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One of the top must haves on our list when we were house hunting was finding a place with a good outdoor space. We’d come from apartment and condo living with limited outdoor space and little to no privacy, so we were envisioning having a fenced in yard for the dog and a nice outdoor place to eat, read and hang out with family. The deck at our new house is one of the things that sealed the deal for us. It’s huge, private, and it was the first thing we worked on.
Deck before
Thanks to its size, we were able to have both a dining area and a hang out area. I envisioned hunting for great pieces but quickly realized I had no clue how much outdoor furniture cost!! Luckily, Dan is really handy, and Pinterest is still alive and kicking and between my Pinterest skills and his building skills, I got myself a table and bench.
Initially I was going to go with these table plans, but we ended up doing an X leg plan, as we felt it went better with the style of the house. He didn’t have plans for the bench - he just sort of winged it, based off the table plan, and thankfully, it worked out!
I love how it came out!! Once the table and bench was made, I needed to find some chairs. Again, the prices! Sheesh. I wound up finding these distressed metal chairs on Facebook Marketplace for a fraction of the retail price.
We needed some sort of shade, and lighting, so Dan installed three posts off the deck, and put one in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete, which we then put into one a barrel. I covered it with dirt, and planted impatiens and plopped our adirondack chair next to it. It weighs about a million pounds, but what are you gonna do?! I purchased a 12x12 shade sail which came with hooks and the rope to hang it. It provides just the right amount of shade, and is also permeable so water doesn’t pool in the center when it rains.
Then we added edison string lights around the edge of the shade sail, and with that, the dining area was finished. We’ve been enjoying meals out there, and I’ll often go out and work from the deck on days that I don’t go into the studio. It’s a space that makes us so happy!!
Next up, the hang out area. Quality outdoor sectionals are wildly expensive - but I ended up buying this five piece outdoor sectional for a decent price and it’s very comfortable and surprisingly well made and durable, given the price. It was easy to put together, but just be forewarned that the shipping is a little odd, and based on reviews and my own experience, it’ll come in two separate shipments, a few days apart from one another. The seller is really responsive, though, and you will get your furniture - it just isn’t as quick as you’d normally expect.
Since we’d like to eventually entertain, once COVID is a thing of the past, we felt we still needed more seating. Dan and I also both enjoy reading, so I thought loungers would be a good addition. They’re hard to come by right now without spending an absolute fortune, but I found these dark brown loungers and am so happy with them. They, too, are deceivingly comfortable. They’re sold out right now, but here is a pair of loungers that comes with a side table for a decent price.
I put Buckles’ outdoor elevated dog bed in between, since he’s a little social butterfly. I can highly recommend this bed - it’s especially good for dogs who need to stay cool during the summer, as its design offers a little breeze to flow underneath the bed.
I’ve been hunting on Facebook Marketplace for an outdoor side table, but in the meantime, the barrel works just fine. On the corner of the deck, you’ll see I planted a little herb garden. I’ve got parsley (stupid choice, I never use parsley!), thyme, basil and mint. I used a long wooden planter box, and had Dan drill holes in the bottom. Then I poked holes into the bottom of a plastic garbage bag which I used to line the box. I secured it with push pins, and planted the herbs. And by planted, I really mean I bought them fully mature from the store, and plopped them in some dirt and said a prayer. You all know I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to gardening, but dang it, I’m determined to learn. Next year I’ll plant a full on garden, but this year, it’s baby steps.
I went back and forth about a rug. I had my eye on a nice jute rug, but after doing a ton of research, I eventually decided against it. From everything I read, it’s just hard to find a good rug that wouldn’t turn the deck into a mildewy mess.
I have to say, the deck has been a happiness factor I knew I would enjoy but I didn’t anticipate how much I’d use it. We go out frequently throughout the day. I usually get up first and will have my morning coffee and breakfast out there with Buckles. The only sounds I hear at that time of day are the birds. It’s such a beautiful way to start the day.
I keep wondering if this feeling of gratitude and awe will fade. I mow the lawn once a week wondering each time I walk out to the shed to get the lawn mower I wonder if this is the week the excitement will have dissolved, and it’ll start to feel like a chore - something I have to do, rather than something I *get* to do. So far, an official full month into living at our house and I’m still riding the high. And I’m grateful to have this blog post here to remind me how I initially felt, should this feeling ever go away.