by Andrea Cox
Whether it’s an oversized club chair, a rustic teak dining table or a romantic slate-grey concrete fire table, ARD Outdoor offers a complete selection of luxurious, unique outdoor furnishings to suit any style or space. The company is known for its custom outdoor furniture designs and its five star and five diamond hotel clients. “That’s what makes us stand out – we can bring these collections into the residential sphere at a very affordable cost,” says ARD’s owner and principal furniture designer, Richard Bockner.
The 13,000 sq. ft. Dufferin Street showroom is airy, with floor-to-ceiling glass and white walls – the perfect backdrop to showcase over 60 collections with funky names like Curve, Orb, X8, Casablanca, Lido, and Nevis. The store also features ample accessories from lighting to throw pillows, fire features, and rugs. “We have everything to make an outdoor space fully furnished, so people don’t need to go to three stores to pull together their backyard,” says Bockner. Senior designers are on hand to help plan your backyard haven at no extra cost.
The Style:
“Outdoor furniture now is so much more than the basics,” says Bockner. “There are so many different materials that can be used.” Think porcelain, hand-woven rope, Cartenza weave, stainless steel, resin and exotic wood. With fabric, the sky is the limit when it comes to texture and colour. It helps that Bockner’s family business, Cana-Foam Products Ltd. is one of the country’s top manufacturers of outdoor upholstery and toss cushions.
What’s Hot:
“I like to say that we are all about creating memories – many of the special moments that people share are on outdoor furniture – whether it is at the beach, at a resort or in their backyard,” says Bockner. Styles are coming full-circle and reflect 70’s and 80’s design. White aluminum frames with modern angles are all the rage, and deep seating takes priority over dining tables. “Everyone wants a sectional seating area and an outdoor room. Having a full entertaining room outside just enhances the way people live – they’ve added a room to their home that they didn’t otherwise have, and they can use it for six or seven months of the year, or longer by adding outdoor heating solutions” says Bockner.
Your backyard haven awaits.