Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How We Finished And Furnished Our Deck

Well, our goal was to get to enjoy our deck by Labor Day and we squeaked in with just a few days to spare. And in case you couldn’t tell, I’m jazz hands excited about it. Don’t ask me what this move is called. John just picked up the camera and aimed it at me and this happened. It’s a pose straight out of Kids Incorporated.

Deck Furn0

We probably would have taken a rickety card table and some metal folding chairs, so we’re psyched to have found actual end-of-season discounted furniture to put out there for the long haul – but we definitely have more in mind for finishing things off (more on that in a minute). Oh and we mentioned that we have to wait a bit to stain or seal this baby (more on that here) so that will definitely add a lot more richness to the wood so it looks a lot more polished.

As for the process of bringing furniture out there, first we plopped our freshly sealed World Market table down in the middle of the deck (centered between our two zippered seams, which will be a lot more obvious when the wood shrinks up a bit and gets sealed/stained so it’s a richer color). You can see from the pic below that there’s not a giant amount of room on each side of the table, but it’s almost three feet (on each side), which is thankfully workable for us. Each board is 6″ wide, so it’s around 32″ of clearance.

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Now let’s fast-forward to the fun part. Not only did we add our acacia wood chairs from Joss & Main (which we think will be a similar color to the deck once it’s stained or sealed), but we brought in some pillows, a runner, and some other accessories. Come on, you guys know I couldn’t resist that stuff if I tried. It’s a sickness. I have pillow problems.

Deck Furn Extra

Let’s get close enough to lick that yellow chair, shall we?

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On the table we have a runner we’ve had for about three years along with a yellow thrift store dish that I use to hold our napkins and some other outdoorsy items (like our yellow gurgle pot, a woven decanter, and some woven cups – all found at HomeGoods over the years). And as for the fun ikat-ish outdoor seat cushion, that’s from Garden Ridge. They have like three giant aisles full of outdoor seat cushions for anyone who’s on the hunt.

Deck Furn 22

And although the space on either side of the table looks a little tight in the shots above, I was just cropping those tighter so my accessories could shine. Haha. And we’re back to pillow problems. Anyway, here’s a better shot from the side so you can see the room behind the chairs (which are pulled out a bit in this shot, but not all the way):

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If someone’s in them it usually leaves around a foot and a half for scooting behind them (with someone in the chairs they usually bump out to the other end of the board that they’re on in the pic above, which leaves around 16″ behind them for scooch-age). It’s not enough room to do a pirouette, but it works for slipping by. Whew. We’ve also talked about pushing the table up against either side of the house if we ever want more clearance, but so far it has been all good. You know we’ll keep you posted if we rearrange things though!

But enough layout chitchat. Let’s focus on the important stuff. Like this yellow ceramic fish that makes my heart sing.

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Oh yeah, and we still have those bird napkins from Ikea that we used for Clara’s party. They keep making them so every time we slip through we stock up on more. Can’t. Leave. Without. Bird. Napkins.

Here’s a little makeshift  just-for-now corner that I tossed together (mostly for Clara since it’s a nice little play-zone over there). Eventually we’d love to add a larger seat (preferably something plush) along with some large potted plants to lush up that hard little corner of wood and brick (and keep any children from trying to climb over the chair / hop that railing). And of course that woven toy basket does best indoors, so it’s something I just tote in at the end of the evening.

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I borrowed the green drum stool from the guest room (originally from HomeGoods for $39), and actually found that rabbit at Marshall’s last week for $12. I think he’s thoroughly enjoying the new deck. Oh and that cactus thing is Clara’s toy but I totally play with it too (it’s by Plan Toys). And this outdoor pillow is also from Garden Ridge.

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We set everything out on the deck yesterday afternoon while Clara was napping, so when she woke up we got to do a big reveal for her. Not surprisingly she said “ooh the pretty pretty deck!” and ran over to the little basket of toys that I had dragged out there and went nuts. That’s my girl. And Burger followed right behind her. See him lurking in the bottom corner? He’s just waiting for his turn with the giant orange ball.

Deck Furn7

Wait, how have we not talked about the yellow chairs?! They were my dream from the very beginning (back when I made this mood board) and although I heard a few tips that they sold them at Menard’s for something like $39, the best I could find (there sadly isn’t a Menard’s in our area) was $51 with free shipping through Joss & Main. But they came painted with outdoor automotive paint (read: durable) and were sealed and ready to be put out (wahoo! no additional prep work like the table and chairs!) so here’s hoping they hold up for a nice long time.

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I worried they wouldn’t be comfy at the table since they might be too low or bulky, but with the added seat cushion they’re just the right height (they were a tad too low without it) and the arms actually tuck under the table, so they can even be pushed in. In the end, they’re the best seats in the house on the deck. Here’s Burger demonstrating their comfy-factor. Rough life he has.

Oh and remember how we mentioned that we were required to add a little extra railing to meet our county’s code? Well it’s actually super handy since Clara uses it to get up and down. Wahoo. Although last night we ended up digging out her old baby gate and setting it up in front of the stairs to keep her and Burger hostage on the deck instead of worrying about them running up and down while we’re out there. Worked like a charm.

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 And as for our deck plans down the road, we’d love to:

  • add big bulb string lights draped overhead for the length of the deck
  • bring in a lot more planters/plants to soften the harsh angles and edges
  • add that big plush chair for the play corner that we mentioned, along with more Clara-friendly stuff like a sand & water table
  • paint that darn electric meter (more on that in a second)
  • build a small paver patio at the bottom of the deck steps for the BBQ (since it’s currently over on the patio where we play but never eat)
  • build a gate that’s prettier than the old baby gate we’re using now (we rented a beach house once with a deck gate and it was awesome for kids/dogs)
  • stain/seal the deck once the wood has dried out/is ready for it
  • we’d even eventually love to paint the siding a medium gray tone that’s in the brick/mortar so it feels more balanced someday

So there you have our freshly furnished deck (at this point the patio is totally complaining because he was completed last year but still only has two adirondak chairs to his name, haha). Someday we’ll get back to that side of the house again. In the meantime, let’s all just take a moment to soak up one universal truth. The weird little alley that we inherited with our house is no more:

Alley 2 Through Door

Ding, dong, the alley’s dead!

Deck Furn Last After

Oh and see that ugly electric meter on the left of the shot above? Ugh. I’m totally planning to paint it to match the brick like we did back in our first house when something similar was cluttering up our patio. It seems like it wouldn’t make much of a difference, but it’s kind of amazing how much paint can help things like that blend. Check out this pic from this old post back in 2009. They’re not invisible, but they’re a lot less “look at me!” than they were when they were all gray. And in our county you own those boxes, so it’s ok to paint them (it’s always good to call your county and check if you can before you have at it).

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Oh and since we’re on the subject of what once was, here’s the old view from the hallway off of the living room and kitchen before Project Deck The Alley began. A nice little rotting balcony complete with some weeds and a straight shot at the air conditioner.

Alley 1 From Inside

And here it is now. Wahooo! No more weediness, rotting wood, or air conditioner in sight!

Deck Furn 1

We’d love to switch those sliders out with french doors to swank things up – in fact we’re pricing out a few options to see if it’s something we can do now (whee!) or something we need to wait and save up a bit more for (womp-womp). Will keep you posted! And as for what big project we’ll be tackling next, we’re debating between whipping our crazy not-even-functional-anymore basement into shape or adding some wainscoting/board & batten to our yawn of a hallway (not our frame one, the one that leads to Clara’s room). We’ll let you guys know where we land as soon as we… land. Haha.

But let’s end this little deck dalliance with the what’s your favorite part game. I’m the most obsessed with the yellow chairs and the ikat cushions. John loves the giant table that he can’t wait to “fill with food.” Perhaps there are gurgle pot lovers out there? Or you’re like Clara and you’re the most into the $2 ball from Target?

Psst- You can see how we planned, sourced, and built this beast of a deck here and see how we planned to furnish things a while back in this little mood board post.

Comments

  3. Susan H says

    Okay, so I read your blog daily (I mean like weird, stalkerish–saved to my favorites, counting down to your book release way), but I’ve never posted a comment other than a few giveaways. With that said, I just had to say YAYAYAYAY for your deck to be completed right before Labor DAY!! I’ve read John’s posts all summer long and I’m so excited for you guys! Cheers to all the upcoming fall nights sitting out on your new deck! :)

    Reply

  4. rosie rose says

    I haven’t read all the comments (don’t know how you guys do) but in terms of re-valuing your home I think you have value added to your home so you could even though you are not selling you can use the equity in your house. I don’t know much about US property market cause I’m in Australia but the only way to do it here is to use the increased equity in your residential home to place a deposit on another house and have the rent pay the new house which mean you are building wealth without having to buy and sell or spend a cent (apart from your slightly increased mortgage from taking the deposit out of your own home (all tax deductable here in OZ). Of course I know John is a maths wizz so would have already worked out this. And then who knows when you are ready to move on you could sell both and get something better (is it possible?). Or if you wanted to you could focus on enjoying your home and blogging about fixing up the rental as a side project… Just planning your life here is all… ROFL

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, I love that! We defintely have always dreamed of getting an investment property (John’s dad bought one for each of his kids and sold them when they went off to college to help pay for their schooling). We’d love to get a Clara house (with a sweet renter) someday! Here’s hoping!

      xo,
      s

  5. LARY@ Inspiration Nook says

    CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You guys made it and it looks so awesome and inviting. John gets the award for best deck builder and Sherry you get the award for best decorator. Clara and burger get “the cutest” award. Love the yellow chairs. :)

    Reply

  6. Clara says

    Those yellow chairs are SO awesome!

    I’m just wondering why you’re not planning on moving your grill our to this deck since it’s where you would be eating? It seems like a much more functional placement grill-wise. Is it something that you thought about?

    Reply

  7. dena says

    yeah! inspiration..we have a “deck” (it’s in horrible shape but we’re in a rental) and are having company in 3 weeks – i love what you’ve done and will be looking for a chair to paint a bright fun color – i love pillows too!

    Reply

  11. Erin says

    I’m a gurgle pot fan ;) I have the apple green one, and even though we have a Brita pitcher and a Bobble pitcher, I still keep my gurgle pot in the fridge with them because I love using it.
    I have a really hard time not buying more because their colors are so fantastic.
    Love the new deck, and those yellow chairs are gorgeous!

    Reply

  12. Jill says

    It’s so funny (interesting, not bad) to have the walls on either side of the deck. Instead of feeling outside, it feels like a room that just happens not to have a ceiling.

    This may sound weird, but because of that, to me, it is crying out for something to be hung on the walls, as you would in a normal room. Like art or mirrors or since it’s outdoors, maybe a vertical garden?

    Mirrors would hold up well in all weather and make the space feel wider. If you hung two directly across from each other, then it’d be like infinite space.

    Just a thought.

    Reply

  14. Jill says

    Also, you should totally stain the deck the same color you intend to stain the floors inside, so it just feels like an extension of the same room.

    (The same as what you did with the color of your sunroom and new bathroom floors in the previous house.)

    Reply

  16. Laurie M says

    You just referenced Kids, Incorporated. We would be great friends if we lived near each other. Best show ever. Also, the deck looks amazing! Great job!

    Reply

  17. Erin L says

    OMG, blast from the past!! Kids Incorporated!?!? HAHAHAHHA :D I totally forgot about that show, thanks for reminding me :D Ok, now I’m off to look at the pictures of your furnished deck. I’m sure it’s lovely so I’ll go ahead and say “Great job!” right now!

    Reply

  18. Diane says

    Great use of that space (for the millionth time!) I like the bench idea and pushing the table to that wall, but if you have enough room with it centered, it looks perfect! Here’s a project idea for you – have you considered painting a ‘rug’ on the deck before sealing it? Bringing the inside out?

    Reply

  21. elise says

    I have a few chairs like your wooden ones hanging around and it never occurred to me to use them on the deck (your setup looks awesome, by the way). How well do wooden folding chairs hold up outside in terms of warping, cracking and fading?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      These are made to be outside (they’re from acacia wood, which is great out in the elements, and we oiled them with teak oil to make them more durable). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  22. Sherri says

    John- You did an amazing job on the deck’s construction. Sherry- You did an amazing job on making it come to life. I love the yellow chairs. I have fond memories of sitting in those in my grandma’s back yard. BTW, by resourcing the information you provide, I not only am in love with the “Moonshine” paint color I painted a spare room today, but I also took your advice and got the 2″ brush for tight spots. OMG, that brush is awesome! I can’t believe the perfectly straight lines when you cut in and how well it does around trim,etc. No more painter’s tape. Yes! Thanks for making it so easy to access information.

    Reply

  26. Kelly says

    A little designer rule of thumb for space planning in a dining area (take it or leave it!) is that you need to allow 30″ for a person to be able to stand up and slide out of their chair–less if you do bench or banquette seating because the seat is stationary. And at a bare minimum, it’s best to have at least 42″ for the side with circulation space. So exciting to see the progress!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the tip Kelly! We just tend to live with things to see if they work for our family, but we definitely love the bench idea (or pushing the table against one side of the house) if it bugs us over time – so we’ll keep you guys posted!

      xo,
      s

  27. AmandaonMaui says

    What will you do about rain? I always wonder that when I see beautifully staged outdoor spaces that don’t have covers. Have you considered a pergola with clear plastic on top?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Everything that stays out there will be cool being in the elements (the little runner and stuff come inside, so I’ll just set the table out there when we use it like I do inside) – but things like the ceramic drum stool, the oiled acacia wood chairs, and the sealed table are all cool to be outside!

      xo,
      s

  29. Susan Akers says

    Looks great you guys! Been waiting for the big reveal! Just a couple minutes to spare, but always check out Young House Love daily – so didn’t have a chance to read all the comments. Am I the only only that thinks the egg chair would look perfect in the corner?? Just sayin’…

    Reply

  30. Jovi says

    So pretty and functional…love it! You guys will definitely have lots of good times out there. Haha…love the shout out to martika, mario lopez, jennifer love hewitt, & fergie!

    Reply

  31. Kari says

    I see some large bulb “christmas” lights strung up between the houses for a little ambiance! Lovely transformation!

    Reply

  32. Bernadette @ B3HD says

    LOVE those vintage yellow chairs. Gotta say that I have some bittersweet memories of my grandmother seeing those. Laughed until tears flowed. LOve the bright yellow color you have going on.

    Reply

  33. Jennifer Harrup says

    I was just stalking your site…pretty much my nightly ritual (oops tmi?) and was looking through the house tour tab and realized you guys definitely need to add the new (pretty pretty) deck! And a video tour of the new deck would be super exciting for me as well…you know just in case you needed more things to add to your to do list. lol

    Reply

  34. Marya says

    Greetings from Charlottesville! Wow, I’m totally impressed. You gave birth to that deck in the middle of the summer. Well deserving of some jazz-handed exuberance.

    Reply

  35. Sarah says

    “They call me mellow yellow”…super daggy song but I cannot get it out of my head. The deck is awsome but cannot get enough of your yellow chair and the cheeky bunny!!

    Reply

  36. Emily says

    Love it. Yes. Definitely love it. So impressed with what you’ve done with that seemingly dead space.

    My favourite parts are definitely the chairs (I kept reading and wondering when you were going to get to them!) and the rabbit. He looks like a Roger (yes, I too am a weirdo who names animals!).

    x

    Reply

  37. Laura says

    Hi. Very nice. We received advice about French doors, after we but some in. Rats. The double doors, where both open, are notorious for having problems. They just will not stay aligned and become nonfunctional. We had a very good brand. Eventually we replaced it with a set where one side is fixed. Looks like two doors but is only one. It is working much better. Sorry about giving free advice. It seems rude but I would hate for you to have the same issue. It gets expensive to replace doors. I really do like your deck. Carry on!

    Reply

  38. Stella says

    Notsomuch….. nix the homegoods junk in the corner and pot some greenery like boxwood in nice large clay pots….shouldn’t you have a gate on stairs?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hi Stella,

      As Sherry mentioned, we ended up putting up Clara’s old baby gate at the top of the stairs. It just didn’t end up in the picture so sorry you missed it.

      -John

  41. gail says

    Dear Pillowgirl,
    There’s a woman at our Farmer’s Market who makes pillows with the standard foam forms, and home decorating fabric, and sells them for $10, so it can’t be too expensive to make them yourself. Have you ever considered it? Joann’s has 50% off deals fairly often on fabric and foam forms.
    Love the deck and decorations. You two are certainly hard workers!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, I’ve made pillow covers with everything from fabric to cloth napkins! I just use inserts from Ikea for a few bucks and fabric that I have around!

      xo,
      s

  42. tami says

    looks awesome and i loooooved kids inc! remember the episode with love (jennifer love hewitt) singing dancing with myself? haha im such a dork!

    Reply

  44. Judy R says

    I totally agree with Heidi P. I know you have increased the value of your house as well as the usability. Sweet!

    Reply

  45. *Maggie* says

    Can you please tell me where you found the light in the doorway leading out to your lovely new deck? Thank you :)

    Reply

  46. Tina Bland says

    Unrelated – did you see that G. Rubins new book “Happier at Home” is coming out in two weeks?! I CANT WAIT!!! I’m preordering hers too (already preordered yours!) Yipee!!

    Reply

  47. jessica says

    I love the yellow chairs! So cute!
    My parents built a nice gate for their dog so he could go out onto the deck unsupervised. It looked just like the rest of the railing, but they could put it in front of the stairs to block them. Of course, he was a lot bigger than Burger and couldn’t fit though the gaps between the posts…maybe that would be a problem for Burger?

    Reply

  49. Vicki J says

    We have gated our deck at the lakehouse. There are always dogs and children who want to push the boundries. The smaller openings are just on hinges and the larger openings have the hinges but also wheels on the bottom so there is no swag in the middle.

    Its so nice to be able to open the doors and not worry about where the pets are off to!

    Reply

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