All Decked Out

We've (mainly Adam) been working on sprucing up our deck over these last few months.  Updating the exterior siding of our house started the process off.  Adam has always wanted to improve our deck.  When we bought our house, the deck spanned a large portion of the back of the house and was mostly covered.  It was a nice idea, but after we took a closer look at it, the deck wasn't built in the most structurally sound way.  When we first moved in, Adam and some very kind family members came to help shore everything up and make sure it was nice and sturdy.  It was very clear the deck had been built in three different installments.  There was the original covered deck, then an extension of the deck (also covered), and finally a smaller section that was probably used for a grill.  There were lots of vertical posts and two doorways so we assume it was once screened in or the previous owners had planned to screen it in at some point.  It was alright, but there was an overall lack of craftsmanship and was starting to show its age.  It was time to make our deck shine!       

Here's where our deck started out: 

This was after it had been shored up to be structurally sound and Adam had replaced some of the lattice that critters had chewed through.  Again, it was okay, but it certainly wasn't anything special.  

With plans to have new siding added to our exterior, Adam got to work planning how to reconfigure our deck to maximize using materials we already had on hand.  We wanted to keep what we could, but rework sections to make them look and function better.  All the extra posts, beams and horizontal pieces served as a jungle gym for the neighborhood squirrels.  They had started chewing up a bunch of parts of our deck and even some of our siding!  (Fun fact: Squirrels' incisors never stop growing, which is why they continuously chew on acorns, siding, decking and even plastic solar lights.)  

We decided to remove part of deck roof (the middle section that looks a little taller in the above picture.)  We don't typically get sun on the back of the deck until the middle of the afternoon because the house blocks it.  We also have several shady trees, which adds even more protection from the sun.  So we weren't too concerned with removing part of the deck covering.  There was also some water damage happening where the two deck roofs met and we wanted to eliminate any further mold issues.  The crew who worked on our siding removed the upper deck roof.  Adam marked which pieces of lumber he wanted to save and actually used most of that lumber to build the kids' swing set.  You know I'm all about reusing things we already have these days, so this made me very happy!  

Removing half of the covered deck made such a big difference!  I didn't realize how much of a difference it would make until I saw it with my own eyes!  It really opened up the back of the house and let some of our house's architecture shine through.  

Once a portion of the deck roof was removed, Adam got busy reworking the posts for the remaining portion of the deck roof.  He took out two of the posts and added some bracing to the two posts that stayed to offer up support and decorative details.    

You'll also notice Adam replaced the very tired-looking lattice on the side of the deck.  He replaced the lattice with deck skirting.  He used deck boards to finish off the sides and help keep critters out.  There's a small gap in between the boards to allow for airflow.  This really helped make the deck look finished and like a cohesive part of the exterior of our house.   

The next order of business was to figure out what to do with the railings.  We tossed around the idea of removing them completely, like we did on our front porch.  That would definitely open things up!  But parts of our deck are fairly high off the ground, so we didn't want anyone toppling off of it.  We also thought about doing stairs that wrapped around the whole deck.  But we thought furniture placement might be tricky, and again might not be the safest option.  So we knew we needed some sort of railings.  The wooden railings we had before just seemed so bulky and obstructed the view.  We considered doing slimmer wrought iron rails, but thought that might look equally busy to the wood railings.  I've always been a fan of cable railings and got Adam to entertain the idea after finding some inspiration photos online.  Once Adam was convinced cable railings were the way to go, he got to work researching every possible option out there.  He finally settled on buying the HAAS REVO Stainless Steel Cable Railing System from E-Rigging.  He liked that the materials were made in the United States and had lots of handy how-to videos to help with installation.  

The supplies took awhile to arrive from ....due to COVID-19 and hurricanes, neither of which could be helped.  While we were waiting on the supplies, we got busy prepping the posts.  Adam started by cutting off some of the posts, lowering the overall height of the handrail.  Lowering the height of the handrail helped free up our line of sight while seated on the deck.  Whenever we sat at the table on the deck, the handrail was smack dab in the middle of our sight line.  So lowering it was the perfect solution.  Adam made sure to check our local codes to make sure it was still at an appropriate height.  Once the posts were cut and leveled, he added new wood for the handrails.  The previous handrails were pretty boogered up and a bit warped.  He also had to work on shoring and leveling up some of the posts to make sure the cable railing would be level when it was installed.  

Once all the posts and handrails were good to go, we got to work painting them white.  We decided the white would tie in with the other white trim on the house.  Plus, we had leftover wood primer and white paint from the front porch we could use.  Nana and Ted came over to help us out.  Ted pitched in with the painting while Nana watched Archer and Lyla.  The fresh white paint definitely crisped things up!  Adam eventually added a clear coat (General Finishes Exterior 450 Water-Based Topcoat in Gloss) to the handrail to help keep the white looking fresh since its prone to bird poop and grubby, little hands.  Once the paint was dry, Adam drilled holes in the posts in preparation for the cable rail system.  

Adam was also working on the deck boards during this time.  Our deck floor has always been a bit bouncy, so Adam pulled up some decking boards to figure out what was happening.  It turned out some of the floor joists were missing joist hangers, so he added the necessary joist hangers to make the floor nice and sturdy.  He also replaced a few deck boards that were looking a little too worn.  Adam then turned his attention into making the deck floor look like one cohesive floor instead of looking like a deck floor that had been installed in three distinct, different sections.  He feathered in new pieces and sanded down the whole floor, as you can see in the above photo.  It was starting to look like a whole new deck after he was finished with these steps!  

Speaking of steps, Adam also reworked the stairs on either side of the deck, along with the set of stairs that lead down from the door in the kitchen.  Widening the stairs on either side of the deck helped to open things up, but also make them look more intentional.  These are the kinds of details that sometimes seem like overkill to me when Adam is in the planning stages, but the details that totally make a difference once he brings them to life.  

Now that all the reworking and prepping was complete, it was time to stain the deck floor.  As usual, Adam researched every possible option and scoured the internet for reviews on every product on the market.  Ultimately, Adam decided to go with Osmo Decking Oil.  While it was on the pricier side, it promises no peeling and will allow the wood to breathe.  It claims to be water-repellent and weather and UV resistant.  It also boasts very low VOCs, which makes us feel better knowing Archer, Lyla and Jazzy will be clocking many hours on the deck.  He ordered a few different color samples so we could see what they would look like in person.  We decided Rosewood would be the best option.  It was the perfect brown tone that played well with the blue siding, looked crisp against the white painted posts and handrails and tied in with the shutters on the front of our house.

Adam ordered the Wood Reviver Power Gel, the Decking Oil in Rosewood and a couple brushes.  He got the deck good and clean using the Wood Reviver Power Gel and then made sure it was fully dry before we moved onto the staining step.  Nana was kind enough to come over and watch the kids so I could lend a hand to the staining process.  Adam and I tackled this step over the course of two days.  We put on the first coat on day one, let it dry overnight, then added the second and final coat the following day.  It covered beautifully and really soaked into the wood.  We did use some clean rags to wipe away the excess stain after brushing it on.  In addition to the deck floor, we also stained the three sets of stairs and the deck skirting on the sides of the deck.  

It turned out gorgeous!  The finish is very luxe and the color is perfect.  It is definitely water-repellent and hasn't faded in the few months since we've stained it.  I will mention that since it's a darker color, it does show some dirt and dust.  But it's also a deck and that's to be expected.  I don't really mind seeing Jazzy's sweet little footprints on the deck occasionally.  

Once the deck was stained, the cable rail supplies arrived and Adam got to work on installing the railing.  It wasn't a horribly complex process, but it did take some time and an extra set of hands during a few parts.  The finished railing is perfect for our deck!  It keeps that open feeling we were after, but also provides some safety.  While we've discouraged Lyla and Archer from climbing up the wires, it is sturdy enough to hold their weight.  I love that I can sit on the deck and my view of the kids playing on their swing set isn't obstructed.  So far the squirrels haven't bothered it at all.  It's also a lot easier to blow off any leaves that accumulate on the deck with the leaf blower since we don't have bulky railings in the way.

To make things even more comfortable, Adam installed a new ceiling fan under the deck roof.  Turning it on keeps flying insects at bay and adds a nice breeze.  And since we've removed all the extra beams and posts, the squirrels can't get on top of the new fan like they did with the old fan.  Adam also added an outlet so we can add lights if we ever want to.  

With the deck looking so picture perfect, we couldn't not complete the final step of adding rock around the deck.  We had planned to tackle this at a later date, but before I knew it 7 tons of rock was delivered to our driveway!  We created a new border around the deck using large cobblestones.  The large cobblestones will allow the tree roots to grow without disturbing a more permanent border.  We tried to make it a little curvier and reclaim some of the yard, too.  While we were both pretty sore after lugging 7 tons of rock around our yard, it really does finish off the backyard so nicely!  Adam added some grass seed around the border to help fill in some of the bare spots.  Just over the last couple weeks the grass has finally filled in.    

Along with all the cobbles, we also got some larger flagstone to create the perfect little path to the hammock.

 

Let's end with a few before and after shots, shall we? 

It's safe to say the backyard is looking pretty snazzy these days.  We love to spend time on the deck and have enjoyed lots of meals and playtime out there.  As I was pushing the kids in their swings the other day, I was gazing at the sweet swing set, the gorgeous deck and our cute little shed and felt a huge wave of gratitude.  I sure am lucky to have such a beautiful home with a beautiful backyard!  I'm lucky to have such a handy husband who can complete so many of these projects!  And I'm very lucky to get to watch Lyla, Archer and Jazzy enjoy this space we call home!  I'm a lucky girl indeed.  

Using What I Have

Since I've spent so much time at home lately, I've been looking for ways to make small tweaks to some spaces around our home.  And since I've been trying to reduce the waste we produce and all the stuff we consume, I've been using things I already have to spruce things up.  My latest target was my laundry room. 

The first thing I did was repaint the generic canvas that was hung up to cover the water hook-ups.  At first I was going to try to find some different artwork or order a canvas photograph, but then I decided I could just use what I already have!  I have plenty of acrylic paints leftover from other projects, so I pulled a few colors that went well together.  EttaVee was my inspiration (though what I ended up with is nowhere near her gorgeous artwork!) so I picked some bright happy colors like pink, orange and yellow.  I also pulled in colors that coordinated with the wall color like teal and navy.  I didn't really know what I was doing, so I just squirted globs of paint on the canvas and swirled it around with a paintbrush.  The final project is bright and happy and makes me smile.  Plus, it was free! 

Next, I took down the blinds.  I've decided I just don't care for blinds.  They collect dust and prevent the maximum amount of sunshine from coming in, even when they're open.  So I took those suckers down.  I left the window naked for a few weeks before deciding my next move.  Since the window is crammed in the corner of the room, I decided I needed some sort of window treatment that fit within the window frame.  I considered making a Roman shade, like I did in the kitchen.  But I decided I didn't really need a functioning shade since I wouldn't be opening and closing it each day.  That's when I decided a little valance would do the trick.  

I wanted something that was fun and had a little whimsy.  (I need all the happiness I can get when doing laundry!)  So I started looking for valances online and saw some cute ones with pom poms and tassels.  I almost bought one, but I looked a little closer and realized I had everything I needed to just make one myself.  After a little searching, I found a handy video that showed me how to make tassels.  I decided to go with teal and navy tassels, to pick up some of the colors from my painting. 

Once my tassels were made, I set about making the valance.  I decided to go with simple white.  I ended up using some curtain lining leftover from my Roman shades.  It was pretty sheer, so I doubled up the layers to make it less see-through.  I wanted my final curtain length to be about a foot long, so I added 3 inches to allow for the hanging process.  The width inside my window became the width of the curtain, but I added an inch to allow for a half inch seam allowance on each side.  I folded the two layers in half and sewed the sides shut.  So the bottom ended up being folded and the top was open, like a pillowcase.  I flipped it inside out and ironed out all the wrinkles at this point.  

Now it was time to add the tassels.  I ended up using a large upholstery needle to sew on my tassels.  I needed a larger eye for my embroidery thread to fit through and an upholstery needle did the trick.  I sewed the tassels on the bottom of the curtain (the folded part) and tied the knots to secure them inside the curtain.  And I used the ol' eyeballing it method to decide how far apart to space each tassel.  (Don't tell Adam.)    

Next, I moved onto figuring out how to hang it up, again, using what we already had on hand.  I decided to use a similar method that we used when installing the Roman shades.  I had Adam cut down a 1x2 to the width of the curtain.  I wrapped it in the same white fabric and stapled the fabric on, much like you would wrap a present.  Just use staples instead of tape.  Then I stapled the top of the curtain (the open side) to the top of the board.  I didn't worry about finishing the top of the curtain since it will never be seen sandwiched between the board and the top of the window trim.   

  

Finally, I held it in place inside the window frame, while Adam screwed it into the top of the window frame from the bottom of the 1x2.  We made sure to pre-drill the holes first so the drill wouldn't bunch up the fabric.    

It turned out adorable!  The curtain helps finish off the window and adds a little fun to the space.  It also helps tie in the painting.  

These scrappy DIY projects are always my favorite.  There really is something to be said about making something yourself.  I tend to enjoy them long after I've finished making them and they bring about a sense of pride.  And isn't that what your home should be all about?  Your home should definitely be a place you're proud to call home and a space you enjoy being in.  

Making Over My Living Room For Free!

Spending more time at home during this pandemic has made me a little stir-crazy!  It's been trickier to try to find things to do to keep myself entertained.  While I was sitting on our couch the other day watching Cocomelon for the thousandth time, it dawned on me that I should rearrange my living room!  I realized that as soon as you walk into our living room, the first thing that stands out is the TV.  While it lives on a very cute cabinet, it's still not the prettiest thing to look at upon walking into my living room.  So the gears started turning in my head and I considered what it might look like if I swapped where the couch and the TV cabinet were situated.  I decided a nice view of the couch would be more welcoming than the TV.  

So I whipped out my measuring tape and measured our sofa table and couch to make sure it would fit beside the fireplace.  According to my measurements, it would just fit.  Now, I'm a very visual person.  I typically need to see something in person before I make a decision about it.  So it was a little bit risky to swap around my whole living room on a whim.  Switching things up meant I'd also have to move artwork, fill in nail holes and repaint.  Plus, I'd have to deal with all those cords behind the TV cabinet.  After hemming and hawing about it for a few days, I decided to just go for it.  What else did I have to do?   

So while Adam gave the kids a bath, I got to work.  I decided our couch cushion covers could use a good cleaning while I was at it.  Luckily they are removable, so I took all those off (along with Archer and Lyla's chair covers) and started the laundry.  Then I got to work doing the heavy lifting. 

While moving around the couch and TV cabinet, I took the opportunity to give the carpets a good vacuuming and I dusted all the baseboards.  I thought my house was clean, but my baseboards behind the couch told a different story!    

It was at this point in the evening, when I started to regret my decision to rearrange.  But I continued on!  

As I got the sofa table and couch in their new home, things started to fall into place.  I knew it was the right call and was glad to have made the switch!  Even without all the cushions on the couch, it seemed so much more welcoming!  (You know, for all the guests we have these days.)

Once the couch cushion covers were dry, I wrangled those back on the cushions.  Boy, was that a job!  I was sweating by the end of that task.  I also plan to never remove those covers from Lyla and Archer's chairs ever again.  I think I burned 1,000 calories trying to get them back on!  

But let's take a look at some before and afters so you can see what I'm talking about: 

So much better, right? 

I took advantage of some more space in the corner next to the TV cabinet to make a little reading nook for Archer and Lyla.  I tucked in their chairs and toy basket to make them a space all their own.  While Lyla and Archer have free reign of the living room, it is nice to have their chairs and toys tucked into the corner.  Plus, it gives them more room to spin around and dance and build train tracks.  Archer and Lyla have certainly taken full advantage of all the new space! 

Adam and the kids were happy with the changes, but poor Jazzy took some time getting used to the new setup!  She had a designated spot on the couch where she would look out the window.  I moved her blanket over to the other window, but she wasn't too excited about her new perch.  The day after I rearranged, I would find Jazzy in a different spot on the couch each time I walked into the living room.  She couldn't quite figure out where she was supposed to sit! 

But some treats helped her get it all sorted out.  I'm sure she'll have a Jazzy-sized dent in this new couch cushion in no time at all. 

So there you have it!  I completely transformed our living room without spending a dime!  So if you're bored like me, wander around your house and try to find a room to tackle.  Even sitting on the couch now makes me feel like I have a whole new point of view.  Happy rearranging!