Our Outdoor Living Room & DIY Deck Makeover Reveal!
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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:
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…
And the 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.
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.
I’m crushing on ferns lately– they’re low maintenance and they give such a lush, upscale feeling placed in these simple black urns.
If you need me, I’ll be HERE. And I mean that literally– I wrote this post right here:
Across from that space is our dining area. The BEFORE photo is tragic:
And the 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!
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.
Those napkin rings? Copper pipe! $1 each from the hardware store!
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.
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:
And the AFTER! A relaxing spot under the shade of a tree; it feels a bit like a treehouse in the best way possible.
You can really see the two levels here:
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.
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.
Here’s the view of the projector to get an idea of the setup:
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:
Wish it would count towards total square footage. 😉
I guess it does… in square footage OF MY HEART.
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
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!
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