Our Outdoor Living Room & DIY Deck Makeover Reveal!

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Outdoor Patio Remodel

I have to confess there’s a problem with our DIY deck makeover. You see, we’ve been enjoying it so much that I’ve come down with a full case of ‘The Summers’—characterized by intense laziness, a craving for cold drinks, and spending as much time cuddled on that outdoor couch as possible.  So instead of writing about this resort inspired deck makeover, we’ve been living on it! Our poor indoor living room is getting lonely as we spend as much time enjoying our OUTDOOR living room as possible– DIY style, of course.

Do you forgive me? Because, I mean, like WOAH:

Outdoor couch

outdoor sectional couch

Back when we started thinking about transforming the tired, worn out deck we were aiming for one thing: creating a resort feeling, like the one we experienced when we visited Turks & Caicos. When creating the perfect outdoor space for our family, we thought about three things we loved at the resort:

1. Function: comfortable, relaxing outdoor seating and a dining space that fits 6+ people; outdoor storage; grilling area; space for outdoor movies

2. Atmosphere: nighttime lighting, music, and a DIY fountain for the soothing sound of water

3. Style: trendy and beach inspired decor with a modern twist

BOOM shaka-laka, I think we did it! Somehow we married our style with function and created an outdoor room that fits all our needs.

The deck has three areas.  First is the main sitting area, which was previously our dining area. Here’s the BEFORE photo…

The patio- before

And the AFTER!

The patio- after

Once we figured out this was the best spot for our outdoor sectional couch, we switched the sitting and dining areas. We added a chevron outdoor rug and layered a comfy outdoor faux wicker couch and coffee table. The deck umbrella provides shade and makes this section extra cozy– plus, it practically glows in the sunlight and makes my heart skip a beat.

Patio umbrella

This coffee table came with the set. Glass wouldn’t have been my first choice but it’s sturdy and turns out it’s the perfect spot for playing LEGOs.

Lantern on the patio

I’m crushing on ferns lately– they’re low maintenance and they give such a lush, upscale feeling placed in these simple black urns.

Fern on the patio

If you need me, I’ll be HERE. And I mean that literally– I wrote this post right here:

Sectional couch on the patio

Across from that space is our dining area. The BEFORE photo is tragic:

Dining space- before

And the AFTER:

Dining area- after

It’s flanked by the trellis wall and is next to the grill which is perfect for serving dinner.  Did I mention how convenient it is to pick herbs and use them immediately in your cooking? Talk about fresh!

Hanging gardens on the new patio

The tablecloth and silverware caddy are from Homegoods, and the melamine plates from Target. The Jack Daniels Honey is mine and I’ll tell you what– mix it with some lemonade and YOU WILL LOVE YOURSELF. Summer in a glass with a twist.

Serving pieces for the outdoors

Those napkin rings? Copper pipe! $1 each from the hardware store!

Adorable copper napkin rings

Next to the table is this DIY outdoor fountain. My husband bought the supplies over a year ago and didn’t put it together until this summer– turns out it only takes a few minutes to make. It’s amazing how relaxed the sound of water makes you feel.

DIY outdoor fountain

The last section is an additional sitting area on the upper deck tier. We think the owners originally had a grill here, but quickly learned that it is NOT a good idea to have a grill next to your house in case something catches on fire. Don’t ask my how I know this. FYI, now we store a fire extinguisher next to the grill. Here’s the BEFORE:

Upper tier- before

And the AFTER! A relaxing spot under the shade of a tree; it feels a bit like a treehouse in the best way possible.

Upper deck- after

You can really see the two levels here:

A better look at the two levels

Storage is always at a premium, and this outdoor storage box is perfect for hiding away our grilling utensils and outdoor dining supplies. In a pinch it’s even sturdy enough for extra seating! I’ve since moved it to another part of the deck but wanted to share it for other storage-starved friends.

Storage on the new deck

We got a little overzealous and next thing we knew a projector arrived on our doorstep via Amazon Prime. We pulled out my father-in-law’s old projector screen to kick it old school, but quite honestly if you pull the projector back about a foot the image fits the entire wall. All we need to do is string up a white bedsheet. The kids didn’t care though, they loved it on the screen too.

Movies on the deck

Here’s the view of the projector to get an idea of the setup:

Movie night on the deck

All in all, I feel as if we’ve added an entire new room to the house. Or should I say three rooms? A living room, a dining room, and whatever room this is:

Kids on the outdoor patio

Wish it would count towards total square footage. 😉

I guess it does… in square footage OF MY HEART.

Lighting on the patio

where to find outdoor deck couch and decor

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about where to buy several pieces so I’ll try my best:

1. Outdoor Wicker Sectional Couch

2. Outdoor Zig Zag Rug- no longer available, check out other awesome outdoor rugs here

3. Viewsonic Movie Projector

4. Outdoor Storage Box

5. Solar Lantern

6. Blue Outdoor Umbrella (our exact model is no longer in stock, here’s a similar version from the same retailer)

Here’s the entire Deck Diaries series from start to finish:

Deck Dreaming (Design Board and Plan)

Part One: Deck Staining 101

Part Two: Vertical Herb Garden

Part Three: How to Hang Outdoor Lights

Whew. I need a nap and a margarita. This post took five weeks to write. BUT! So worth it. Hit me up with any questions in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for real-time home updates. Now, off to finish reading the books from this list, though it might be 2016 before I get through it at this rate!

 Check out the BEFORE and AFTER of this resort inspired DIY budget-friendly deck makeover-- outdoor living at it's finest!

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