Designer Libby Langdon recently unveiled her first four outdoor collections for NorthCape at last week's ICFA Preview Show.  The outdoor manufacturer recognized Langdon as a partner who would bring her signature fresh style to their line.

“Libby brings a completely new design esthetic to our current product offerings and we wanted to give her the freedom to bring her vision to life," explained Tom Murray, President of NorthCape.  "She was very specific about what she wanted to create and we were happy to have the ability to provide her with the latest innovations in outdoor materials." said Murray. "It was fascinating to see how she mixed them in her designs. We want people to now see us as a go-to resource for current looks and updated design in the outdoor category and based on the feedback from the Preview Show, we believe we are on the right track.” 

Libby spent over two days in the NorthCape Chicago Showroom taking dealers through her complete collections; The Dunemere, Mooring, North Haven and Ridgewood each including deep seating, dining and chat groups as well as cocktail and side tables, and fire tables. She was excited to have the opportunity to share with buyers her design philosophy and why the outdoor category is such an important one to her.

“I’m seeing people wanting to create complete outdoor living spaces with all of the creature comforts that we use in indoor decor, it’s truly blurring the lines of interior design and exterior design,” said Langdon. “As a designer, I’m lucky enough to be on the front lines with the consumer all day every day, listening to what they want and all that invaluable information gets injected into the collections I create. I’m just thrilled to bring my Northcape collection to market and the positive response has been overwhelming!”

Her fresh looks captured the attention of Erik Mueller, President of national retailer Watsons. “Libby has brought the look of interior furniture to outdoor design, which is totally on-trend and what our market has needed,” said Mueller.  “In the Ridgewood collection, she incorporates the textaline technology in a very successful way where others have failed - it really looks like indoor furniture, and that it can be easily cleaned with a bleach mixture and scrub brush makes it smart and appealing.  And with the high-end coastal feel of the Mooring group, the urban look of North Haven and rustic look of the thick wicker in the Dunemere set, Libby has it covered and is dialed-in to current trends.” 

Mixing materials is another offering Langdon feels that she can take from her indoor designs and meld into her outdoor designs, helping take out some of the guess work for buyers on the best ways to create stylish combinations for consumers.  Her unexpected material combinations excited buyers at the Preview Show including: aluminum in custom finishes from washed wood to oil rubbed bronze; SIMA in a natural concrete finish paired with mixed metals; water hyacinth in an unexpected colorway and woven frames mixed with metal.

“My clients look to me as a designer to curate and mix and match looks that will work together.  I understand that consumers are comfortable buying outdoor furniture in sets and my goal was to offer the collections with an artful mix already done for them,” said Langdon.  

I've bought from NorthCape for years," said Senior Buyer for Petitti Garden Centers, Martha Rancourt.  "With the Libby Langdon collections, they've added a whole new style and look while still keeping with the price points in line with what we've come to expect.  Our customers are focused on style, comfort and cost and Libby's collections tap into what we see people looking for in outdoor living."

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(Source:furninfo.com)