Summer in Bermuda. Hot weather, cool drinks – and the smell of meat grilling on the backyard barbecue.
But where to lounge? How do you protect yourself from the blazing sun? Where do you convene for dinner?
And how can you serve dinner and drinks while eliminating the prospect of broken glass on the pool deck?
All those questions – and many more – can be answered at Island Trading, the home of stylish, luxury and design-driven home merchandise for the complete island lifestyle.
Operating from a 10,000-sq ft showroom on Reid Street, Hamilton, the store’s friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you to create the ultimate backyard for summer living.
Managing director Laura Farge-Lowe took over the reins at Island Trading 11 years ago from her mother, Gillian, who founded the business in 1983.
She said: “We’ve always strived to provide in-stock items and a big selection for people because we all want things right away. That’s been one of the successes of Island Trading: having a large selection of top-quality items.”
A nine-foot umbrella, for example, is offered in ten colours.
“All of our umbrellas are made of Sunbrella fabric, which means the colour will last in Bermuda’s hot sun, whether you choose a stripe, a bright blue, or even Cup Match colours.
“The colour doesn’t fade, and Sunbrella fabric actually blocks UV rays to protect you from the sun. I love offering people choices. They are often surprised at how much we have to offer.”
Ms Farge-Lowe added: “Setting up our showroom to show people different options of how their space can look is really important to us.
“When we are buying, we’ll choose lounge seating, or deep seating, that is complementary to the dining sets, be it the same material made out of something resilient like teak, or the same finish of aluminium, or the composite material, polymer, which is hugely popular.”
Among the newer offerings is Island Trading’s Bermuda Collection, a curated selection of the most acclaimed furniture designs of the past 40 years paired with Bermuda’s most iconic landmarks to create a collection that celebrates both timeless design and island heritage.
The collection is refreshed annually, with different lines and distinct names.
Examples this year include the Tom Moore sofa, chairs and coffee table, Jobson’s Cove chairs, Point Shares Adirondack chairs and foot stools, Church Bay dining table and chairs, and many more.
Ms Farge-Lowe said: “The Bermuda Collection is made for us in Indonesia. We worked with two designers to offer a nice, sweet spot between mid-market and high-end markets, both of which we offer in outdoor furniture, that has a very appealing quality but is also appealing from a pricing perspective and has clean, contemporary lines.”
Island Trading’s popular e-commerce website helped customers to ensure that the Tom Moore collection sold out before it hit the sales floor. Items are on re-order and expected to arrive this summer.
Ms Farge-Lowe is focussed on continuing to satisfy customers’ evolving tastes.
“Before, everyone wanted a teak table and teak chairs of the same brand of lounge furniture. Now, you might have aluminium chairs with teak arms, and then your table has a teak base, but your top is ceramic. There’s a departure away from ‘matchy-matchy’ towards more interesting.”
Customers also want to patronise businesses that support sustainability.
Island Trading offers recycled Adirondack chairs made from Canadian milk bottles, beautiful recycled outdoor rugs, and sells only grade A sustainable teak from Indonesia.
“Indonesia is the only country that polices the growing of teak in the way that we believe in. I’m very proud that all of our teak comes from Indonesia.”
