Words by Andrea Darr
Amini’s Galleria has long been known as a leading supplier of game tables, rugs, lighting, and indoor and outdoor home furnishings. You can’t miss their golden dome when driving along Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park—and that’s not the only one around. The family business has grown since 1975 when Mack Amini opened the first location with only five pool tables. Amini’s now has three other locations—in St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Tulsa—and you’ll find a family member at each one still to this day.
Their large scale in brick-and-mortar stores as well as online means they have global buying power. You can find similar prices on items out there—but you can’t find their customer service and lifetime technical service. When your pinball machine goes dark, who you gonna call?
10595 Metcalf
Overland Park, Kansas
You can’t deny the fringed charm of a striped backyard tent from the Business & Pleasure Co. Set it up in the backyard for the babes—either kind. It sports a UPF 50-rated fabric composed of UV-, water- and mold-treated cotton canvas. Available through West Elm.
Whether you’re traveling 50 feet from your kitchen or 50 miles to your closest vineyard, don’t forget to take your style with you. This waxed cotton canvas tote is insulated to keep your beverages and snacks cool—both kinds of cool. The two-bottle bag comes with a corkscrew, a cheese knife and an acacia cheese board. Find it at West Elm.
If your picnic passes dusk, pull out a lantern and open up another bottle. The teakwood Porto lantern surpasses camping style with its Japanese-inspired simplicity. Lit by embedded solar-powered LEDs, it makes a sunburst pattern of light and shadow through the vertical lines of the cage. Choose teak or weathered wood, round or square form. Available at RH.
Roll up your rug and head out to greener pastures. Or stay put on your patio. Either way, an outdoor rug provides softness underfoot and makes a design statement at the same time. We like the tropical vibes emanating from the Barbados rug from Safavieh. Available locally through Nebraska Furniture Mart and other retailers.
The occasional mid-summer microburst is nothing to be feared if you have the Tuuci Ocean Master MAX. Built to the standard of a luxury racing yacht, it is engineered to resist wind and provide the ultimate shade—and comes with a 15-year warranty to back it up. Choose either a centerpost or cantilevered design with canopy options in several shapes and more than 20 colors. You can even accessorize it with an infrared heater and automated LED lights. Available locally through RH.
Alfresco dinners are the way to go on a summer’s eve. But some outdoor furniture doesn’t look so appetizing. That’s not the case with the organic curves of the Cruz Outdoor Dining Table, a gorgeous piece cut from natural stone—marble. Its warm tones and soft cylindrical base legs will make you drool. Available through Arhaus.
If you live in one of KC’s established neighborhoods, you appreciate the timeless designs of the homes in the area. As such, you may appreciate patio furniture that also fits the mold. Product lines from Castelle come in traditional, transitional and contemporary styles and—best—are solidly made. They have incredible cast-aluminum furniture that is high-end, beautiful and will NOT blow away (i.e., heavy weight),” says Ellen Holder of Backyard by Design, a supplier of outdoor furnishings.
If you’ve ever stood up from an outdoor chair with its lines molded into your irritated skin, you can only imagine how luxurious this Avino Outdoor Lounge Chair could feel. The silhouette is befitting of any dining room, yet its performance upholstery means its perfect poolside. Shown in Aman Terra, this sculptural piece can really enhance your relaxation experience all around. Find it at Arhaus.
The clean lines of modern houses built today need equally crisp outdoor furnishings to match—like the Luna outdoor sofa set, made of commercial-grade aluminum and powder-coated in white. Cushions come in slate or silver. Available through Yardbird; which ships directly from the factory to your home. Their business model weaves in sustainable practices so you can enjoy your outdoor environment even more.
You’ve probably got a billiards table in your basement right now, but do you have one on your lanai? Made of solid tropical hardwoods, the Cumberland Outdoor Pool Table by Legacy is suitable for outdoor play. The backing is a marine-grade high-density fiberboard, so at least your table is on an even playing field. Still, watch out for sharks around you. Available through Amini’s.
Is it still summer if you don’t have a neighborhood cornhole tournament? How about adding ring toss or tic-tac-toe to your artificial turf rec area? These games and more can be yours from Ledge Lounger. Available locally through Backyard by Design, a visionary landscape design firm that works with clients from planning through project completion—and even to the fun outfitting stage.
You don’t live in Bali (unfortunately), so don’t put cheap, flammable basketweave sticks in your garden when you can have a glass-enclosed dancing flame from Tempest Torch. It is the high-end tiki torch. Both short and tall posts are available for staking anywhere on your property, or you can mount the fixture right to your exterior wall for a most welcoming entry. Available locally through Midwest Fireplace.
Built-in fire pits are awesome, but sometimes so is portability. Try this out at a tailgate—it has grilling accessories. Cowboy Cauldron Co. makes solid-plate-steel hanging cauldrons with a tripod frame—The Dude, The Wrangler, The Ranch Boss and The Urban Cowboy. Available for local pickup at Colonial Gardens.
It’s going to make you sweat. No need to hide out in the bathroom—grab your little white towel and take the heat right outside your patio door in the five-by-seven-foot NorthStar Outdoor Sauna by Finnleo. And maybe take a friend, too. Available through Amini’s.
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