Style Spotlight on Manhattan

This summer, New Yorkers and sightseers to the Big Apple can visit faraway places – right from the comfort of midtown Manhattan. Through July 17th, visitors to the New York Public Library will have the opportunity to sit, read, and relax in a literary oasis inspired by the famed Slim Aarons photograph, Poolside Gossip. Epitomizing the chic poolside social scene of the ’70’s, this classic image pays homage to the times, featuring a bright yellow, two-tiered, outdoor umbrella.

Visitors will find books recommended by expert librarians, author talks, a book swap, and a wall on which they can write their own summer reading recommendations. They will also find a Mid-Century modern decor-inspired outdoor space shaded by willowy trees and custom-crafted Santa Barbara Designs Double Decker umbrellas donated by the company for this important event. Sun-kissed Cornflower Yellow canopies with chic Greek keyhole valances dot the plaza.

The bright Double Decker canopies, inspired by the photography of Slim Aarons, were created expressly for the Reading Room in our California production facility. The keyhole valance design matches the dental moldings on the NYPL building exterior.

Santa Barbara Designs proudly supports the New York Public Library and its 2015 Outdoor Reading Room.