Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

DIY

Ch-ch-ch-changes on the Deck

May 17, 2018

This post is sponsored by World Market.

Warm weather is here to stay in Idaho now (it's May so I guess it's about time), and a couple weeks ago, we set up our deck for its third season. Like every space in our home, our deck has evolved year to year--which is something that has oddly surprised me. But then I think, why wouldn't it if every other area of our home has evolved? This year, we sold off our two seater sofas we've had for the past 2 years and upgraded to 3 seater sofas (also from World Market!) to maximize our seating while keeping things a little less cluttered.

Before we get into a few more additions (and subtractions) we made this year, can we just take a little walk down memory lane. Back in 2016, before the trees bloomed, clearly, we made the decision to turn this gnarly little space into a sprawling deck.

By May, 2 years ago almost exactly, the deck part was done and we had started setting up some furnishings.

And built a fireplace, too!

Last year (2017), we added a few more things: DIY tiered planter boxes, more seating, a coffee table and I think we went maybe too far. Looking at the photo below--there's just so much stuff!

After selling some things, saving some for the cabin, we made a few calculated updates this year. First of all, we swapped out the tiered planter boxes for 6 arborvitae trees.

We realized that when we built the planter boxes, we were really hoping to add some greenery in front of the fences. And while they achieved that to some level, they also added another thing--objects, another wood tone, and a chore, really--evergreen hedges were what the deck really needed. Last month, we cut the deck straight across at the fireplace and reconfigured the supports and just last week brought in more mature arborvitae (the plan is to keep them trimmed as they grow so they don't exceed the height of the fireplace) and the heavens parted. It's just what we needed out here.

The larger 3-seater sofas were a reminder of the importance of scale to me. We had this huge, sprawling deck and larger furniture is just more expensive, so instead we filled it with a bunch of smaller pieces because it was more budget-friendly, but also because we love to entertain and have people over!

These 3-seater sofas (a part of the Whitewash Sevilla Outdoor Collection from World Market) fit our space so much better and allowed a lot more breathing room while still accommodating family and friends. Plus! The price was right (we got them on sale and they're having a sale right now, too!)

The number one question we always get is how do we keep our outdoor furniture clean?  You can read this post where we talk about that and you probably saw a few photos up, we have a big cover we put over the whole thing if inclement weather is about to hit or if the pollen (or cotton! gosh the cotton right now!) is bad.

But the truth is, summers around here are Idaho's best kept secret. We live in a dry climate that never gets too hot and we basically live out here until from May to late September/October. We haven't dug out outdoor dining table and chairs out from storage yet, but that hasn't stopped the girls from bringing all their snacks outside. World Market asked us if there was a specific refreshment we enjoy with our girls out here and Chris makes an amazing Peach Mint Lemonade that feels so fresh this time of year. Recipe below!

Peach Mint Lemonade
Water - 2 quarts
Lemon Juice - 1/2 cup, fresh squeezed
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Mint - 2 sprigs w/ 4-6 leaves on each
Lemon Slices - 3
Ice - 3 cups
Directions
In a pitcher, combiner the water, lemon juice, sugar and peach syrup. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the mint, lemon slices, and ice, and stir a couple times. Serve cold. We love using this unbreakable acrylic pitcher and stemless glasses outside.

We'll share more as soon as we have the rest of our furnishings set up out here but if there's one thing we love sharing most, it's how our spaces evolve and how OKAY that is.

You can see more of how we use our space as a date night in (and Chris's snack he whipped up just for us!) over on World Market's blog right here.

SOURCES

Whitewash 3 Seater Sofa
Warm Diamond Pillow
Black and White Kilim Pouf
Macrame Pillow
Black and White striped lumbar pillow
12.5" Barcelona Vase
Black Bamboo Lanterns
All Weather Wicker Accent Stool
Area Rug
DIY Fireplace
Coffee Table

SaveSave

filed under: 
— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. LOVE your deck!! Thanks so much for sharing your process. As I've been updating our backyard and we've started hanging out back there, there is one thing that really is a pain - the mosquitoes!! Do you guys have that problem? Do you do anything about it? We love being outside, but...the little buggers make it kinda suck.

  2. Hi! We have a deck my husband and FIL built, but it seems so dirty all the time that I hate the kids touching the railing or playing on their knees. Its like brake dust thick dust that settles and embeds itself over time. We've stained it a couple of times because the kids like to play water on it but we cant keep up with 3 kids. Do you think its worth it to replace the tops (deck tops & railings) to trex? Is yours built with trex? We're trying to make whats there work and add cement around for the kids to play basketball in and ride their ride-ons hopefully beforee summer ends.

    1. Trex is a great material, though you'll still need to clean it. We pressure wash our deck weekly - sometimes twice weekly - to keep it clean.

  3. Love your outdoor space. It is ahhhmazing!!! I was wondering if you had a source for the pitcher and glasses you have your Peach Mint Lemonade in? Any feedback you have would be great! Love all that you do! Thank you for sharing.

  4. Stunning. What a beautiful space; the changes you made are just perfect. I can well understand basically living out there for the next few months!

    Are the silver dollar/eucalyptus sprays those that you've shared before, from Pottery Barn? Please say no! I so very badly want them, but they are out of stock at PB. Really hoping that you're going to say these are a different source (or are they real? They look real!).

  5. Hi! We love your outdoor space and are contemplating purchasing these exact couches! However when we sat in these couches the cushions seemed stiff to us. Have you noticed do that they soften over time? I understand you just purchased these, but did you notice the cushions soften with the last couches you had (assuming those were world market too)? Thank you!!

  6. I've been stalking World Market waiting for the three seater sofa to come back in stock.Our newly built pergola is up and stained and waiting!!! I'm with you on scale.For now we are trying to enjoy the space in camping chairs until they are back in stock.????

  7. It looks great this season! Loving the more simplified look. I agree, the scale of those sofas is so much better for that enormous space! (I do think you need a larger coffee table out there now though haha.. doesn't it always snowball like that?!)

      1. I was gonna say the same thing about the coffee table. Maybe another round table that's slightly smaller than the other one would be a good addition. It would fill the space and make it so each side has a table closer to them. I guess in my head I'm thinking of these like nesting tables...

  8. So pretty! I love seeing the transition! And love seeing the old pic of Charley - and new ones of Willow. :)

  9. Looking so welcoming! Can't wait to see it at night with the string lights! p.s. hi Willow, I see you back there!

  10. Love it! Did I miss the post about your outdoor grill situation or will you be putting that up soon? Remember watching it on Instagram but not sure I ever saw the final result.

  11. And I thought it looked great before! But better now. What will you do with the former planters?

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

The Marcum family dressed as characters from the classic edition of Clue: The Game.
Entertaining

Our Halloween Family Costumes 2024: I'll Give You One Clue

It was Professor Plum, with the knife, in the Conservatory. Happy Halloween from Clue characters: 1986 edition! Shop Costume Inspiration Over the years, we've dressed as everything from dolls and monsters to Peter Pan, E.T. characters, and The Wizard of Oz. But in the last several years, one of our kids has usually chosen our costumes. If you look back, you […]
Wayfair Holiday Christmas collage round up
Decor

The Best Holiday Finds at Wayfair

This post is sponsored by Wayfair We bought this gorgeous, extremely realistic tree from Wayfair in 2019. It may be my best Christmas find ever because it has moved across the country with us, and it's the first thing we decorate every year (and that last thing we put away when the season is over). […]
product lines

Meet the New Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Pillows for Fall 2024

With the Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Rugs launch this season, we just had to add some new pillows too! For this collection, like all of our lines, we designed the pillows colorwise and pattern-wise to all work together. But there are some fun surprises too (including new floor pillows and a brand-new ruffle pillow […]
Outdoor dining table scene in front of ivy brick wall with a beautiful beige geometric outdoor rug
product lines

The Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Rugs Fall 2024 Collection

I can't believe this is our fourth year working with Loloi! For this season's rugs, we are bringing in new styles that haven’t been seen before, which is really fun. It's also exciting to be able to expand popular collections like the Jules rug, which offers beautiful vintage-style rug patterns at an affordable price. For […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2024 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES