Conservatory furniture is woven

Conservatories have been popping up like mushrooms in recent years. Homeowners want an extra lounge filled with sunshine and climbing plants. Alexander Rose has worked with the Danish company Sika-Horsnaes and has created the Orion furniture series for just this purpose.

In the old days,having a summerhouse in the garden was a mark of distinction. A summerhouse was the place to sit in wickerwork furniture sheltered from the wind and enjoying the beauty of the flowers, the sound of birdsong, and a refreshment.

The summerhouse luxury of former days is now returning in the form of the conservatory. This is a Southern European invention that is now spreading rapidly to our latitudes.

A conservatory is an extravagant summerhouse, usually housing exotic plants. Owners can exploit the warmth of the sun and the protected atmosphere to cultivate foreign plants such as lemons, peaches, and passion fruit, and enjoy the benefits of an extra lounge that appeals to all the senses. Conservatory furniture is therefore a very important element in helping to bring this special room into its own.

The classic furniture in a summerhouse and a conservatory is made of wickerwork. Original wickerwork has an unrivalled charm, but its modern descendants maintain this charm while providing greater comfort. Denmark's oldest wickerwork furniture factory, Sika-Horsnaes, uses modern, hard-wearing materials that make it possible to refine the design so that it suits modern trends. They can also stand up to the high humidity and fluctuating temperatures of an orangery. The furniture in Sika-Horsnaes' IN-OUT series can also be used indoors and out.

Sika-Horsnaes has nowcreated a new group in the IN-OUT series, specially designed for modern conservatories - Orion. The series comprises a chair, a three-seater sofa, and a side table and is available in the colours black, sand, and India.

"The sofa and the chair are supplied with robust, de-luxe cushions that we produce here in Denmark," relates Marketing Manager Louise Andreasen from Sika-Horsnaes.

She expects that Sika-Horsnaes will hit the spot with the Orion furniture in relation to the expectations of UK consumers.

"At present, we have noted a great demand for this type of garden furniture in Southern Europe - it is as big as ordinary lounge furniture and just as comfortable. And, like conservatories, the demand is moving north," explains Louise Andreasen.

Sika-Horsnaes' IN-OUT furniture is ideal for the UK climate as it is woven in Hularo® fibre, which can stand up to both sunshine and rain without fading or mouldering. The fibre is synthetic and was originally developed as a hard-wearing surface for the underside of slalom skis. This means that the wickerwork absorbs neither moisture nor grease and can simply be cleaned with a damp cloth. The cushion covers can be removed so they can be washed.

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