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very fall, Jim Sica, president ofJimrnie's Rustics, finds
himself in Chicago's Merchandise Mart and Expo
Center, roaming through the equivalent of five foot-
ball fields crammed full with outdoor furniture. It's
the National Casual Furniture Show, the exhausting
buyers market where Sica and thousands of other retailers make
the first decisions on what the rest of us will be lounging on for sum-
mers to come. He's looking for the latest styles in an industry where
there are few radical changes; innovation is measured in details—
a more color-fast resin or a new line of color-fast fabrics for weather-
proof cushions. This year, for example, the big news is green (sec-
ond only to white in frame and cushion colors) , a strong showing
from cast aluminum (the look of -wrought iron with much less trou-
ble) , and stylish options in weather-resistant acrylic for umbrellas
and cushion covers (looks like cotton! feels like cotton!).
Although the choices we consumers face back in Detroit stores
would barely fill one football field, local showrooms still can seem
like a foreign country until you understand the lingo and the cate-
gories. The pressure mounts when you see the price tags on the
higher-end pieces. Unless you're still satisfied with those molded
white plastic chairs or the folding aluminum chaises of your youth,
outdoor furniture can be a major investment, one that can last a life-
time.
The following guide to the types of furnishings can help you select
the right pieces for your budget and lifestyle.
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Resin Gets S-tylish.
There are two types of plastic-like materials that are
often confused by consumers. One is a polyvinyl chlo-
ride, or PVC, the hollow pipe-like material used to
build moderately priced furniture. The manufactur-
ing process with PVC involves extrusion. "It works
much like those Play Doh toys, where you press the
handle and squeeze the play doh into various shapes.
The quality of PVC pieces has improved over the
years as their makers have added more strengthen-
ing and brightening chemicals. Prices are generally
moderate: a five-piece grouping can be purchased
for only $300 to $800.
A similar product with a wider range of styling and
price is molded resin, an enhanced plastic also known
as polypropylene. The resin is injected into molds to
form whole pieces of furniture or individual compo-
nents. Those one-piece molded chairs that sell for as
little as $5 at discount stores are made of resin. But
manufacturers have also adopted the material for styl-
ish high-end groupings that can cost $1,800 or more.
The higher end pieces have traditionally been given
a high-gloss lacquered finish that gives them a clean-
er look and makes them easier to clean.
New lines for this summer include Cadix by Gros-
fillex, featuring a strap-style chair back that looks wo-
ven but is actually molded resin. A similar style is
available through Allibefts "Iris," a green chair with
a wicker-like insert.
Like PVC, resin offers easy maintenance. It's wa-
terproof, rustproof and treated with ultraviolet stabi-
lizers that prevent fading. An occasional hose-down
and a wiping with mild soapy water or a mild cleanser
such as Sunbrite (available at most hardware stores)
should preserve the look of quality resin for at least
ten years. An annual coating of car wax can keep flat
or satin-finish colors looking fresh. For high-gloss
finishes, the main concern will be scratches, which
can be buffed with fine sandpaper or steel wool, then
given a coating of clear or color-matched lacquer
(available from the manufacturers and from hard-
ware stores).
'The Natural Look of Wood
For some backyard settings, and for the environ-
mentally inclined, nothing beats the easy look of nat-
ural wood. Teak, the darling of the yachting set for
its weather-hardy qualities, is appreciated in outdoor
furniture for the same qualities. The wood's plenti-
ful natural oils help it fight the elements. For main-
tenance, owners can re-oil twice a year. Other
commonly used woods, in descending order of dura-
bility, are mahogany, cypress, pressure-treated pine,
and cedar. Mahogany can be preserved with regu-
lar applications of oil; the others generally require
sealants.
Left untreated, wood pieces will weather to mut-
ed shades of brown and gray. Some woods— usual-
ly cypress and pine— come in painted styles. "Just
remember that wood is a living thing, it expands and
contracts with weather changes," warns Hein. "Any
coating of paint will expand or contract at a different
rate, and you'll eventually get cracking and separa-
tions." New upscale looks in wood include Ranch
Wood's English Garden, a reproduction of old-style
country furniture and the Ascot Suite of folding fur-
All-weather wicker from 80-year old Loyd Flanders. Amiable at Casual Con-
cepts and finmie's Rustics.
Barlow Tyrie's Glenham chairs and Balmoral table with commodore recliners
in background. Available at Jimmie's Rustics.
STYLE • SUMMER 1993
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