April 5 2007

Inside Out

Outdoor chairs go indoors
"As a designer, I like my outdoor space to feel like it's part of my living space," says Muttontown designer Kim Hendrickson-Radovich. "I think fabrics play an important part in bringing the indoors out. Once a piece is upholstered, it's a whole other piece of furniture, rather than that old, traditional wrought-iron furniture.... There are so many beautiful, sophisticated designs now."

She has an upholstered settee with tasseled pillows on a front veranda. She plans to create an outdoor dining space as well, with a glass- or stone-top table draped in layers of cloth, dishes and napkins. "No paper on that table," she says.

Some of the new outdoor furniture easily makes the transition indoors as well, to conservatories, to casual family rooms and, as in Hendrickson-Radovich's home, to a breakfast room opening onto a veranda.

She uses four of designer Oscar de la Renta's white painted wood outdoor chairs for Century Furniture, on an indoor-outdoor rug, in her breakfast room.