Ave Chaise design by Soraya Osorio – Todd Merrill
By The New York Times | Mayย 4, 2016
The interior designerย Samuel Amoiaย lives inย Manhattan, but these days his thoughts often stray to the beach. Thatโs because one of his largest projects isย Itzโana, a resort and residential development in Belize opening later this year.
The design is a mix of Spanish and British colonial styles and โa beach vibeโ that celebrates indoor-outdoor living, said Mr. Amoia, 33, who worked for the hotelierย Andrรฉ Balazsย and the designerย Stephen Sillsย before founding his own company in 2012. โEvery room has an outdoor chaise, sofa and dining table.โ
But when it comes to relaxing outside, he added, itโs the chaise longue that matters most.
Mr. Amoia isnโt doing much relaxing himself these days. In addition to his work in Belize, he just introduced a collection of furniture atย DeLorenzo Galleryย in New York, and will receive a Rising Talent award atMaison&Objet Americas, the design fair running from May 10 to 13 in Miami Beach. But for those who do have time to relax, Mr. Amoia offered a few tips on choosing an outdoor chaise longue.
โข Think about how youโll use your outdoor space. If it will be both a social gathering space and a place for sunbathing, you need a chaise that offers an upright sitting position and can also function as a bench when flat.
โข Do you plan to move the chaise around? If so, weight is a consideration โ and wheels are desirable.
โข How much maintenance are you willing to do? Some chaise longues need more cleaning and upkeep than others, and some also require covers when not in use.
The Curveball
Ave Chaise | from $18,000 at Todd Merrill; (212) 673-0531 or : toddmerrillstudio.com
โThis is not something youโd lie in to relax for a long time,โ Mr. Amoia said, but as a sculptural element, it would add excitement to a backyard. โIt would be great in a garden.โ Designed by Soraya Osorio, it is suitable for outdoor use in aluminum or with a powder-coated finish.
