Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Colorful Decor and Simple Add-Ons Ready This Deck for Outdoor Living

Colorful Decor and Simple Add-Ons Ready This Deck for Outdoor Living

Stylist Jennifer DeCleene shares the design tricks and easy DIY projects that make up her photo-ready outdoor space.

It's such a cliché to say that Chicagoans live for summer. But after the double whammy of winter and quarantine, it's never felt so true. When my husband, Mike, and I bought our house in 2016, we had big dreams for the backyard, but first we needed to tackle more pressing projects like new windows and plumbing repairs. We bought some basic outdoor furniture that worked fine, but it didn't have much character. Then 2020 rolled around and we committed to staying home, so I focused all my creative energy on the deck, dreaming of brighter days ahead.



The deck spans nearly the whole yard, so I wanted to make the most of it. We divided the long space into a living area on the upper deck and a dining area on the lower deck. The rugs look like woven jute but they're actually super-durable polypropylene ($34-$656, Rugs USA). A blue sconce ($70, Lamps Plus) packs personality into the narrow space. The stackable chairs are Hooper by Safavieh ($292, The Home Depot).

The house is gray, so I had lots of freedom with my palette. I repeated a combo of red, yellow, aqua, and navy in each section and sprinkled potted plants in a mix of containers. (I actually had to be restrained from adding more.)



We pushed together a pair of dining tables to create a large square that can seat eight and suits the size of the deck. We had a smaller table with an umbrella in the center, which always bugged me because I couldn't use a proper tablecloth (#stylistproblems). The area is mostly shaded, so we ditched the umbrella, and I'm free to set the table with abandon now.



The deck narrows in the center, so we created a secondary seating area by pushing a red Brusen love seat ($279, IKEA) against the wall and loading it with a new cushion and some mismatched pillows. On either side, we placed a hibiscus topiary in a groovy pot from The Home Depot. I added the creeping Jenny to the pots-my go-to for tying all my planters together.



I rough-cut landscape fabric to line an IKEA utility cart's mesh trays, planted six small plants per level, and filled in with dirt. I pulled up the too-long fabric sides and used a razor to cut them down 1/4 inch below the tray tops. An "S" hook keeps a pair of snips handy.



We stained the deck with Benjamin Moore Arborcoat in a shade matched to the siding. Our affordable border: hostas transplanted from elsewhere in the yard.



Sure, we occasionally plant a pot here. But when people come over, the potting bench serves as a bar. We tricked it out with a bottle opener screwed onto the side, some S hooks on the lattice back, and a towel bar, which was made with cast-iron pipe and fittings from the hardware store. Up top, we serve Mike's big-batch lemonade with a choice of spirits; below is a beverage bin for the kids.



The window is high, so we needed two shelves: a 10-inch pass-through ledge beneath the window and a 20-inch-wide bar-height counter. A yellow awning ($331, Awntech) and Safavieh Kipnuk stools ($121, The Home Depot) complete "Bistro DeCleene." When not in use, the grill still fits underneath.

Mike built a step (that I flanked with planters) to designate a clear exit off the lower deck.



To help the pine and cedar counter withstand Chicago weather, we filled drill holes with epoxy and coated the wood with primer, exterior paint, and water-repelling spar urethane.



We got the teak sofas from World Market when we first moved in, and the frames were still in great shape, so I had the cushions re-covered with new outdoor fabric. (It's the same print as on the red bench, but in navy.) The striped outdoor pouf set the tone for my accessories' sweet candy color palette. A $15 pair of vintage rattan chairs from The Salvation Army got new cushions too. The plastic coffee table from Wayfair has a perforated top, so it dries quickly after rain. Mike attached wood posts to the railing and crisscrossed café lights from the roofline.

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue is my fave. I used it on interior doors and the one that leads out to the upper deck.



Before sewing these DIY pillows, I used stencils and Tulip brand outdoor upholstery spray paint ($9, Hobby Lobby) to add stars right where I wanted them. To prevent overspray, I taped off any exposed fabric.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
×