What an amazing month this has been! This deck refresh project has been so much fun! In the past 30 days I was able to to take my deck from dinky and drab to large and fab! With extending our D.I.Y platform deck out four feet, I was able to add separate zones for dining, lounging and entertaining all in 168 square feet! I am so thrilled to share with you my reveal! And as in most reveals, this post will have heavy picture overload, so I hope you enjoy! This post contains affiliate links. Should you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
No reveal is complete without before pictures:
Our deck before was 10 x 12 and was cluttered with a hodge-podge of thrifted furniture with no real rhyme or reason. As much as I love my neutrals, I was craving COLOR! I needed to bring this yard to life!
And after:
With a toddler running through the house like the Tasmanian devil, I now spend MUCH more time outdoors.
My main goal was to create a space that was comfortable for us all, inviting when we have company and also pleasing to my eye. An oasis. A place I wanted to spend time in.
Green. Greenery was a must for me! I love, love, love plants. I love to be surrounded by them. In this pot I planted green beans because I love their hearty foliage. Along with the green beans, there is salvia, a little impatients and hosta.
One of my favorite ways to bulk up containers is to split my hosta plants in the spring and place them all around the yard. They’re full, free and best of all they’re perennials, so I get to enjoy them year after year!
An umbrella was a must, and this Better Homes & Gardens 9′ Market Umbrella, Cabana Stripe – Walmart.com
was a no brainer with its contrasting stripes and $50 price tag.
My DIY bar/grill cart was definitely a necessity.
It has proven to be so useful for entertaining, it’s not perfect, lol, but it definitely serves its purpose, I absolutely love it.
One of my favorite beverages to enjoy on a hot summer day is fruit-infused water or seltzer.
Strawberries, cucumbers, lemon, lime and mint combined is so refreshing! Peaches and pineapples are good too 😉 But really, the possibilities are endless!
If you follow me on Instagram, I shared how I took this thrift store rattan stool and added a round glass top to make a cute little coffee table for the space.
When we want to have an intimate meal al fresco, we can easily move the “coffee table” out and slide the smaller dining table in to create a cute little dining nook.
I went a little crazy with the throw pillows, but, luckily, I have lots of storage space under the diy bench seating to store them during inclement weather.
Painting and adding the privacy panels to the old picket fence helped to modernize and provide a much sleeker look.
Adding a vertical herb garden serves 2 purposes, it’s pretty to look at for “wall decor” and it makes it much easier to snip individual herbs without having to worry about overcrowding in a garden bed.
I purchased this little bamboo stool at a yard sale for $3, and I am completely embracing its imperfections, besides, perfection is overrated! (especially when you have 4 children 😉 )
I also didn’t want to spend a lot (surprise, surprise) on an outdoor area rug, but certainly felt the need for one. I bought this inexpensive NXT-GEN Large Quatrefoil Olefin Area Rug – Walmart.comfrom Walmart and flipped it over. The texture of the underside of this rug is very similar to that of an outdoor rug so I figured I would give it a try, and if it didn’t work out, I won’t really lose a huge investment. So far, it’s gone through three heavy rainstorms, not to mention my daily plant watering, and a few family gatherings and it’s holding up wonderfully!
I will post a night time tour soon, because I need you all to see the awesome ambiance that the string lights provide!
What a blast this was, and I am absolutely in love with my deck! And to think, I almost didn’t participate this time around! I want to give a huge Thank You to Alaya from Behind The Big Green Door for hosting this fun challenge. I hope you all enjoyed the tour!
Sharing with:
This is absolutely beautiful Carli! I love so many things – the rattan stool turned table , the plants, the vertical herb garden , your choice of pillows! What a great transformation from the 'before' . It's perfect for summer ! Btw you are gorgeous and your little one is adorable!!!
Hi Vin!!!!! I so appreciate you stopping by! Thank you so much for your sweet, sweet words! 😊
Everything!!! Its gorgeous! You did a wonderful job. So wish i could hang and enjoy a drink with you on this fabulous deck. Love it.
Your so sweet Erin, I appreciate your kind words! Thank you! I wish you could come hang with me too, bring the babe too 😉
Wow wow wow! Love the mix of patterns! Love the wood thrown in ther! It feels like a vacation spot in your own backyard! You are so talented & whatever field you decide to in, I hope it includes decorating…great job!!!!! ������������
Your comment made me smile, Thank you for stopping by Evelyse!
Carlita !! It's so beautiful !! I love all the colors and patterns tgar you chose !! You did a great job !! Come do mine next lol !
Let's do it! I'm in need of a trip back to NC!lol. Thanks for stopping by Nicole!
Wow…gorgeous as usual! I loved this reveal. Great job!!!
Awwww, Thank you Chari!
Ok now that I've picked up my jaw from the floor, can I just WOW! Carli! This transformation is insane. You already know I love the fabrics, but the DIY bench is just so awesome! Now that I'm done with my reveal too, can I come and chill with you? 😄 I'll bring the wine LOL.
LOVE your comment Linda!!! Thank you so much! Yes, please, I'd love for you to come chill with me!:)
You did such a wonderful job. Love all of the details.
Thank you so much Tasheena!
I think I hear Better Homes & Garden calling on this one! Fantastic job
Awww, wow! Thank you Jamala! I really appreciate that! Thanks for stopping by!
looks amazing, I want to come over and "escape"! I LOVE all the colors!!
Yayyyyy! Come over, we can have Nia watch the littles, lol. Thanks Kristina!
Carli!!!! You really did your thing and more on this deck refresh! Everything looks so pretty and like it was meant to be there all along. This is magazine worthy girl! Amazing work!!
Liah your sweet words mean a lot! Thanka so much for your encouragement!
What a great space!! AHAHAHAH! Im yelling! lol. I love this space Carli! I love the mix of prints and colors! Is there anything you cant do! Thanks so much for participating in the challenge!!
hehe! Thanks Alayah! I have to be honest this time around the challenge felt like a breeze! I almost felt like I had too much time, I had to stop myself from adding more and creating projects 😄😄. It was a lot of fun, Thanks again for hosting #1room30days
I love your outdoor space. All of the color is wonderful, and the thrifted rattan and bamboo is all so nice. Everything just looks so cozy and inviting.
Thank you Vanessa for your comment!! This space definitely went from a place I avoided to a place I never want to leave, I appreciate you stopping by 😊
You are are amazing! So talented and gifted my daughter. I really enjoyed myself on your deck it was like being at a tropical resort.
Thanks mom! Love you! And as you know you are welcome at our "resort" anytime 😄
Beautifully redone! Thank you for linking up on Nest Builders weekly link up party. We hope to have you back next week.
Thank you for hosting and for stopping by! 😊
what a great space. i saw this over at thrifty decor chick, and i knew i had to come see more. i looove all the rattan, the greens (that's my fave, too) the vibrant colors, and the privacy you've created. hope you really enjoyed your space last summer!b
Thank you so much! Using so much color is definitely out of the norm for me, but stepping out to the deck definitely felt like a little mini vacation.