Rattan is one of the easiest ways to add a retro touch to a space without getting too campy. Dreamed up by Brooklyn industrial designer Caleb Zipperer, the Tretto Faux Rattan Dining Table looks striking with contrasting colors and textures, like iron dining chairs in a cobalt blue, or a smoked-glass vase.
To create a tactile variance between material finishes, style the Rizo Loop Faux Rattan Chair, which looks and feels natural but is durable enough to handle Mother Nature’s wear, around a cast-aluminum table. The rattan mimics the appearance of woven banana leaf, a nod to ’70s vintage and the escapist getaways we’re all craving.
Weather-Resistant Rattan
Being waterfront adjacent is always refreshing, so bringing in a soupçon of the seaside is a clever trick. The Braided Jute Pouf—which consists of slender rope coiled around dense polyfill—adds a hint of the dock without going overboard (so to speak). Ultra-versatile, it can work as an impromptu seat, ottoman, or pedestal for a tray of drinks and snacks.
The Rossi Sectional, designed by Melbourne, Australia–based VUUE, is just as functional. Its components can be arranged in various configurations. Plus the steel base, topped with durable all-weather upholstery, pairs perfectly with an outdoor colorfast rug and oversize plants for a play on indoor-outdoor coziness.
NAUTICAL ROPE
Hewing too close to sophisticated neutrals can feel a bit—dare we say—dull. The gold-finished Oro Dining Chair, in polished aluminum, is not for the subtle or the timid. It’s got gleaming, blingy confidence and makes any outdoor panorama more striking by half (you can check the math). The key is getting the balance of boldness just right. Juxtapose it alongside other materials—an iron stacking chair, a polypropylene outdoor seater—to diffuse the flashiness and avoid feeling too nouveau riche.
Polished Metals
Concrete is a heavy-handed material, but its bulk is easily tempered by a contemporary shape. The Mikos Black Coffee Table, in a concrete-fiberglass mix, references Brutalist architecture; when used as a side or coffee table, it feels like a slice of the Met Breuer is lurking over your cocktail hour.
The material also works well as a discrete accent. Greenery appears even lusher against the textured austerity of the Seminyak Black Planter, which is made of a sand-cement-fiberglass blend.
Molded into shape with soft, round edges and a curvy pedestal base, the Trieste Side Table boasts cement in a faux marble finish that swirls with tonal grays, ivory, and purples. Just like the real thing, each piece is unique.
Pigmented Concrete
Designed by Mermelada Estudio, a trio of Barcelona-based creatives, the certified-sustainable Gartner Teak Lounge Chair showcases teak at its purest: Honeyed horizontal slats highlight the tropical hardwood’s tight grain and durability. For the right balance of contrast and coordination, style it alongside the Naya Cast-Iron and Teak Sectional Sofa, which has a band of teak offset by soft yet durable Sunbrella fabric cushions propped on cast-metal legs. It’s the epitome of formal structure–meets–mellow comfort.
Sustainable Teak
Gartner Teak
Lounge Chair
This summer is all about being transported within the parameters of your own property. European coast vibes abound, and your outdoor space should be brimming with emotion and nostalgia—and with furniture that receives as much attention as what’s going on inside. Featuring materials that age gracefully and mixing vintage inspirations with modern panache, CB2’s 2021 Outdoor collection is here to make your space feel worldly yet relaxed.
Drawn from varied design references—French industrialism, Brutalism—the offering places rich teak, polished metals, and more at the forefront. Here, find five leveled-up elements for your outdoor space that will give you that sublime feeling of being away—without actually going anywhere.
Five leveled-up materials that elevate your outdoor space.
WORDS BY Sarah Moroz
DESIGN BY Brit Ashcraft
Material
World
SEMINYAK BLACK PLANTER
ORO GOLD DINING CHAIR
BRAIDED JUTE LARGE POUF
TRETTO FAUX RATTAN DINING TABLE