Call it addition by subtraction.
When three design enthusiasts envisioned their own line of patio furniture, they knew they wanted to avoid that “unrefined” aesthetic of redundant legs when modular components were combined. Nick Arambula, Mike Fretto and Chris Lee developed a shared-leg system that looks master-planned in any combination and named their company Neighbor.
The man behind Modfire, a brand of freestanding outdoor fireplaces, honed another sort of minimalist approach: “I found the simplicity in the production aspect, and it allowed us to streamline our business and find the flow in all of the moving parts,” says owner Brandon Williams.
Outdoor lounging options and fire features from these two Phoenix-based businesses seduce with their simplicity of core shapes — adapting to individual tastes with palettes of colorful upholsteries or finishes — then go the distance by performing well for years unlimited.
“We keep a pretty tight product line,” says Neighbor’s Arambula. For framing, the patio furniture company uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified teak, “the strongest hardwood that does the best outside,” and upholsters with weather- and spill-resistant material from zero-waste-leaning Sunbrella.
“Neighbor’s sustainability and efficiency values were really big contributing factors in my decision to pull the trigger,” says Evan Fatheree, who lives with his young family in a midcentury-modern ranch in Phoenix. He and his wife Jaymi bought a teak dining table, loved it, then added a love seat and two low Adirondack-style chairs. And a second love seat. Then a coffee table.
“I have always tried to be conscious of the items that I bring into our home and would rather spend money on something that I know will last,” Evan says.
“We have two young boys who are mini agents of chaos and leave a wake of handprints and mess wherever they go, so … the Sunbrella fabric was also a big selling point, as [it] is fantastic for repelling spills and stains.”
Sofas, chairs and tables are delivered in a deconstructed state for two reasons: efficiency in shipping, and ease in repair in case of damage. FedEx usually does the shuttling, and a cracked leg, say, can be replaced piecemeal.
Modfire’s conical and bowl-shaped fireplaces are sustainable almost by accident.
“We are a pretty green company even though I don’t think of us that way,” says Williams.
The mild steel used in fabrication “can be endlessly recycled without any degradation to quality,” he says. Further, all pieces are powder coated, a painting process that doesn’t discharge airborne pollutants, and most pieces light up using propane.
“Propane is stored as a liquid,” Williams says, “but when released into the air, it vaporizes and dissipates, which means it won’t contaminate groundwater, drinking water, marine ecosystems or other sensitive habitats.” Ethanol-burning models are also offered.
Whenever possible, Modfire products are delivered in a 1996 Isuzu NPR box truck emblazoned by local artist Jon Arvizu.
“We use packing blankets rather than foam or bubble wrap when transporting,” Williams says. “In addition, we gang up deliveries whenever we can to save fuel, wood that would be used for crates and manpower.”
Neighbor is headquartered on Grant Street south of downtown Phoenix, and Modfire does its work on Grand Avenue west of downtown. In an extension of both companies’ less-is-more ethic, most furnishing orders can be executed online without regard for proximity, but in-person appointments are welcome.
Learn more at www.hineighbor.com and www.modfire.com
This story appeared in the AZ Foothills Home & Design, Best Places to Live issue. Read the full issue here.
