sophisticated swing chairs that glide and swivel

swath of brightly striped cotton stretched
between a couple of trees. Next thing I
know, I’m asleep, swingin’ in the breeze
to a sweet summer lullaby of chirping and
buzzing, just dreaming about how easy it
was to create this little piece of heaven.
At Capital Iron, you’ll find stylish rope,
quilted, and Brazilian-style hammocks
by Vivere. New this year is the Quilted
Fabric Hammock, made from comfy polyfill
sandwiched between all-weather, polyester
fabric. With stripes on one side and a solid
colour on the other, you can flip the look
on a whim. If you have conveniently spaced
trees from which to hang your hammock,
great; otherwise, we like the graceful lines
of Vivere’s Arc stand in lacquered American
Cypress wood, which you can set up
anywhere in your backyard, on your patio
or balcony. Available wheel kits allow you to
roll your hammock stand around the yard as
the sun moves.
For something smaller, the Brazilian
Hammock Chair comes in either a nautical
stripe or fruit-punchy woven cotton with a
pretty crocheted fringe. Dangled from a tree
branch, balcony ceiling, or your front porch,
these cute seats will bounce, swing, and
cradle you all day long.
Lee Valley Tools also carries high-quality
rope hammocks (cotton or polyester) and
a quilted version big enough for two. If you
like a splash of colour, the Mayan hammocks
and hammock chairs handwoven by artisans
on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula are comfy
enough to spend the night in. Dave Heifetz
of Green Mountain Hammocks, based here
in Victoria and available online and through
Capital Iron, says one of the company’s
bestsellers is the washable, breathable
String Hammock Chair, also popular for
small spaces. For something a little more
avant-garde, Outback’s Wave hammock has
groovy contours and a bolster pillow for
your noggin.
The SURF from Royal
Botanica is a sleek spin
on outdoor furnishings.
(Available at Gabriel Ross.)
SOPHISTICATED SWING
Now, how about something so cutting
edge your design sensibilities will quiver?
Sculpted from stainless steel and sail-like
curves of UV-blocking mesh fabric, the SURF
and the Wave by Royal Botania elevate a
backyard favourite to art status. To recline on
one is to float inside the tube of a breaking
wave, canopied by a curling lip of saltwater.
“If you are in the planning stage of an
amazing patio and you have the budget to
match, the Wave is stunning,” says Ross Taylor
of Gabriel Ross, who prices the Wave at just
over $26,000. “My favourite is the SURF,
starting at $12,000. It is substantially less
money than the Wave and much easier to set
up. Great for two people and it really makes a
statement. It is the jewellery of any patio.”
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YAM MAGAZINE
For those with less generous budgets,
the E-Z Hammock at Gabriel Ross features
a minimalist design, can be had for about
$1,300, and is as comfy as it is chic. Available
colours include orange, turquoise, black,
and cappuccino.
CHAIRS THAT GLIDE AND SWIVEL
Gliders are fun, too. A built-in mechanism
in the base of the chair allows for the
smooth, comforting movement of a swing,
the advantage being that you don’t need to
hang it. Capital Iron carries high-quality,
contemporary wicker love seats and chairs
by Lloyd/Flanders with 400 cushion fabrics
to choose from. The English Bay gliding
chair by Ratana Home and Floral is a
bestseller at Dig This in Broadmead Village,
and The Wickertree stocks wicker and
rattan gliders and backyard bench-swings
in classic to contemporary styles, all made
from insect- and weather-proof woven resin.
The Nootka Rocker Glide Bench by
Clayoquot Crafts in Tofino is a classically
designed seat unique in that it is fashioned
from salvaged western red cedar milled,
dried, and handcrafted by designer Daniel
Lamarche and his team. Classic Cedar
Garden Furniture is another local company
that handcrafts red cedar furniture. Their
Cedar Porch Swing would look equally
refined suspended from a big tree or custom
arbour, plumped up with a few cushions for
extra comfort.
Tony Martin from Monarch Furnishings
discovered his favourite backyard chair
while on vacation in Parksville, and now
carries the Havana Group set of two
swivel chairs and a table by Cathay 2000
Importers. Compact enough to perch
nicely on a condo balcony or another small
outdoor space, these shapely, pirouetting
resin chairs are urban chic and oh-so-fun
to take for a spin. Whoops! I think I just
sloshed my gimlet. : :