While there aren’t many outdoor furniture manufacturers in Canada given our limited summer season, those looking to get their patios, backyards, and cottages summer-ready can still support Canadian businesses by shopping at Shop The Lake in Peterborough.
Located at 1525 Chemong Road, Shop The Lake is owned by local entrepreneurs Niki and Jason Pulchinski. With expansive indoor and outdoor showrooms, the retailer is stocked with outdoor furniture suitable for a range of dwellings including cottages, condos, and commercial applications.
“With our convenient location, we’re able to service people who live in town as well as the cottage community,” says Denise Gater, Shop The Lake’s head buyer and design director.
“We know a lot of people in this region use their homes like a cottage, where they’re furnishing their outdoor areas and spending almost as much time outside as inside,” Gater says. “They’re looking to invest in high quality pieces and that’s what we carry for homes and cottages.”
Given that the building previously housed a patio furniture business prior to the Pulchinskis purchasing it, Shop The Lake has made solid and long-lasting relationships with their suppliers.
“They really stand behind their product and they really stand behind us,” Gater says. “There’s a real benefit to that because this is an investment purchase for our customers and it’s important they have the confidence they are buying from a local store with real people who have relationships with the dealers who stand behind those products. If there’s an issue, our dealers go above and beyond to support us, and that helps us support our clients.”
No cottage or rural property in Ontario would be complete without Muskoka chairs, and Gater put extensive effort into finding just the right ones to sell at Shop The Lake. Ontario-made, the chairs are made from recycled plastic with a sharper, squarer back and higher seat for a more sleek, modern, and unique design that cannot be found elsewhere.
“Original Muskoka chairs are low to the ground and you’re almost lying back in it, which can make it hard for people to get out of as they get older,” says Gater. “This chair sits a little higher and it’s super comfortable for everybody.”
The very durable recycled plastic material will not splinter, chip, or peel and is easy to clean. A unique stainless steel blocking system used during assembly ensures the chairs are stable, similar to indoor furniture. And with built-in UV protection, the chairs keep their rich colours — everything from the eye-grabbing yellow and the recognizable red to the more neutral beige and gray tones.
“The recycled Muskoka chairs have been a big item for cottagers and have become ubiquitous in cottage country,” says Gater. “A few years ago, you could go to a lake and every single dock had a red Muskoka chair.”
Along with Muskoka chairs, Shop The Lake also stocks products that are known around the world, including those from Vancouver-based, family-owned outdoor furniture company Ratana.
Internationally known for their high-quality products and often servicing commercial areas (including the local Starbucks, as Gater points out), Ratana has a range of collections from contemporary to classic styles, including the new Las Colinas collection where Ratana uses Durarope, a popular brand of braided rope, for an aesthetic and sturdy design.
“Durarope is a unique feature that Ratana offers for fashion-forward outdoor furniture, but they also offer the more traditional resin wicker which is also of really great quality and never goes out of style,” Gater says.
Shop The Lake also works with the Mississauga-based suppliers Cabana Coast and Protégé Casual. While the furniture frames are made in Asia, the cushions are all made in Canada in their respective workrooms.
“All of these Canadian suppliers offer really unique, up-to-date, and ahead-of-its time fabrications and designs,” Gater says. “Modern or traditional — anything you want, we can get our hands on it from all of these suppliers.”
Much of the furniture at Shop The Lake can be custom ordered. If a customer sees a specific piece in the showroom that they like, they can then browse dozens of fabric options to select the style they like best.
Orders can be turned around in as little as six weeks for most products and, given Shop The Lake’s proximity to cottage country, delivery straight to cottage doors is often more affordable than that from larger city stores based further away.
As for products that will brighten up porches, decks, backyards, and lawns, Shop The Lake uses a Canadian supplier to get lighting products from the Spanish brand Newgarden. With modern design and features, Newgarden products include solar-powered and rechargeable light bulbs for floor lamps, table lamps, and even floating lamps.
“It’s always hard to find unique, fresh, and exciting lighting, so when this line of products came available, we were really excited about it,” Gater says. “It’s just a very fun and unique line of products.”
Since the 2022 derecho storm knocked down many trees across Ontario, Shop The Lake has seen an uptake in customers needing more shade solutions in their outdoor spaces. To meet the demand, the retailer uses Canadian suppliers to source some of the best-made shade products from around the world, including remote-controlled pergolas and rectangular or rounded cantilevers.
When it comes to helping customers find the product that is right for them, Shop The Lake has the unique advantage of being located near cottage country and staffed with people who are familiar with what types of outdoor furniture are best suited to the area.
“We know all the questions we need to ask to guide the customer towards the right product — everyone who works here, lives here,” Gater explains. “It’s not just our knowledge, but we’re garnering knowledge from everyone who comes in and tells us their story. Whether it’s something that happened to their previous furniture, or they’re looking for something all new, there’s always a story when someone comes in to buy something.”
With these stories in mind, Shop The Lake offers specialized design services where Gater uses her expertise to help customers design their balconies, decks, pool sides, porches, and other outdoor spaces. Customers can come in with photos and measurements of their areas, then connect with knowledgeable experts to decide on the best pieces and accessories to furnish the space.
“It’s a service that I’m really proud of because if you’re investing a lot of money in outdoor furniture, you want to make sure that you’re making the right choices,” Gater says, noting it’s not just design but also functionality that they look at. “We know how different conditions can affect different areas, so we’re really thorough in how we offer advice for people’s personal situations.”
Between its top-quality Canadian-supplied products, expansive showroom, and knowledgeable staff, Shop The Lake makes it easy to get personalized assistance while also supporting local.
“I’m always excited to work with people and come up with a solution,” says Gater. “That excitement and passion is infused in everyone who works here.”
Shop The Lake is located at 1525 Chemong Road in Peterborough and is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For the full catalogue at Shop The Lake, visit shopthelake.ca. You can also follow Shop The Lake on Facebook and Instagram for design inspiration.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Shop The Lake. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
