Oh, I know. Matching sets are supposed to be “out”. No one buys a bed with matching nightstands and dressers anymore, right? But what if it’s actually the best solution? What if it creates the exact vibe you want and then you shake it up with some fun accents? That is the case for this patio at my brother’s house. My brother’s family moved into the river house a few weeks ago and with only weeks left of summer (well, fall here is GORGEOUS) I made it my personal mission to get this patio ready for them to hang out. To be selfish/honest I didn’t want them scrambling to buy random outdoor furniture just to check the box. So while this isn’t my house and I wasn’t involved in all the big design decisions I’m emotionally invested in it and really want it to look good. Plus, let’s be honest, everyone who comes over will likely think that I did it, so I might be being a bit controlling LOL. So while I’m not their personal decorator, they are getting me whether they want me or not. You see, I knew that it wouldn’t take a ton of work to make it look good and be functional. I knew what to order from who? Article. I knew that in a matter of weeks, we could have something really great, ready to enjoy – a space we were all proud of. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I was right!
Umbrella | Umbrella Base | Sectional | Loveseat | Lounge Chairs | Black Side Table
What’s funny is that the landscape company (Pistils) designed the patio with this sectional in mind (called the Lubek). It was literally on their schematics. I agreed…and took it a bit further. It is very low profile allowing for the view from the living room to still be really open (and not just staring at a bunch of furniture). It also sits low which is a benefit because there are some unsightly views that you can’t even see while sitting that low – it strangely obstructs those and allows all to have pretty river and tree views. It also seats many people. It matches the home’s style. It was made for this house.
While I love an eclectic mix of furniture, this house doesn’t want that. Sure, inside we might get some awesome art and accessories, but its style is way more minimal, streamlined, and matching the architecture felt very right. We ordered the sectional (it comes in a light finish with gray fabric, too) and a matching loveseat, coffee table (It actually comes in a bundled set with the loveseat! Such great value), dining table, and two benches (Also part of a set! I’m telling you – matching sets are IT but they also sell separately, too). Quite possibly the least stress I’ve ever had. We had to figure out the configuration, but otherwise, it was very lovely knowing that it would all look good together.
Article has been a consistent partner of mine, for years now, because I love their quality, options, style, comfort, and delivery speed. Sure, there is cheaper stuff on the market, but I’ve had some of our Article furniture for years and still love them. The upholstery always cleans up, it’s comfy but the cushions don’t lose their shape. Oh, and the hard finishes don’t bleach out. Outdoor furniture can be famously hard to maintain and while I haven’t had this set personally, the track record of what I have owned for years is GREAT.
It’s a solid set – a one and done, and it turned out awesome. The umbrella is on a rolling base (genius?!) that can follow the harsh sun and I appreciate the wood pole and mechanism – it obviously works stylistically with the furniture really well. This patio faces east meaning that it gets morning light through the trees, but is shaded after 4 pm (exactly what you want).
Given that even my landscape company knew about it, it isn’t surprising that the Lubek is one of Article’s best-selling outdoor sofas. So much so that launched a new, petite version specifically for smaller outdoor spaces. As demonstrated by the River House, the original sectional configuration is roomy and expansive. The Lubek Loveseat is small but can def fit two people (or one person to lounge). The coffee table is really low, making it great for playing games or sharing a cheeseboard.
We added two chairs to round out the conversation area – but worked in the same palette, obviously. I love the lines of the black legs of this chair – still minimal and streamlined, but not boring. They are comfortable and large-scale. Big fans.
The Lubek Dining Table is huge, sturdy, and can sit up to 10 (even more on the ends). It’s awesome. My brother (i.e. infamous “bull in china shop”) LOVES this table because it is “SOLID”. And when you have kids and a lot of people over the bench seat is so flexible and easy to manage (and the lack of “chairs” with “legs” keeps it looking minimal and streamlined).
The benches tuck under the table (many do not, which baffles me) so that if you want more space for walking around or general flow, the whole footprint is decreased. Tables with benches like this have a really casual vibe – nothing fussy or precious, which is perfect for a lot of family gatherings (just make sure you measure – it’s bigger than it looks so might not work on a lot of decks – I wanted this one for my back deck but was too big).
Human being for scale LOL. It was our photographer, Kaitlin’s birthday the day we shot, and sitting out here for lunch was DREAMY. Margaritas not shown:)
As you can see I styled it out with really red/purple-toned plants, fruits, and accessories. I love these tones with green against dark houses as you have probably noticed. The top of the table is sealed really nicely, and has pretty dark teak wood, and again, just feels really casual and lovely.
The simplicity of this set really complements the wild greenery – the furniture almost recedes in favor of looking out to the river and trees. Y’all, it’s incredible up here.
A couple of days before the shoot I realized we needed some anchoring plants. Dennis’ 7 Dees had reached out to partner previously so I took them up on it and Andrea (one of their incredible garden designers) came to the house, looked at the landscaping and architecture, took the pots, and came back with a really pretty selection that could live long-term on the patio and look sooo good in the world we created. Thank you, Andrea!
10-12 people can easily hang out with her, with 10 more at the table. Not to mention the kids playing in the mud by the river. While it is August, you bet the Hendersons will be over (but seriously, Ken let’s get a date on the books asap).
Watch the video below to see it all in action and head to stories to see me gab and gab about it. Thanks to Article for partnering on this patio. Your furniture and service make my life, job, and this patio better 🙂
*Design by Emily Henderson
**Photos by Kaitlin Green
That view!!! I don’t feel like I’ve seen it like this before today. Woooow! Love the patio!
It’s beautiful. As usual, I’m obsessed with the landscaping! I love the mix of grasses and flowering native perennials. I also love that beneficial perennials were chosen for the containers—I hope they don’t trash those plants after they die back for the season!
I love Article. And I think the low profile and black cushions are perfect for this house, but I feel like the honey wood tone is such a sharp contrast to the warm wood tone of the house. I’m also feeling like the side chairs should maybe be a smaller scale to compliment the sectional a bit better. The river house itself is stunning so happy your brother and family were able to move in to enjoy these last bits of summer!
Love it all! Question about outdoor cushions. Don’t they get gross after a while? I have cushions for a few loungers and I don’t really like to leave them out. They get so dusty and don’t ever seem clean. Even with my pollywood chairs, I have to clean them every time I want to sit in them. They get dusty and spidery, is that a word?! I would only want to sit on the cushion if I put a towel down first.
Seeing as how it rains so much in the PNW, I wonder if they will be storing them inside in general and only putting them out when they intend to use them, in order to keep them in great condition. That’s alot of cushions to store. I was also wondering about the choice of the bluestone flooring for the deck. That stuff gets so hot in the sun, it will burn your bare feet and animal paws. I think Emily also noted that on the stone around her plunge pool. I guess an outdoor rug would be out of the question…?
With that view, you really don’t have to do much! 🙂 I really appreciate how the wood tones of the furniture really complement the wood tones of the house. In the future a large canopy umbrella could be the perfect touch over that large seating area so that everyone seated can benefit from a little shade.
Beautiful! I’d love it if you could get Andrea to partner with you on a post about the specific plants, their light and water needs that guided where each was placed and how to care for them throughout the year. I know it’s late for planting anything for this summer in many areas but some of still have a bit of time before the frost hits and it’s never too early to plan ahead for next year!
Or maybe make it a more general container gardening feature. That’s something relatable to renters as the pots can be moved to the next place and many apartment dwellers have a tiny bit of porch/balcony/patio space to work with.
You should check out the facebook page ‘container gardening northwest’. It is hosted by a well known designer from seattle. Her container plantings are to die for (christina salwitz). From what I can see at a casual glance, here they have used heuchera (the red leaf), I think a smoke bush (a greener leaved variety..maybe ‘old fashioned’ or ‘grace’), carly rose fountain grass, an orange carex, possibly a hibiscus, two chocolate mimosa trees (to me those pots seem too small to sustain those very long both in size as well as balance in the wind..same goes for the cute little white pine in the pot). As for the border – most of those plants are full sun lovers (6 hrs +/day) and quite drought tolerant (must have been the brief, and makes good sense). Looks like a mix of yarrow (maybe ‘terra cotta’), echinacea (possibly ‘magnus’), I think liatris (or maybe that’s a purple agastache..a great plant that comes in many colours), maybe the larger grass to the back is stipa gigantica? and the smaller grasses I can’t ID – but maybe a low fountain grass like little bunny, or hamelin. I would bet also on autumn joy sedum, maybe… Read more »
Thank you, I found your listing of planting very helpful and a great link to chickadee gardens which looks to be an amazing resource.
ps. and also maybe wall germander is in there. awesome plant. I can’t id the tall plant in the pot…lookes like a manzantia that has been trained to be a standard? Hard to tell. But manzanitas are so great for hot dry gardens. come in all shapes and sizes. (cistus and xera nursery in portland are every plant nerd’s dream…check them out if you are local!)
Agree! I’d love to see a breakdown of the plants used and why!
I love this outdoor living space! The furniture is beautifully arranged, and the view are beautiful!
I do wonder though, what the plan is on taking care of this furniture, so it is a lasting addition to the home? Here is what Article says:
Can covers be purchased, or custom made for this furniture?
Where I live, in Colorado, we get snow and cold. On our dining patio, which isn’t covered, we have a teak dining table, and benches. Teak is well known for being durable and water resistant in all types of weather.
On our covered front porch, we cover our sectional, and fire pit with weatherproof covers. Things do get dusty in the summer and fall, so we wipe down the hard surfaces, and brush down, or hand vacuum the cushions regularly.
we have a small covered back deck. We store the cushions for our lounge chairs indoors in the wintertime.
ideally, we hope to have purchased furniture that we can care for, and enjoy for many years.
THAT VIEW!
I love the way the bedding plants soften the edges of the patio. It reminds me of Emily’s pool area, which I also love!
I love it! Great space for big family get-togethers!
Beautiful space! Your styling is lovely with the home exterior.
Perfect! Everything blends together beautifully. A staycation home that has everything. Love the style and color of the house, landscaping, patio, furniture, potted plants all blend seamlessly. And the spectacular view. Well done.
Hi – I adore the patio pavers and style. Could you share a link to the material? Would love to know how you selected it as well. Thanks!
Hi! Loving this house and the big patio reveal! What color/brand is the siding? Looking to try to replicate for a mountain house.