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Portland’s patio season may be short, but what our city lacks in sunny days we make up for with hometown creativity and distinct style. Whether you’ve got a tiny balcony or a big backyard in the ’burbs, channel Portland’s innovative spirit on your patio or porch or in your garden with distinctive, locally designed furniture and handmade accessories that merge style and artistry.
Table talk
The heart of an alfresco hangout is the furniture. Square footage will dictate how big and how much, but whatever footprint you go for, choose durable materials that are intended for outdoor use, and plan to store your stuff during our wet months.
Visit loveTEAK (139 SE Taylor St., loveteak.com) in the Central Eastside and explore a range of shapes and types of sustainably sourced teak furniture designed by the Portland team and produced in Indonesia. You’ll find the Como Chaise ($500), a comfortable and modern piece constructed of wood and resilient straps that is sure to be the star of your patio seating. There are also plenty of stackable chairs ($215 and up) in many styles, from the sleek Geneva (the Swing that references the iconic Cesca chair) to the more traditional Coco that would blend in beautifully to any backyard. There’s no excuse for not having a seat for everyone.
Portland’s own Kitchen Kaboodle (multiple locations, kitchenkaboodle.com) has been a purveyor of “all things home” for 50 years. Find chic small-space setups that fold away when not in use—we like the balcony table by Lafuma ($223)—and a wide range of outdoor furniture covers to protect the stuff you can’t stash during our rainy months.
Accessories are everything
Patio accessories are like the earrings that make the outfit. And actually, if we could wear wind chimes from Pigeon Toe Ceramics (pigeontoeceramics.com) as jewelry, we would. Owned and operated by sisters Sam Sheeley and Lisa Jones, Pigeon Toe sells color-blocked wind chimes starting at $58 but available for less through the company’s “handmade for all” sliding-scale pricing. Pigeon Toe’s creations have been produced at its North Portland studio since 2009, and are available online and also as a fun DIY kit for $48 at Cargo Emporium.
Layer in an outdoor rug to define your patio space and soften hard surfaces. Rejuvenation (1100 SE Grand Ave., rejuvenation.com) has a great selection. Founded in 1977 in a former saloon in North Portland (Atlas Tattoo is the current occupant), this hometown brand (now owned by Williams Sonoma) still makes products by hand in its Portland factory, and proudly calls itself “the most sustainable home furnishings retailer.”
Extend patio season with fire! Crisp autumn evenings and springtime rain breaks practically beg for the ambience and warmth that only a fire pit can provide. Trent DeBord, co-owner of the Central Eastside’s Kabinett (214 SE Alder St., kabinettpdx.com), designed a piece that’s part brutalist sculpture, part bonfire bowl, and sure to be a conversation piece. Handmade steel fire pits are $350, and consider picking up a locally distilled bottle of vermouth to sip on while you’re there—Kabinett offers one of the largest selections in the country, and you can taste in store.
Whether you’re entertaining, or just feeling a little fancy, elevate your open-air snacks and drinks game with serveware by Portland artist Kate Blairstone (kateblairstone.com). The botanical and natural themes of Blairstone’s designs include pops of vibrant color and sophisticated pattern, and are made of durable, environment-friendly birch veneer with a laminated melamine-based surface, so you can confidently use them outside ($48–$96).
The sweet perfume of planted star jasmine or sage bushes wafting through the air is lovely, but if you don’t have aromatics in your yard, Portland’s locally made Penrose Candles (penrosecandles.com) has you covered. Complement your outdoor space with bespoke scents created in collaboration with Tender Loving Empire. Each candle is poured by hand in a modern ceramic vessel, using natural USA-grown soy wax and essential oils. Replace the walnut lid when not in use to protect the candle from outdoor dust and debris ($50).
Plants FTW
No patio is complete without plants, obvs. Shop Arium (2046 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) for a huge variety of plants and a staff that’s friendly and knowledgeable about what will thrive in your space. Owners Tylor Rogers and Alba Sanchez have created “a wonderful jungle for the community and plant lovers to come and feel at home free of judgment,” as noted on their website. Pick up a locally made pot for your new plant buddy while you’re there—hand-thrown ceramics by in-house ceramicist Savanh Koulavong start at $15.
Step it up with geometric plant stands from locally owned Wildehaus (wildehauspdx.com). Owner Cynthia Valenti designs these durable and colorful stands, which take your plants to new heights and add a distinctly modern vibe to your patio. Available in a range of shapes and sizes, these powder-coated metal plantstands with names like “La Corona” and “Tall Boy” have an angular, graphic quality, and look great in a cluster or as singular, sculptural pieces. Welded and painted in Portland, and even available in custom colors, they start at $79.
You gotta give the plants themselves some care, too. Joyful Dirt (joyfuldirt.com), an organic plant food that’s made in Portland and pledges to “help your plants grow larger/stronger while using less water” is a must for indoor and outdoor potted plants. Available in multiple varieties (Houseplant, Succulent, and All Purpose), find it online and at EcoVibe ($20).
Rain or shine, we know how to make the outdoors ours. With a mix of locally designed furniture, artful accessories, and plants that add vibrant pops, your patio can become the kind of space you’ll never want to leave—even when the clouds roll in. So throw on a sweater, pour yourself something local, and claim your patch of Portland paradise.
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