40 Years - The Telescope Casual Gardenella Collection
2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the Gardenella Sling Collection, Telescope Casual’s best-selling outdoor furniture style. Low-maintenance and available at a consumer-friendly price, these patio staples sport a clean, sophisticated style that has outlasted trend after trend.
Aside from being a long-running customer favorite, Gardenella is also one of the most definitive and enduring poolside styles, period. Here, we’ll take a look back at some key moments in the collection’s history and explore how Telescope Casual refined and updated the Gardenella look through the decades.
1977: Introducing Gardenella Sling
Gardenella furniture is introduced. From the beginning, styles in the collection featured simple tubular aluminum frame designs, quick-drying sling fabrics and a relaxed feel. With qualities such as rust-free resilience, weather-resistant materials and a laidback appeal, Gardenella seating was a natural fit for poolside settings.
The Gardenella Collection quickly made its way to the cover of the 1982 catalog.
1980s: Refining the Aesthetic
While the basic Gardenella style has remained remarkably intact through the decades, Telescope Casual has given the collection a few minor tweaks and improvements over time. Early on, the crossbar beneath the seating received an overhaul, with reinforcements added for additional strength (as reflected in the photo above).
1997: Hitting Its Stride
In the late-‘90s, Telescope Casual made a minor update to the Gardenella aesthetic, creating a simpler, more contemporary looking crossbar beneath the seat. However, the overall frame style and performance qualities admired by consumers remained intact.
2014: The Perfect Poolside Chair
In 2014, the Gardenella Sling Stacking Poolside Chair hit the market. While maintaining all the hallmarks of timeless Gardenella styling (effortless upkeep, outdoor durability), the chair came with new features that made it an especially perfect choice for all-day lounging by the pool.
Highlights of the ultra-comfortable design include low-to-the-ground seating and an extended back height. Plus, thanks to the Gardenella Poolside Chair’s lightweight, stackable frame, you just might find yourself packing it up for a road trip to the beach.
2016: Meet the Maxx Contour Sling
In 2016, Telescope Casual introduced the Gardenella Maxx Contour Chaise, a chic, efficient adjustable-back lounger ideal home or commercial use. 2017 will see the manufacturer building upon this design by ushering in the new Maxx Sling Collection. This spin-off line uses the classic Gardenella look as a jumping off point, while adding some new aesthetic twists to the tried-and-true equation (gently sloping backs, modern-look arm rests). As Gardenella continues to endure, the Maxx Collection points the way forward to an outstanding 2017 season.