In addition to our 1,400 square feet of interior space, our house benefits from some wonderful outdoor areas—most notably a large second-story deck off of our family room. Being up among the trees has quickly made this deck one of our favorite “rooms,” and in this post I’ll walk through how we use it, why we set it up the way we did, and how we keep it low-maintenance.
When we bought the house in February it was raining, so we didn’t spend much time out here at first. You may remember the “before” photo we shared with our exterior before & afters in May. Since then we’ve painted the house, replaced rotting deck boards with Trex, and installed new, solid railings. Some old features—like the pergola and an old chimney—were removed during the repairs, which revealed how large the deck truly is. In fact, it feels like the largest room in the house and that size required careful planning so the space would be useful instead of just filled with furniture for its own sake.
We divided the deck into clear functional zones: (1) a comfortable lounge and conversation area, (2) an outdoor dining/game table, and (3) a flexible “placeholder” zone where we’ll decide on a long-term use later. Before I dive into details, there’s a short walk-through video that shows the deck’s scale and how the spaces transition from day to night. You can view that on YouTube if you want a quick visual tour.
Note: You can also view this video here on YouTube.
We learned over the last decade that we rarely used outdoor areas that required too much effort to maintain or to make usable. A past outdoor dining setup taught us that cushions that don’t dry quickly become more work than they’re worth. With that in mind, our priority here was function first: making sure everything is ready to use at a moment’s notice and that we aren’t spending money on pretty-but-impractical pieces.
The conversation area centers on an outdoor sofa we brought from Richmond. It’s about seven years old and has held up well thanks to an annual pressure-wash of the cushions. Because the sofa sits in shade most of the day, the cushions didn’t dry as quickly as we wanted, so we devised a simple, low-profile solution to keep them dry and ready to use: a waterproof sun-sail shade used as a cover.
Traditional furniture covers can be bulky, collect water in folds, and are awkward to store. Instead we use an inexpensive, 100% waterproof sun sail that just drapes over the cushions. It’s quick to put on and take off, and when it’s not in use we store it out of sight behind the couch. Two short bungee cords hook onto metal rings sewn into the shade and secure it under the couch so it stays put in wind or light storms.
To finish the lounge area we added a compact outdoor coffee table and a pair of wood-and-wicker chairs whose weave complements the sofa. The seating is deep and comfortable, so we brought in a couple of large 22″ outdoor pillows to fill out the backs. These pillows are lightweight and quick-drying, so they can stay out between uses without concern.
The dining and game area sits beyond the lounge. We replaced our old wooden table—which had rotted over time—with a faux-wood aluminum table that resists rot and is easy to clean. Because it stays shaded most of the day, the table doesn’t get uncomfortably hot, and the aluminum construction gives us durability and low maintenance.
For seating we chose black molded chairs with drainage holes so they’re always ready for use and won’t hold moisture. We bought two sets of four so the table is ready for dinners, game nights, and casual work sessions—we’ve already used it far more in the last few months than our old table saw in years.
The remaining area beside the couch is currently a deliberate placeholder. Rather than rush to fill the gap, we left it open while we decide whether we want a hammock, a potted garden, or a cushionless double lounge for reading and napping. For now Sherry rescued a couple of bistro chairs from the curb, which cost nothing and help us visualize possibilities without committing to a purchase.
One of the simplest upgrades that transformed the deck is string lights. We hung three 50-foot strands and discovered the best approach is to loop them entirely around the trees so everything sways together in storms rather than pulling out of hooks. A smart outdoor plug runs them on a schedule so they come on automatically each evening and add a cozy, magical vibe to the space.
Up here among the trees the deck feels like a pocket of calm away from the street. We love watching the pink sunsets through the branches, and the lights make evenings especially inviting. If you’re curious about other outdoor areas at our place, check our earlier exterior before & after post for the front porch, side porch, and outdoor shower updates.
We’re still waiting on a back-ordered item for the side porch—a hanging daybed we plan to build—and we’re excited to see how that piece will complement the rest of the outdoor spaces. For a complete look at our Florida house progress, you can explore our dedicated category where we share updates on both interior and exterior projects.
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