Our Deck Makeover Reveal


Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Walmart. Thanks for supporting the brands that support this blog.

Well guys, we have one “room” in our house done…our deck! All summer long, we’ve been visiting our Finn Fixer Upper to work on the yard. Finn mows; I water the flowers; Finn edges; I pull weeds and we spend all day sweating in the sunshine together. The worst part was that we had nowhere to sit, relax, and get out of the sun during those days of work. The inside of our house was a construction zone with zero seating. Our deck makeover

So in August, I decided to do a little deck makeover. Who cares if the inside of the house wasn’t done? The deck could still look cute! Plus, shopping for outdoor furniture during August works out sooooo well because there are so many amazing deals! We ended up selling our grill and outdoor furniture to our neighbors when we moved, so I was starting fresh for this space. Bring on all the shopping!

Shopping for Outdoor Pieces

I measured our newly stained deck and got to work browsing online. I knew I wanted a large sectional to anchor the space and was so happy when I stumbled upon this one at Walmart. It shipped in two days and Finn and I put it together in under an hour.

I ended up buying most of the items on our deck from Walmart during their DIY & Done Campaign where items are up to 35% off. With this renovation, we’ve been spending money like crazy people so I wanted to save as much as possible when decorating our deck. Most of the items I found ended up being on sale at Walmart and shipped to our new house for free.

Our Deck MakeoverOur deck makeover

I was able to whip this deck makeover together in no time at all. I ordered most of the furniture online and then got some accessories and plants locally to finish it all up. It feels so good to have one small area of our home looking like, well…a home! Not to mention, this area was a welcome refuge when visiting the house over the past four weeks. Walmart deck makeover

Finn and I would come over to the house to check on the interior progress and work on the outside. Then we’d order lunch and actually sit down and relax for a bit. Yes, sit…we finally had a place to sit!

Large Outdoor SectionalLarge outdoor sectional from Walmart

I love the outdoor sectional we chose. I’ve gone with lighter cushions in the past and I’ve always regretted it. This time around I liked the dark charcoal color for less maintenance (except I have had a rogue bird poop here and there. Luckily, it hoses right off!).

The sectional is three separate pieces that can easily attach and re-attach. Finn actually changed the layout a bit when he hosted his Fantasy Football Draft here a few weeks ago (yes, our first big event at the house was his football draft…haha). Outdoor coffee table from Walmart

The sectional also comes with the coffee table, so, all in all, it was a good deal! I love the roped detailing on the edges of the furniture. It’s a funky little touch that makes it more special.

Outdoor RugOutdoor rug from Walmart

You can’t go wrong with a large neutral rug and I was so happy when I found this one. It’s from one of my favorite designers (Erin Gates). I didn’t even know she sold her pieces at Walmart, so I was overjoyed to spot this one online. Outdoor rug from Erin GatesIt has a gorgeous texture to it and the subtle herringbone pattern adds even more interest. I’m a big fan of outdoor rugs on decks because it really makes it feel like an outdoor room, instead of just random furniture thrown together.

Made in the ShadeOutdoor umbrella stand

Finn and I have never had an outdoor umbrella before but holy smokes…this thing is a gamechanger! Our house faces east, so from the afternoon on, we get full sun from the west, on our deck. It can get a little toasty back there in the sunshine, so we knew we wanted some sort of shade. We ended up getting this cantilever umbrella and it is awesome. Again, such a steal (only $80!) and it makes the entire deck feel more secluded and like an outdoor room.

One thing to note, you need heavy weight on the bottom of the umbrella stand. We actually put two of the crossbars under the railing of the deck and then placed heavy pavers on the other sides of the base. This works wonderfully to keep it secure and weighted down. Then, I hid the entire base with a planter and lanterns.

Finn’s New Grill

Finn's new weber grill

I feel like I need to do an entire post about Finn’s new grill. We ended up going with this Weber grill and honestly, he did all of the research for this buy so I can’t share too many details. All I know is that he loves it and it fits in this spot like a glove. It took some time to put together, but now that it’s done, it was well worth the extra effort. Maybe I’ll have Finn share more about the grill (along with a fall recipe!) later this month! Just know that he gives it two thumbs up.

Accessories Galore

If you were to scoop up anything from this post, I’d hiiiiighly recommend this side table. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what it would look like when I bought it for $30. But I’m so pleasantly surprised at the look, style, and quality of this piece. It’s the cutest cement looking side table and I love it with the adorable planter on top. I kinda want to scoop up another one for inside the house somewhere!Outdoor pillows from Walmart

I let the plants bring a lot of color to this space, so for the pillows, I focused on texture. This nubby lumbar is an outdoor pillow but would work well inside too. Striped lumbar pillow

Same goes for this striped lumbar. It’s technically an outdoor pillow, but I’ll probably use it inside once the weather gets cooler!

Outdoor patio

Once I had all of the furniture in place, I ended up hanging string lights from the railings. I just used a wood screw to attach them to the deck. It was a quick and easy DIY project and they make it so cozy out here at night (I’ll have to take some photos after dusk to share with you guys!).

I used these exact same string lights at our condo and they stayed up for three and a half years! Yes, they survived the winter just fine! I think we replaced two bulbs, total, because they burned out. I’m telling ya, these babies are indestructible and they’re perfect for any outdoor patio.

Before & AfterDeck before makeover

Here’s a look at our deck the day we closed on the house. With some stain, furniture, and some accessories, I now have a pretty little outdoor oasis. Our deck makeover before and after

We had a slow start to the summer here in Chicago, so I’m hopeful we’ll have warm days through October. I know Finn and I will definitely enjoy our time on the patio (I see lots of cocktails out here!) throughout the entire fall.

Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.