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A swivel lounge chair, sofa, armchair and table from Jensen’s Velo collection
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An ipe wood Foundations counter-height rail table paired with ipe bar stools from the Richmond collection
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Tempo lounge chairs upholstered in Ultraleather marine-grade fabric
For Jensen Outdoor, good quality takes time to achieve. With many of the company’s designs using century-old Bolivian ipe wood, President Eric Parsons says Jensen aims to pair resilient materials with contemporary designs to make pieces destined to last another 100 years.
“Every piece we craft is inspired by nature and designed to last for generations,” Parsons says.
Founded as Jensen Jarrah in the 1980s, the company originated in Australia, where founder Max Jensen used local jarrah wood in many of the early pieces, often repurposing leftover wood flooring to create dining and lounge chairs. After entering the U.S. market in the early ’90s and going through a few rebrands, Jensen Outdoor eventually put down roots in Sandston, just east of Richmond.
Since opening its Richmond facility in 2010, Jensen Outdoor has expanded its inventory to include deep seating, teak, woven pieces and performance throw pillows in addition to its signature ipe furniture. All pieces are assembled, upholstered and tested by the company’s Richmond team, which includes a variety of designers and textile experts who ensure that each piece embodies a timelessly modern aesthetic with purposeful, thoughtful design.
“We love being able to pull from this local talent pool,” Parsons says.
One thing that makes Jensen Outdoor’s products stand out is its use of ipe, a slow-growing, dense wood native to Central America that takes around 100 years to mature. Aside from its unique look, Parsons says, the Bolivian-grown wood has a burn rating akin to concrete and a density so great that it sinks in water, making it an ideal candidate for sturdy, long-lasting outdoor furniture.
“If you want deep, chocolate brown wood that you can put outside and will perform outside, then you come to us,” Parsons says.
Beyond the benefits of the material itself, Parsons says it’s important for Jensen Outdoor to procure its materials sustainably. Toward that end, the company directly maintains over 2 million acres of Bolivian dry forest, accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council. With this accreditation, the company is required to abide by strict environmental and social guidelines to preserve the longevity of both the forests and the local workers.
“Our mission is to protect these living, breathing forests so that your children’s children can continue to enjoy them,” he says.
The company recently released two new lines — the Tempo and Velo collections — that offer distinct, classic designs. The Tempo collection pairs the sharp, sleek angles of an ipe frame with Ultraleather fabric, a marine-grade, animal-free leather available in 12 different colors. The Velo collection uses Solara fiber hand-woven around powder-coated aluminum frames, with rounded edges that give a softer visual appeal.
“We harken back to yesteryear with midcentury designs that really pique that design interest,” Parsons says. “Because we have that unique material, we’re able to look different and show differently.”
