Is your deck or patio an outdoor oasis of relaxation and fun or is it an uninviting eyesore?
Many of us neglect our decks and rarely use them to their fullest potential.
Create a living space outside that your family and friends will love in 5 Easy Steps!
Allow me to show you what it looked like before.
Yuck… enough said.
Step 1: REMOVE CLUTTER
Pick up random items, put away any items that don’t belong, and clean away all of winter’s dirt, leaves, and debris.
My deck is still in need of a good power washing and another coat of stain, which is scheduled in the next few weeks.
Step 2: REFURBISH
The table was old, rusty and headed for the curb, but a quick spray of black paint extended it’s life for one more year.
Isn’t spray paint wonderful?
Remove or repair any furniture that is rusted or could cause injury, and consider replacing it with new items.
Step 3: CREATE CONVERSATIONAL SEATING
The ancient, uncomfortable chairs were replaced with an all weather wicker seating collection.
Create an intimate seating arrangement, so friends can converse with each other easily and also have views of your yard.
Anchor your seating with an out door rug and add a coffee table or small side tables for resting drinks or plates.
Step 4: ADD LIGHTING
Lanterns are all the rage this season.
You can find them splashed across the pages of Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs.
I found several selections to choose from at my local Lowe’s, but I’ve also seen them at Target, TJ Maxx/Home Goods, and even my grocery store!
I filled mine with some seashells we’ve collected at the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Two small lanterns from Lowe’s add evening candlelight that won’t blow out in the warm summer breezes.
The lower height of the lanterns also allow you to see your guests across the table.
Step 5: ADD COLOR
Choose a prominent color and a complementary color and display them in chair cushions, throw pillows, table umbrellas, pottery and of course, flowers! I chose red and lime green.
This year I wanted even more emphasis on color and coziness so I purchased a polypropylene rug from Target.
It is made for outdoors and all it needs is a spray with the hose if it gets dirty!
My kids love it!
5 Easy Steps to transform your deck will provide hours of fun and memory making with friends and family.
So light a lantern, sip a sweet tea, or steal a little snooze in your outdoor oasis!
Kim
linking up to: Funky Junk Interiors, Saturday Night Special
Beautiful! Looks like a great place to have a cookout and a margarita. Looking forward to coming over this summer :).
so pretty Kim – very welcoming!
this looks great! the deck is always an overwhelming place for me to tackle but breaking it down into these steps makes it look way more manageable!
i love the spray painted table and the red/lime green combo!! 🙂
Looks incredible! Can’t wait to enjoy a steak and sangria on the deck! When are we coming over? 😉
Wow! It looks great 🙂
What kind of plant is that growing up your deck? I love it! It would be perfect for some fencing we have in our side yard.
Very inviting and pretty, Kim. I love your color theme and arrangement of furniture. I hope our weather warms up soon so we can bring our furniture out. I love coffee on the patio in the morning!
XO,
Jane
Ooooh, it’s looking sooooo good.
I’m very jealous. Our deck is half-built and we have yet to buy our patio furniture.
Your post is making me want it all done and ready a.s.a.p!
Great tips by the way. 🙂
It looks fabulous! Very inviting.
Bee-U-T-full! Our screened porch needs a facelift. Just waiting for the pollen to lift. Thanks for the inspiration photos.
-Brittany (aka Pretty Handy Girl)
Thanks so much everyone! I’m finding myself out there every chance I get! To answer Alyssa’s question: The 2 climbing vines are Carolina Jessamine. It grows incredibly fast! I’m cutting it back constantly. In the spring it is covered in pretty, nickel sized, yellow flowers. The more sun exposure equals more blooms! Love it!
Love the lanterns!! Are they from Homegoods by chance? They look VERY similar to mine 😉 What a GREAT welcoming space, I’m sure you’ll find yourselves outside a lot more this Summer! Love it all!!
Oh how I would love to have a deck like this…so jealous. I have a possibly stupid question though. I see lots of pictures of decks, porches and the like, with pillows, cushions, rugs, etc. on them and I have to wonder if people leave these things outside all summer long? What do you do if it rains?
Thank you for the wonderful Deck ideas, I have a new addition to my deck and this will come in handy when we are finished and ready to deckorate!
It looks lovely!
Kim, your before looks a lot better than my before right now. I am getting ready to sand and paint my deck and fix it up. Yours looks great.
This is beautiful… really nice and love the outdoor rug. Care to spill as to where it is from?
Di
Gorgeous Kim! I love the pops of red and that rug! Hope you have been doing well:)
Thank you for the great ideas! I have been struggling about what to do to make our deck for appealing! Now I know. Rose Bushes!!
Thank you for the great ideas! I have been struggling about what to do to make our deck for appealing! Now I know. Rose Bushes!!
Beautiful job on everything!! I love how you made your table look brand new. The rug looks great too. Megan
Looks awesome Kim! I’ll definitely be using your tips once my patio is finished!!
Monica
Hi there, new to your blog but love the ideas. I especially liked your deck ideas however, I rent a duplex without a deck. I have no patio either just grass. What would you suggest I do to make my yard more enjoyable. I have two great metal chairs in red. And I like the planter side table idea, so will do that and stick that between the chairs. any other ideas? PLEASE HELP!