Lloyd/Flanders: Fine Woven Furniture
Sometimes it's best to go with the original. When it comes to wicker furniture, Lloyd/Flanders fits that description – part of the reason the company has earned a Luxist nomination in the best outdoor furniture category.
When Marshall Lloyd first twisted natural fibers into twine and partially reinforced the materials with metal wire toward the beginning of the 20th Century, he created a new material called loom. That invention would prove to be one of the greatest advancements in the history of wicker furniture, but it would be many years until the process became the core of the company's modern incarnation.
In 1982, Don Flanders formed the company Lloyd/Flanders, focusing on promoting the use of wicker furniture made through the process pioneered by Lloyd. Flush with the wealth of a financial boom, the mid-1980s were the perfect time for high-earners to stock up on luxurious outdoor furniture for country and city homes alike.
As such, some of Lloyd/Flanders' most successful lines to day are named after the posh vacation enclaves in which they're often found. There's "Hamptons," which boasts clean lines and modest elegance; "Nantucket," bathed in the island's eponymous red; and "Chesapeake," a patriotic red-white-and-blue themed collection, among others.
Vote for the Outdoor Furniture Line that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through July 31 and winners will be announced on August 1.
