Sketchbook: City Nights

Urban settings need outdoor retreat

Courtney Mueller -- Casual Living, 8/28/2006 1:40:00 PM

Urban hustle and bustle almost requires the creation of an outdoor retreat. Pieces in this collection are urban and contemporary, not fussy, with simple, slightly curvy lines.

Combining the yin and yang of feminine and masculine characteristics, more modern pieces show well in a black-and-white pairing, while the furniture is complemented with stainless steel or aluminum construction, and sometimes highlighted with metallic or geometric accents. For more on sketchbooks, pick up Casual Living’s September issue.

Shady Lady’s Tommy Bahama Cigar lamp stands 50-inch tall and is crafted of all-weather woven material and highlighted by a pseudo-netting style over the light with geometric cutouts for a modern design.

Laneventure’s Spinnaker chair features a classic wrap-around back that offers a 360-degree view of the seat cushion to create interplay between the fabric and frame.

With sophisticated elegance, the Take 5 armless high back dining chair from Homecrest has an extruded aluminum frame accented by crisp lines, slight curves and angular forms with sling seating covering the seat and back rails instead of leaving them exposed, for a tight, clean look.