Metal Furniture for the Modern Home & Garden

When iron furniture was first used in the home, it was heavy, without style and somewhat cold. With time, however, different shapes, colours and materials have been introduced into its production, making it one of the most sought after home furnishing item especially for modern homes and offices.

“The Modern Movement” started in Holland and Germany in the 1920’s. The use of iron furniture was sparked off by architects Marcel Breuer and Mies Van de Rohe who started exploring the possibility of using metal for in-door furniture. Mies most striking contribution, in those early days, was a steel and leather cantilever chair. Created for the German pavilion, it was presented for public viewing at the Barcelona Exhibition in 1929. The chairs sweeping curves of chromium steel became a symbol for this period and it is still in production today.

Le Corbusier, a Frenchman, also played a large role in the introduction of metal furniture for the modern home. In collaboration with Charlotte Pernard, Eileen Gray and Robert Mallet Stevens, they produced some extremely attractive and elegant pieces.

The passage of time has seen metal furniture take many different forms, shapes and colours. Home makers and business people alike soon found other uses for it outside the home. In today’s world, we use it in offices, on patios, terraces and in gardens.

Many people can attest to the fact that cast and wrought iron furniture are timeless choices for the outdoors. These two types of iron can be moulded into different shapes to suit the style and form of any patio and garden space. Outdoor iron furniture does, however, have one major disadvantage. When exposed to weather elements such as rain, snow and dew, it tends to rust.

Aluminium furniture, made from hollow tubes is light weight and has a great advantage over iron. It does not rust. Moreover, modern alternatives come in coated plastic and painted pieces that can be used to fit into the chosen in-door and outdoor interior design scheme.

Design Options

Every home, whether indoors or outdoors, is created to give the inhabitants a sense of comfort and relaxation. When designing with iron furniture, you can choose to decorate in either gentle tones or in strong colour.

If your choice is gentle tones, pick out pastel tones which may either be plain or patterned. Also pick out one strong accent colour to either harmonise with the whole or a strong color to work as an enlivening contrast. Patterned designs should be soft and simple, which preferably have a smoky glazed effect.

If your choice is strong colour, pick out a monochromatic colour scheme of either black, grey, white or silver. These colours usually set off iron furniture very attractively. Choose either bold or discreet patterns. The important thing to keep a careful eye on is that the patterns co-ordinate with your chosen monochromatic scheme. Iron furniture looks most attractive when set in a room containing brickwork, wood or hessian.

Many people nowadays, especially in fine weather, enjoy holding weekend parties in the garden. Let your indoor scheme spill out into the outdoor spaces. Arrange outdoor furniture either on a grassy well kept lawn or on a paved porch. Leave enough space for sitting and standing around the central table. Choose weather resistant cushions.

To complete such a scheme, place candles in old fashioned metal and glass hurricane lamps. Place raised iron cast tables on the sides to serve food from and to act as a bar counter when entertaining friends.