact
option: pillows.
" There are some stores that are just
a sea of beige, and I think people are
finally recognizing that accent pillows
make a big difference, " Hirschhaut
said. " They're easy for a consumer to
mix and match, making them a little
more personalized and a little more
visually interesting. "
Ready to Entertain
Outdoor lighting plays a huge role
in making sure customers can enjoy
their furnishings day or night. At
Casual Market Atlanta, solar reigned
supreme in this space, saving the
electricity challenge and many of
the regulatory concerns companies
have for something that's safe to be
plugged in outside.
Les Jardins' mission is to bring
technology and design together to
achieve efficiency and sustainability,
as seen with its solar tables.
Think solar cocktail tables in
addition to wall lights and lanterns.
Hirschhaut also found what
she calls " the ultimate umbrella
accessory " : Treasure Garden's EVO
with Bluetooth and solar.
" It's about the size of a dinner
plate with a hole in the middle, and
it's on a hinge, so you open it up and
you click it toward the top inside of
the umbrella, " she explained. " You
buy the basic umbrella and then
you can forget about it, not having
to worry about lighting or music if
you're entertaining. "
At a higher price point, the new
Above smart patio umbrella uses
solar to raise and lower the umbrella
with a remote and has a wind
sensor that allows the product to
automatically close before it's blown
over or damaged.
Fire features have also seen major
upgrades. They now come in all
heights - from close to the ground
to bar height dining tables with a fire
feature down the center, all elevating
the outdoor oasis.
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November/December 2023

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