Love the outdoors, but mainly to snack on a cheese platter and sip cocktails? Then you’ll love the new deck at our renovation!
A deck (or verandah) is a quintessential renovation addition for an Australian home, and so when we got our hands on our tiny little cottage we knew that a new deck was a must. I love just how open and relaxed this space turned out, it’s the perfect spot to whip up and margarita and chill out with friends… or Frankie! And because a lovely outdoor dining space isn’t the same without furniture worth hanging out on for hours, we got together with Lounge Lovers to style this space into the perfect outdoor oasis. Read on for more!
Dining set from Lounge Lovers, Rug from Etsy, Vases from The Bach Living, Outdoor safari inspired curtain is a DIY.
Renovation Reveal: The Outdoor Dining Space
Before
I absolutely LOVE the before view of our house, it really is just so iconically Australian with that lop-sided hills hoist in the back yard. But alas, it was time to upgrade – not only was it tiny but with the addition of the extension to the house, it pretty much ceased to exist!
What we did
Extended the House There was a deck on the house originally, but when we lifted the house the shoddy addition simply fell off the back, making way for us to build something really beautiful and functional.
Got the flow right I’ve always really wanted an open outdoor space that directly connected to the kitchen, meaning you can easily wine and dine outdoors without it feeling a chore to go between the two spaces. So when we put together the design, we really considered creating an open plan space that flowed from the kitchen/dining into the outdoor space.
Opted for Stacking Sliding Doors Because we wanted to be able to open up the whole living space, huge doors ere essential. But instead of picking bi-fold doors which is what lost of people do, Ben thought it was a better idea to get stacking sliding doors instead, because this avoided a big space being needed when the doors were folded open.
After
And without further ado, here’s the outdoor space! It’s very simple, but at the same time allows for a few functions and (importantly) lots of people!
Styling The Outdoor Space
A Minimalist Dining Set The right dining set up is key for a great outdoor space, particularly one like ours that flows from kitchen into dining. Somewhere great to eat was a must! For this piece, I really wanted a simple and minimalist style, and was so happy to find this table and benches from Lounge Lovers. They’re the perfect functional pieces that don’t take away from the simple design of the outdoor area.
A Spot for Lounging Once you’ve gone to town on dinner and dessert, you’re definitely going to want somewhere to sprawl.. m. At least that’s how I roll! I wanted somewhere that you could really take a load off, and this rattan lounger from Lounge Lovers was the perfect piece (they also have this rattan chair that I love!).
Shading & Privacy One of the things about living in any built up neighbourhood is that chances are you’ll have some overlooking from the neighbours. Which I can totally deal with! But for the outdoor space J wanted more of a private and secluded feel. For that reason, we made these DIY linen curtains, with oversized rivets that give a semi safari vibe to the whole space. I’m into it! Better yet, they also offer great shading from the afternoon sun.
Colour & Personality It wouldn’t be my verandah without a whole heap of colourful textiles. I was keen to have the feel of the decor of the living space home flow through out onto the deck, so chose some great rugs and textiles to complement the space. I love the cushions made from rug fabric!
A Touch of Greenery Lastly, we wanted to include a bit more greenery in the space, so added some potted plants to the corners of the deck to give to a green and cosy feel. The big trees at the back of the house and out the side add a really amazing feel. Those ones are in the neighbours yards but we have also planted a mature poinciana in the yard as part of the landscaping, so I’m excited for it to grow nice and big!
Rattan day bed from Lounge Lovers, Rug from Etsy, Dining set from Lounge Lovers, Vase from The Bach Living
Rattan Day Bed from Lounge Lovers, Rug cushions from Marr-Kett, Mud cloth cushions are a DIY, Rug from Etsy.
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Decor & Materials in this Post
Haymes Paint in Minimalist, Rattan Day Bed from Lounge Lovers, Rug cushions from Marr-Kett, Dining table from Lounge Lovers, Outdoor curtains are a DIY, Vase and candle from The Bach Living, Rug from Etsy, Plants and plant pots from Bunnings.
This post is in collaboration with Lounge Lovers
