Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×