Blue Bay Lifestyle Furniture was established in 2005. Now a family owned and operated business which was created to not only create beautiful outdoor
furniture but to push the boundaries of what was is possible in the outdoor furniture industry.
A CULTURALLY RICH FURNITURE FACTORY
Situated on the culturally rich North Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, The Blue Bay Furniture Factory can be found engulfed in the heart of African Culture. A humble establishment, situated in a space which was once surrounded by sugarcane fields. Today our magnificent factory can be seen at the end of what is now an industrial park. A silent giant, left to its own to create the luxurious outdoor furniture Blue Bay is now renowned for producing.
From the moment you step onto The Blue Bay Factory floor, your being is swallowed by the marvel of furniture creation. A practice which is seldom ever experienced, one can often only imagine the exhausting man-hours which go into every single piece.
At the doors to the factory, you are greeted by the dedicated Research & Development Department. The brain of the beast, this is a benchmarking ground for fresh creation which is kitted with all the tools to prototype new collections, a ruthless space where only perfection may pass. A place where all of Blue Bays prized collections have been birthed.
As you walk deeper into the factory, the curtain is lifted on Blue Bays creations. A process of the utmost precision is revealed, with rows upon rows of local dedicated fabricators welding behind screens, ever reflecting sparks of light flying from their precision welds to piece together the frame of each piece of furniture.
SIMPLY STRUCTURALLY SOUND
Every weld is inspected, a task which ensures the quality of our work. This process assures the structurally sound finish to our products before they proceed to receive even a drop of paint and will be repeated after passing each step in the factory line. A procedure which might be time-consuming but saves the fabricators from repeated work, as elements such as welds must be ground to a flush finish which in turn creates the seamless, almost cast appeal that comes with furniture from Blue Bay.
POWDER COATED TO PERFECTION
Once completed, these aluminium skeletons are prepared by means of dipping into chemical baths. Each bath serves its own purpose, from treating the material and ensuring its long life, to cleaning the metal, readying its surface for a beautiful powder coated finish. A magical process by which electrically charged paint particles are fired onto the surface of the aluminium which is oppositely charged allowing for the microscopic paint particles to easily find any and all exposed metal, coating and thus protecting the furniture’s structure. These now powder coated pieces are then baked in an oven which exceeds hundreds of Degrees Celsius, sealing in the painted surface.
THE DISTINGUISHED TOUCH
After hours of resting the freshly baked aluminium frame, it is taken into the textile studio. A magnificent space which hosts some of the worlds most patient human beings who intricately sow, weave and rivet exceptional materials from Blue Bays collection of finishes. Here lies the unbelievable feat that is Rattan weaving. The men and women who work in this wing of the factory are in fact the basket weavers of a North Coasts Zulu Cultural Heritage.
Those who have grown up studying and practising the art of basket weaving, who have now chosen to extend the use of their skill into the making of beautiful furniture. It is this process which provides many of Blue Bays Collections with distinguished characteristics that are irreplicable by our competitors.
Altogether, Blue Bay features a world-class team of people who have dedicated their lives to creating sensational outdoor furniture. A team who works together in harmony in a healthy work environment which allows them to grow their own personal skills, and push the boundaries of what is possible with unburdened creative freedom.
METICULOUS DESIGN INSPIRED BY LIVING
We have created collections of furniture for interesting people from all walks of life. From the meticulous designer, who will not settle for a stitch out of place, to the humble homeowner who is looking to relax comfortably in their outdoor space. Our Furniture can even be found at some of your favourite resorts, which have been profoundly astounded by the consistency of work which is produced by The Blue Bay Factory.
Our inspiration is drawn from within. The Blue Bay Collections seen on our showroom floors have all come from a special place in our hearts, which is why you will notice that many of our collections feature the infamous Rattan Weave. A highly versatile and durable material, Rattan Weave resembles the traditional wicker which would otherwise be used by traditional African Basket Makers.
As you can imagine, most of The Blue Bay Team originated right here in South Africa, and all that we see and do in this country is in fact directly related to our beautiful wildlife and infamous landscapes. For example, traits which can be found heavily relating to traditional culture can be found in the Boma Collection which takes its motif from Central African Tribes, or the complex feelings of being out on the Golf Course, as can be found in the Fairway Collection. Each and every piece of furniture has been developed with the functional and visual remanence of the space the designer was in when the idea was conceived.
WE LOVE WHERE WE'VE COME FROM
Blue Bay Furniture aims to continue our journey in the outdoor furniture industry by continuously bringing something new to the table. To adapt to new and innovative trends which appear in the marketplace of course, but to answer with our own voice and have our own opinion. To always come back to our roots in our designs and never let the world forget that we are Blue Bay Furniture, we are proud to be South African and we love to make people smile by providing them with outdoor furniture that they have only dreamt of.
