With clear skies and sunshine most days of the year, it’s no wonder that Arizonians spend most of their time outdoors. Create your own outdoor sanctuary at home with Brown Jordan.

As the leading name in luxury outdoor furniture since 1945, Brown Jordan offers beautiful, high quality furniture that complements any home design, from the elegantly traditional to the eclectically modern. Whether you’re looking to design an intimate desert oasis or a grand space to host and entertain, Brown Jordan at Scottsdale Quarter has all of your outdoor furniture needs covered.

With summer on the horizon, AZFoothills got the chance to ask Brown Jordan’s Chief Brand Officer, Steve Elton, his expert advice on everything from how to simply freshen up your outdoor space to how to first begin designing an outdoor living space from scratch.

AFM: What are outdoor furniture essentials for summer?

SE: Brown Jordan umbrellas or round sunshades are definitely a great addition to your outdoor spaces for the summer. I would also recommend having enough seating areas for your family gatherings. By incorporating different types of lounge chairs or sofas into your outdoor areas, guests will be able to unwind and interact in a more relaxed setting.

AFM: How can the current Brown Jordan collections be adopted to the desert landscape in Arizona?

SE: It’s all about colors and textures. In our Arizona showroom, you’ll probably notice the fabrics on our various outdoor furniture collections feature more copper types of color tones. Our Arizona clients tend to prefer more earthy and matte furniture pieces as well.

Photo: Chipper Hatter Photography

AFM: Why is Brown Jordan the best in luxury outdoor furniture?

SE: It always goes back to our three pillars: heritage/legacy, quality and innovation. Brown Jordan’s DNA is all about sophisticated elegance. It’s about clean lines. From the day of our founders, we strive for jewel like precision. That’s what we stand for and the thing I’m really proud of is that we’re timeless in our style and our design. Over the past 72 years, its always been the same.

AFM: If you had to choose one item, what is a great design addition for an outside patio: a kitchen or an entertainment area?

SE: I think an outdoor kitchen is my personal preference when you talk about turning your outdoor spaces into an extension of your home. It’s a way to make the outdoor area more inclusive and functional. If you truly focus on creating an outdoor kitchen with all of the essential components (like a grill, fridge, storage, sink and aesthetics), you won’t ever have to worry about running back inside your house while you’re entertaining!

AFM: For someone who is new to designing an outdoor space of their own, where would you suggest they start?

SE: Start with the landscape. The landscape set the tone and act as a starting point for everything else that goes into your outdoor spaces like decor colors, furniture pieces and accessories. The landscaping can either be simple or elaborate which will ultimately determine how many furniture pieces you can fit into your design and overall layout.

AFM: What would you recommend for someone who’s not looking to completely create or redo their space, but is just looking to freshen it up?

SE: If you already have furniture, you can always update the pillows, replace your cushions, add new tableware or bring in accessories. You can also change the colors depending on the seasons or the time of the year.

AFM: What does the perfect outdoor living space in Arizona look like to you?

SE: It’s more seating than dining. When I think of Arizona, there’s a higher inclination towards creating gathering spaces with welcoming seating and lounging areas. Since most people have second homes in Arizona or they specifically move to Arizona for the weather, they’re going to be spending more time outside so you want to try to make those spaces feel like they’re an extension of the home.

For more information, call Brown Jordan at 480-998-1142, or visit brownjordan.com.

Brown Jordan at Scottsdale Quarter is located at 15345 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite K190, Scottsdale 85254.