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The weather is getting nicer, the garden centers are filling up, and the stores are stocked with patio essentials. I think we can all agree that this is a great time of the year!
Though we as a whole might actually leave our homes more this spring & summer (compared to last year), it doesn’t mean we’re going to totally neglect the home we have. 2020 has shown us that having a home we can enjoy spending a lot of time in is important for our mental health, and as things in the world start to pick up again, it’s now essential to have that place to rest and recharge to bring some peace to a busy life.
For us, part of mental peace looks like being outside, enjoying the sun, dining alfresco, and watching our toddler run around, all the while having a little bit of privacy. In order to get this, we knew we had to do something to our deck situation. And yes, it’s a whole situation haha. In my dreams, we would have a large private backyard with tons of trees and a beautiful courtyard for all those meals I want to eat outdoors. But, we don’t. So making it work with what you have it is!
Our home’s deck has seen better days. Supposedly, composite decking is not supposed to fade or even need to be repainted. I’m not sure what type we have, because it was in very bad shape when we moved in. Not only was it fading, but it was covered in algae and parts of the railing were leaning.
Not really all that pretty.
I did my best to clean it with a power washer (algae was just not going anywhere) and paint it, but sadly, it just wasn’t looking good. Truthfully, it would have been best if it just got torn out and replaced with a nifty stone patio. There’s really no need for a “deck” just a tiny bit off the ground anyway!
But if you’re new here, we (I) had a baby 6 weeks ago (at the time of writing this) and in addition to our other kiddo and busy lives, we just did not feel like taking on a big project nor was it important enough to us to hire out. But still, we wanted a nice outdoor area so we decided on a deck refresh instead!
As we were thinking about this project, I knew I wanted to cover up the not-so-great-looking decking as much as I could, add some furniture (we pretty much had nothing), find a way to create more privacy, and make it feel like a nice hangout area. I’m not asking too much, right? 😉
Well, I started from the bottom up. I knew 1 rug wouldn’t cover the decking, so I chose to layer two in what I hope comes across as artsy and not a mistake haha.
The addition of the rugs seemed better already, but things really started to look up once the furniture arrived. Definitely an improvement from our wicker chairs that were falling apart!
The pergola was just the icing on the cake and it’s now my favorite part of the outdoor area! We added the curtains and now I get the privacy I want when I want it. Or I can choose to have everything open and feel the sun on my face. Ahh.
The dining table is nothing special. Just something I had Titus throw together with scrap wood so we could have a place to eat dinner. And yes, we do actually have meals out here!
With a fire pit and lights, it’s a fun place to be at night and it accomplished the goal of being a nice hangout area!
The creative perfectionist in me thinks of a million ways it could be better. But, it’s a nice place to be for now, and as a bonus, we can actually take these things with us to the next place, whereas if we went the new patio route, it’s something we would have to pay for and leave behind. Obviously haha.
All we really did here was assemble furniture, so this was a deck refresh with very little effort. Sometimes those are the best projects! The results aren’t as dramatic, but it’s easier, and you can get straight to the “enjoying it” stage. 😉
Sources:
Brown and White Diamond Rug
Black and White Striped Rug (Similar)
Pergola
Furniture
Curtains- drop cloths from Lowes
Tablecloth
Pillow Covers, Pillows
Hanging Metal Pots
Did you know you can create some outdoor privacy without building a fence? Read this next post to figure out how!
