Invest in summer to take advantage of it in winter: 'Indoor/Outdoor', the decorative trend that eliminates space problems at home

In 1959, the Danish architect and designer Bodil Kjær (Horsens, 1932) forever changed the history of furniture.

With the idea that a round design arises as a response to a need, she devised for the US market

one of his most memorable collections:

.

This quarry of furniture created together with the CI Design company from Boston, for use in both indoor and outdoor spaces, answered a simple question that haunted Kjær's mind: "Why have two sets of furniture if one is enough?".

This issue was the driving force behind a series of prototypes in teak material inspired by the compact forms of cubism.

They remained outdoors for several days on a porch facing the Atlantic Ocean, with the aim of testing their resistance to inclement weather such as humidity, sunlight or wind.

Manufactured continuously for 25 years (and relaunched by Carl Hansen in 2018 as BK 10-15), this line of furniture disrupted the way of understanding garden furniture and its use relegated to the dry season of the year.

More information

'Saturday Night Fever' in your living room: the curious case of disco balls in home decoration

The search for open and green spaces in homes that confinement promoted, together with the need to optimize space in homes with the implementation of teleworking (more activities in fewer square meters), has made Kjær's formula an intelligent way to understand the decoration in homes.

The proposal is simple and easy to execute: invest in furniture and objects that can coexist in both spaces, reduce seasonal change to details such as crockery or textiles, and opt for resistant materials that are also sustainable by prolonging their use over time.

Here are some ideas to optimize physical environments with a beautiful design that prioritizes comfort.

1. The side table joker

The Ander model by The Masie, an 80-centimeter round aluminum and glass outdoor table.The Masie

What in summer can serve as a table for lunch on a terrace or even on a balcony, in the colder months accumulates endless uses inside the house.

From a coffee or reading table to a stand for pots under a bright corner, or as a desk for the little ones.

The choice of materials will determine its versatility;

natural rattan or rope, for example, are resistant to sun and rain, and are very light in transport (in the image, Ander, from The Masie, for 429.95 euros).

In enameled metal (like this table from H&M, for 19.90 euros) they can be recycled as a support table during the fall, in an industrial room or with a sober decoration.

Synthetic materials such as polypropylene with an anti-UV finish are ideal for gardens or open spaces that experience long hours of exposure to the sun.

In a matte finish (such as the Kailua table, by Gato Preto, for 90.30 euros) and neutral colors, they are easy to combine in any room, even as auxiliary furniture in a bathroom or bedroom.

2. Wireless portable lamps

Tea portable table lamp, by Kave Home.Kave Home

These 21st century lanterns and lanterns allow in a simple gesture to illuminate any corner, inside and outside the house.

They lack wiring and are recharged by USB, allowing several hours of autonomy without an external electrical installation.

With a curved design created by the Reverse Consultancy studio, reminiscent of a basket due to its wooden handle, the Ridley lamp by Kave Home is already a contemporary icon.

This summer it evolves with a flattened metal shape in Tea (55.99 euros), which offers a warm LED light that will travel from the gazebo to the sofa as a reading light in just a few seconds.

3. Synthetic fiber rugs

The Kenya rug from Maisons du Monde.Maison du Monde

After functional furniture, rugs are the most voluminous objects in a home and take up many centimeters of storage when not in use.

This does not mean that we must stop joining the trend of decorating exterior corners with them as a

, as long as we choose them in beautiful colors and textures to add to the interior decoration of the house when the summer is over.

In bright colors and geometric shapes, they can even become a playground for children.

When choosing the material, it is better to lean towards the

than the original.

Synthetics such as polypropylene (in the image the Kenya model from Maisons du Monde, from 72.95 euros) that repel water and have UV protection, or

formulas made from recycled plastic bottles (Assouel, from Kave Home , for 113.99 euros), they will withstand both inclement weather and a birthday earthquake in the kitchen.

4. Long live the 'waitresses'

The waitress Hiba, from La Redoute Interieurs.La Redoute Interieurs

Created in Victorian times to transport the tea service, they reached their popularity (and best-known function) at the beginning of the 20th century as a bar cabinet.

Alvar Aalto's 1936 design known as

(reissued by Artek for a few years) transformed it into an icon, something that would continue over time with new models in the hands of the

After several decades in disuse, they are making a strong comeback due to their functionality and, above all, their easy transport in different environments, such as from the kitchen to the living room or directly to the pool.

When the cold arrives, it will serve as a portable cupboard to organize crockery or store spices and all kinds of table companions.

In the image, waitress Hiba from La Redoute Interieurs (130.98 euros).

5. A mountain of chairs

A terrace table and the Torparö chair model from Ikea, inspired by the perforated metal ones of the seventies.Ikea

When setting up a dining room, the number of diners that we imagine at specific moments is the great determinant of the space.

But during the day to day, in reality, it is much less in proportion to the number of chairs that we choose.

The same thing happens outside, with the addition that they are only used a few months a year.

The solution to having enough seats at a crowded after-dinner table in summer without taking up space the rest of the time is to resort to lightweight folding chairs that can be stored vertically.

The white "monobloc" chair, that plastic classic of beach bars created in 1967 by the industrial designer Vico Magistretti, has evolved into more contemporary and appealing designs.

The giant Ikea is a master in the field.

Its Torparö seat (29 euros), inspired by the perforated metal chairs of the seventies, is an affordable and attractive option to save space thanks to its applicable structure in powder-coated steel and plastic.

Easy to maintain and fits in any space.

6. An original fire pit

Terrain model, available at Anthropologie.Anthropologie

Solar LED torches are a simple alternative for those looking to include the warmth of a flame in the garden.

But if you have space and are looking for a more realistic effect, copper braziers dating back to Ancient Rome are on the rise.

In addition to providing dim light, they are a mobile source of heat for the warmer nights.

When they stop fulfilling their original function, they can be transformed into a bar table if they include a top in the same material (like this Terrain model, available at Anthropologie for 990 euros).

In the case of not having it, it will be enough to incorporate a glass of generous thickness to serve as a table for appetizers and drinks in the living room.

7. A couch where you can do (almost) everything

WestwingNow Blond Daybed, including cushions in white upholstery.WestwingNow,

The divan, that light bed without a headboard on which to lounge and read during the day (or even psychoanalyze), has been seducing man since its origin, back in the 8th century in Turkey.

Outdoor divans became popular in the seventies of the last century under bamboo structures, with a bohemian yet resistant design that withstands temperature changes well.

Although they crack due to rain and light, their durability is not affected, acquiring a very suggestive old patina.

When the good weather arrives, they become synonymous with endless naps in the shade or as a recreation area, as well as an auxiliary seat when visitors proliferate.

Indoors, the uses are multiplied, whether as a bench for the hall or a seat where you can leave your clothes at the end of the day.

In the image, WestwingNow Blond daybed that includes white upholstered cushions (859 euros).

8. The seat of the new millennium

'Pouf' by Zara Home.Zara Home

The year 2000 brought an unusual love for plastic, retro-futurism and sack seats popularized as

in decoration .

After spending several decades in collective oblivion, they now return with more refined forms, but equally comfortable, to once again become the favorite seat for afternoons in the sun.

This Zara Home design (available in gray and cream for 99.99 euros) stylizes its flattened shape and includes an outer pocket to store a book or remote control.

When not in use we can easily move it to the living room thanks to a rear handle in the same fabric.

A perfect seat to rest (alone or with pets), watch a movie or just do nothing.

9. From a sculptural vase to a summer flask

The Miami model by Gato Preto, available in two sets of colors (blue and orange or one hundred and grey).Gato Preto

As easy as changing its content and location.

Alone or with bouquets of flowers, a simple container in borosilicate glass goes from being a vase to a pitcher of water or a decanter of wine for summer tables under the sun.

The Gato Preto Miami model, available in two sets of colors (blue and orange or one hundred and grey), fulfills all these functions for only 9.99 euros.

10. A nomadic bench

Sklum folding bench upholstered in Oxford fabric.Sklum

If stackable seats are the essence of a house that seeks to save space, structures that allow you to fold completely are the easy and light way to make them disappear in plain sight.

Giancarlo Piretti, with the pioneering

chair from 1967 or the interpretation that Jasper Morrison made decades later with the

model are some examples of designers who have fallen for its functionality.

Normally linked to compact materials such as polypropylene and fiberglass, folding seats made of steel and fabrics that are resistant to light and moisture are a classic of

furniture that can be recycled indoors.

This folding bench from Sklum upholstered in Oxford fabric (124.95 euros) does not require cleaning, and fits both in a night under the stars and in the hall of a house.

When it is not useful we can hide it under a sofa or a bed.

50% off

Exclusive content for subscribers

read without limits

subscribe

I'm already a subscriber