the RA RA Home: Decked Out

every year we change things around outside, get rid of what's worn out, and add a little new. we totally rearranged all of the furniture this year, mixed up some of the pieces, and decided to bring in more color and pattern. here's the new set up and the plan...

one half of the deck is now a large dining space made up of two old ikea teak tables that we put
together to make one big one. we love to entertain and i have a huge family so we needed as
much seating as possible. the chairs are faux wicker from target a couple years ago. the large
bench across the back is two i borrowed from another set we acquired, that i plan to line with
cushions and colorful throw pillows. our deck faces southwest and gets hammered by the
weather and the tables obviously need some serious tlc.

the other half is now set up like this. as much as i would love to "lounge" on those chaises it never
happens, so i decided to maximize them as a long bench/daybed that can accommodate several people.
these are also from target about five years ago, there's a lot that hasn't survived out here more than
a year or two, except all this faux wicker. it is amazing! i will admit when it first came out several years ago, i was working at restoration hardware and i thought it was a fad, but every year i see more and more styles and in all different price ranges. if you are looking for low maintenance and high durability then this is totally the way to go. those teak chairs on the other hand [hand me downs] are kinda the opposite, but i love them anyway. here's the overall idea for the lounge area, and these colors and ideas will also spill over into the dining area...