Let's go outside

Whether you have a tiny balcony or an expansive garden, creating a luxurious outside area will help you take full advantage of the warm weather. From stylish backyard and patio ideas to minimalist dining nooks, identity reveals the latest trends and new products.

- Penny McCormick

What constitutes the perfect outdoor living space is as varied as the homeowner’s personal tastes. A simple seating arrangement with a fire pit or water feature may be ideal for one, while expansive hardscaping and a fully equipped outdoor kitchen can best meet the needs of another. What is apparent, though, is the blurring of indoor and outdoor spaces. Look no further than Marcel Wanders’ collaboration with Vondom to create furniture pieces that give an indoor feeling outdoors. “Transforming outdoor spaces into a true oasis,” is how Wanders defines the collection. He adds: “Working with the internationally recognised Spanish company that specialises in outdoor furniture has resulted in a collection that replaces plastic with soft upholstered materials, as a way to create a more sophisticated outdoor experience.” These elegant pieces include a modular sofa with a unique shape and upholstered fabric, comfortable poufs, a coffee table and table lamp. The collection is completed with a family of ornamental planters. Wanders admits, “These pieces, just by themselves, are designed to create a beautiful environment that sets a very stylish mood. With the unique purpose of drawing people together, this collection allows people to celebrate life.”

Minotti’s outdoor collection, coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni, also reconfirms the desire to create an aesthetic and stylistic continuity between indoors and outdoors, by designing a living area with no visible boundaries. The skill of designers such as Nendo and Marcio Kogan brings new and unexpected takes on the concept of outdoor living. The extension of the