Now that our deck is almost done, I am really looking forward to decorating it. I am also secretly hoping we can get some good deals on outdoor furniture, since it is already so late in the season. To keep the budget in check I am also planning a couple DIY items.
The deck itself has some critical design elements to get the sophisticated modern look we are after. We chose cedar for the deck, but plan to paint all the railings and stair risers white to match the trim on our house. The white will provide a nice contrast to the bronze arc balusters. I love how these metal balusters reduce upkeep for staining/painting. The arc shape is so graceful and helps eliminate the boxy feel of the deck. The deck floor and steps will be stained dark.
We created a deck design with adequate space for a lounge area and a dining area. For the dining area I really like the Weekender Table from CB2. The styling in their photos got me hooked on the idea of putting two smaller tables together to make one large square table to seat 8. The tables could also be lined up to seat 10-12. Since our deck is 24 feet long and 14 feet wide we have plenty of room to accommodate both dining arrangements. Unfortunately, there are some poor reviews on the Weekender Table due to a flaky finish. The price was also more than I wanted to spend, especially considering I want two tables. Luckily, Ana White has some amazing plans for a Simple Outdoor Collection that includes a very similar table and bench. I plan to DIY two tables and two benches to kickstart the dining area. For additional seating, I plan to get 8 Urban chairs in light blue from Ikea. The chairs have great style and are stackable when we need to bring them in for the winter.
For the lounge area, I LOVE the Alfresco Natural Dining Chairs at Crate & Barrel. They are so comfortable and feature my favorite color on the Sunbrella Peacock cushions. I would love to have four arranged around a low coffee table for the outdoor lounge area. I have been watching the sales on this collection all summer and just yesterday I pounced on an amazing deal (more on that tomorrow)!
Sources:
Weekender Dining Table – CB2
Simple Outdoor Collection – building plans by Ana White
Making It Lovely Patio – inspiration for using the Urban chairs
Alfresco Natural Lounge Chair – Crate & Barrel
Urban Chair – Ikea
Arc Balusters – Deckorators
Parterre Indigo Outdoor Fabric – for pillows to coordinate with our DIY play set canopy made from the same fabric
