An Immersive Outdoor Furniture Shopping Experience That’s Worth the Trip

When you step off the Mart escalator at Furnitureland South and walk into the Outdoor Gallery, you’re transported to a different place. A diffuser fills the air with relaxing aromas of the outdoors as birds chirp softly from a nearby sound machine. Taking in the gorgeous arrangement of furniture your eyes float up to the hand-painted sky on the ceiling with lights that dim and brighten along with the phases of the day from sunrise to sunset. You know you’ve entered something special.  

Outdoor furniture has evolved throughout the years as outdoor living has become an essential component of people’s lifestyles. Furnitureland South Merchandise Buyer Shelby Sari discusses how the world’s largest furniture store has answered their customer’s desire for more quality and diversity with a 30,000 sq. ft. gallery unlike any other.

“There is nobody else out there that has the space we have devoted to outdoor,” says Sari. “But to take it to this level and make it more of an immersive environment is just jaw-dropping.”

This gallery brings the furniture to life, trees, terraces and front porches included. Gallery Designer Hallie Pipas explains the team’s goal to create facades that resonated with every aesthetic.

“We wanted to create diverse opportunities for inspiration so that you have a lot of different looks,” says Pipas.  “We were trying to represent each different region throughout the country to speak to a broader customer base instead of just having everything look very similar.”

The team created smaller personalized galleries for each brand within the broader space. Sari expertly selected products representing what makes the brand unique, while showcasing the pieces their customers love. 

“Everybody does a little niche of something, and I always want to make sure that there’s something that makes that manufacturer stand out,” says Sari. “I’ve been buying outdoor for 20 years and that’s something I’ve always tried to do, what differentiates a manufacturer from our whole category to set them apart and showcase their strength.”

The brands appreciate the attention to detail Furnitureland South takes in representing their companies. Tropitone Senior Vice President of Consumer Sales, Frank Verna explains how their presence at Furnitureland South is a significant indicator of the performance of their products.  

“Furnitureland South has such a broad array of product,” says Verna. “Not many retailers carry that many vendors. So we know exactly if we’re meeting expectations for consumers because it’s a true indicator of how the industry is trending overall, and how we fit in it.

The team continuously updates with their product offerings as manufacturers release more outdoor lines, with color pallets evolving and customers bringing their interior aesthetics out their backdoors. 

“It’s such a fun category and they’re not slowing down with introductions,” Sari adds. “It just keeps getting better and better every year.”

As you stroll through the various detailed outdoor scenes that enhance each collection of furniture, the care and commitment Furnitureland South has to their customer’s experience is evident. 

“We wanted people to feel immersed and expand their minds around what outdoor can be,” explains Pipas. “To really take the time to think what do I want them to feel? How do I want to evoke that emotion? We just wanted it to feel magical.”

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Furnitureland South Outdoor Gallery Sneak Peek:
5 Brand Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss

Just five stand-out product features you’ll find in the gallery.  Plan your visit to Furnitureland South for your tour through all of their quality brands with solutions for every space.

1. Klaussner: Outdoor Power

The only vendor with this feature. Once you see this operate with the ease, you’ll never want to go back to struggling to try to get the arm in place on the back of a chaise.

2. Treasure Garden: 360° Rotating Umbrellas

Seating on one side of the patio, and dining on another? Treasure Garden has you covered with this beautiful umbrella that rotates and tilts with ease.

3. Tropitone: Fire Pit Selection

Firepit size and style options for every setting, plus the perfect stones to tie it all together.

4. Woodard: Built-in Cushion

The comfort of a cushion without the maintenance. This innovative cushion design allows water to drain straight through. 

5. Telescope: Marine Grade Polymer

Want a beautiful space that will stand up to the harsh coastal environment? Telescope’s MGP is impervious to the elements, both fade and mildew resistant.

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Looking for more outdoor decor inspiration? Check out:

Backyard Staycation: On vacation, we escape to hotels and spas that surround us with luxury and pampering for ultimate relaxation. — We dream of bringing the experience home. In each episode of Backyard Staycation, landscape design duo Bryan and Kevin Ramsey make dreams come true, transforming boring backyards into vacation-worthy destinations. Watch as the Ramsey twins (identical in appearance but differing in perspective) come together to uncover their clients’ aspirational destinations from Miami to Morocco, creating their ideal oasis… in their own backyards.