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Experience the Joie de Vivre Effect of Fermob

The following post is brought to you by Fermob. Our partners are hand picked by the Design Milk team because they represent the best in design.

03.09.20 | By
Experience the Joie de Vivre Effect of Fermob

Three words, one phrase – lie at the core of French outdoor furniture brand Fermob. ‘Joie de vivre’, or ‘the joy of living’, isn’t simply a catchphrase. It’s a way of life for the people of France and exactly what Bernard Reybier wanted to get across when he purchased the company more than 30 years ago. It was his expressed desire to create a brand that provides furniture for outdoor spaces, where people can find a bit of this French way of life – that cheerful joy of living. After all, embracing downtime, enjoying life, and spending time with others are the purposes of an outdoor space!

In their 30+ years of creating collections and outfitting outdoor spaces, Fermob has seen their designs sold in more than 60 countries across the globe. Part of that success can be attributed to their design approach – rather than only creating a piece of furniture, they also think about who will use it, how it will be used, and if it’s true to the core values of the company. Furthermore, as the brand continues on its upward trajectory, they’re continuously evaluating their collections and gauging what role each piece plays in outdoor spaces, what other pieces might be needed.

The answers to these questions led Fermob to design lighting and accessories that are cohesive in design and color with their outdoor furniture collections. Continue to enhance your space and add ambiance with placemats, cushions, and more. Kids are part of the equation as well, with smaller scale furniture designs available that match-up with full-size pieces and colors. There’s no reason for compromising on your aesthetic when thoughtful solutions that aren’t plastic exist!

If joie de vivre is Fermob’s sun, then design and color are the closest orbiting planets. Their collections aim to enhance the existing beauty of the outdoors, giving you the perfect setup to sit and enjoy. More specifically, Fermob creates with an eye on French design characteristics that showcase a balance of heritage, industrial, and creative influences. A prime example is the folding Bistro chair, pictured above, that’s both artful and balanced as well as so brilliantly manufactured that it’s able to hold 300 lbs.

Fermob is so known for their design DNA that designers the world over submit their product designs to the company for review. The design team meets monthly to review these submissions, looking closely for original ideas, inspiration, innovation, and manufacturing requirements. Fermob takes this process very seriously, paying royalties to designers they work with and closely monitoring for knockoffs. As the brand continues on its upward trajectory they’re continuously evaluating their collections and what role each piece plays, as well as what other pieces might be needed.

When the company first started out, the only colors available in outdoor furniture were green and white – classic garden colors. Fermob felt it was important to offer consumers more color options, and as it stands today there are 24 colors available.

In 1996, Fermob switched from liquid paints to powder paints, allowing for additional colors to be developed. This new technology also allowed Fermob to take sustainable manufacturing processes seriously by installing a zero-waste painting line. Being a brand that designs furniture for the outdoors, it wouldn’t be true to Fermob’s goals to not consider the environment.

Each year the team analyzes fashion trends, color predictions, and their own color palette, as they strategically add and discontinue hues. Three were abandoned for 2020 to make room for the addition of Clay Grey, Ice Mint, and Frosted Lemon. This trio was quite literally mixed by hand, with the team beginning with a gallon of white paint and adding small pinches of colored powder until they reached the desired mixes!

Because the outdoors vary depending on both your environment and geography, Fermob’s colors have been created to blend into nature no matter where that may be. They’ve created not one blue or one green, but rather several to choose from so they’re in harmony with one another as well as the rest of your outdoor world. In fact, there are five greens to blend with trees and green spaces, and three blues and four grays to reflect the colors of the ocean and sky. Other colors blend with the desert, the earth, and flowers. All of this goes to show just how intentional Fermob is in developing colors that work together.

This approach to color creation also lends itself well to creating the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living, with Fermob’s designs and colors carrying us right from the living room through the patio doors. These color options have the magic of making metal look sophisticated, there’s something for everyone no matter your preferences.

Fermob approaches the creation of their outdoor furniture by looking into all aspects of living outdoors and not simply placing form over function, though their appreciation for both is evident from first glance. The brand’s core values influence every decision, every design, and everything else Fermob contributes to outdoor lifestyles.

To learn more about Fermob visit fermobusa.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.