kettalvieques

a fabric made for one collection

Nido d'Ape is Italian for honeycomb, and the name hints at the cellular, three-dimensional build of the cloth. Kettal had it made for Vieques alone, so the same textile does not appear on other families. The product sheets for the seating also list Porotex fabric. Between them, the upholstery gives the chairs and sofas a sculpted, tactile look that a flat outdoor canvas would not.

Beneath the upholstery, every frame is aluminum. That keeps the seating light enough to rearrange and free of rust, a real concern on a coastal deck or beside a pool where chlorinated splashes land every day. Upholstered pieces still want some attention in the off season, and covering or storing them through the winter keeps the fabric clean for the following summer.

The seating list is long for one family. There is a garden chair with armrests for the table, a plain garden armchair, a rocking armchair, a corner armchair that works with the modular upholstered sofa, a high stool for a counter and a garden bed for lying in the sun. With the corner piece and the sofa modules, a lounge can run straight along a wall or turn an L around a coffee table.

Tables divide by material. In aluminum there are square and rectangular tables; in teak, a square table and a rectangular contract table meant for hotels and restaurants. A round dining table completes the dining side, and the lounge gets a central coffee table and a rectangular coffee table. With this spread, one Kettal patio furniture family can furnish a whole terrace, lounge and dining together.

Honeycomb cloth on a light aluminum frame.