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Syndicate
Beautiful Unusual
Need another reason to be outside on a cool morning, a sunny afternoon, or a velvety summer evening? I think we may have found one! Garden Architects in Annapolis stocks an array of outdoor furniture that Jennifer pithily described as “so unusual” – in the best possible way, of course. We’re talking beautiful unusual, envious-neighbors unusual, spend-hours-on-their-Web-site unusual.
The first thing that caught my eye was the Frank Lloyd Wright Stonework.
Frederick C. Robie Residence Vase
Johnson Wax Building Vase
These pieces have some power, right? They’re strangely primitive-yet-futuristic, blending noiselessly into the scenery, making a statement when you take the time to examine them. The beveled edges of the Johnson Wax Building Vase have me swooning! So strong, so refined…
This heading had me intrigued as well: Party Gear! No sense in mincing words, right?
These gorgeous lamps speak louder than any words:
Again, we have a study in contrasts as the softest, most gently diffused light radiates from severe geometric pillars. Couldn’t you picture a set of these creating a sculpture-garden-esque ambiance at an evening wedding?
Now, for our favorite: Kokonut. This chubby, ergonomic line of outdoor seating is jaw-droppingly cool.
Where did this incredible line come from? A marshmallow’s drawing board? Outer space? My dreams? Actually, it came from Sifas, a French furniture designer on a mission to “abolish the frontiers” of exterior furnishings, and to “make sophisticated the outdoor.”
After seeing all of this, I really wanted to talk to Robbie Fitzgerald, the mastermind behind Garden Architects. My most burning question concerned how she amassed such a vast collection of interesting and well-made pieces. After a career working as a director for technology projects, she decided to make a change. After a lifetime in the corporate sector, she says, “I needed to do something that I loved.” After a period of schooling (she is now a “master gardener”) which included training at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, she started out dealing in fine art for gardens. “I realized that I was in a market where it was much harder to reach the buyers that I wanted to reach – I wanted a bigger and better niche, and to serve the community better.” From there, she moved into outdoor furniture “with a focus on quality, style, and design over mass quantity,” and Garden Architects was born.
“I really have a love of the arts and a love of design,” says Fitzgerald, “and a love of working with phenomenal designers who really care about quality and style.” Her vendors “understand how bodies are shaped,” and their “well thought-out” pieces speak to this understanding. When choosing items, she looks at a line’s reputation in addition to its style: “Are they in good company? Are they well-respected?” Above all, she says, “my vendors are my partners,” and she seeks to cultivate “relationships based on integrity and conversation. When it works, it’s so much fun!” Her favorite part of her job? “We’re outside all the time.”