Outdoor living: Just the words bring a rush of pleasure. Creating a sweet spot where you can inhale fresh breezes and gaze at nature while enjoying your home has never been more coveted. Whether it’s a moment of solitude or a let-loose gathering of friends you crave, furniture designers are ramping up options to furnish your space.
GamFratesi, the design duo established in 2006 by Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi, is stepping up with furniture designs that combine the ring of tradition with the light touch of innovation. The Danish-Italian team takes full advantage of both European cultures, weaving together robust Danish craft traditions with a poetic nod to Italian conceptualism, in a new line of outdoor furniture for Minotti.
Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi
Ocean Home asked the Copenhagen-based team to forecast this season’s five biggest trends in outdoor furniture. Here is the designers’ list, as well as suggestions to fulfill each trend from GamFratesi’s furnishing pieces for Minotti, the Italian furniture company with US stores in New York City, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston.
For those who can’t get enough of outdoor living, GamFratesi is on your team. Anything is possible, Stine Gam says. “We’re seeing no more divisions between outdoor and indoor spaces.”
Flexibility
With so many coastal homes featuring various ways to enjoy the outdoors —from two-season rooms to outdoor spaces that are created by the flick of a switch—flexibility in furnishings is crucial. GamFratesi’s Patio seating system meets that requirement. “It is truly a system that allows for a great variety of configuration and continuous change and flexibility in the future,” Enrico Fratesi remarks. “We like the approach of informality and flexibility in the outdoor space.”
Love of Nature
One look at a piece from the GamFratesi Fynn Outdoor seats brings a sense of calm. The solid-teak designs are outfitted with interwoven frames that support cushy seats and backrests. Each piece, with organic curves and a smooth surface, are handmade to in-depth precision. Gam and Fratesi call Fynn Outdoor a “family” of pieces. You’ll want to call your family and friends for a visit right away.
Ultra Comfort
You want your furniture to call out to you, inviting you to relax. GamFratesi’s Lido Cord Outdoor family of seats is built for comfort, from fabrics that are certified recyclable polypropylene. Gently rounded sofas and chairs with luxurious cushions will hold you like a nest. The sofa’s elongated organic shape and bronze-toned varnished aluminum base, balance a beautiful, bold sculptural look with extreme potential for relaxation. Even the backrest is the shape of a soft nest. Naptime, anyone?
Lightness for Ease of Movement
However much you love the arrangement of your outdoor seating system, you know you’ll want to reposition it at times. The Patio seating system, while appearing substantial, is relatively lightweight, a result of its solid, minimal structure. The line’s materials—wood, stone, cord, and aluminum—mix sublimely. Patio’s modular design and geometric shapes lend ample ways to shape the outdoor area for various needs, delivering equal portions of elegance and ease. The sofa is a dream, with a range of available measurements and configurations and options for adjusting the backrest. All the pieces share the same feet and die-cast aluminum joints. Some of the Patio seats offer a built-in tray in solid stained mahogany or natural teak.
Bring Down the Boundaries
Both Gam and Fratesi take the spirit of freedom seriously: freedom of movement, self-expression, and living your best life. The pair’s Minotti furnishings blur the line between outdoor and indoor living spaces, giving you choices, depending on weather and mood. Other options specific to the collection—materials, depth of cushions, and system configuration—also free the stylist in you.