All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy
After a whirlwind makeover, my outdoor living room! My little deck in the Hollywood Hills refreshed! (above)
About two months ago, I received an email from a reader saying something like: “Coco, you had said you were going to makeover your deck at the beginning of the year. I’ve been waiting. Where is your deck makeover?”. Meaning no disrespect at all, I archived the email…a haunting reminder of all of the things on my to-do list that I hadn’t done. I do appreciate all of the notes I receive from readers…but for some reason, this one email really hit home (literally).
So rather than jumping on the task of doing my deck right after I received said email…I procrastinated even more…days went by…weeks…and then months. It was on my to-do list but I knew it would take weeks and weeks to makeover the deck the way I wanted…maybe even a month.
Well lucky for me CF, related to best of friend FF, popped into the picture. CF emailed me about a week ago saying she was coming to town and that FF had suggested she reach out to me…I was thrilled. I wanted CF to come stay with me at my tiny little house in the hills…lucky for me she accepted my invite for one night and then she was heading off to Malibu for a bachelorette party!
After CF accepted my invite, I started to think…this is so great…a friend from New Orleans coming to visit…lah dee dah…where will go to dinner…how much fun…we’ll have a blast…!
But then the thoughts got a little more involved (a little darker perhaps)…hmmm…CF lives with FF and CCF in a huge mansion in New Orleans…I live in a tiny cottage in the Hollywood Hills…I have a guest coming to visit who lives in a house that is about 18,000 square feet…I live in a flea size cottage with all rooms in under 750 square feet…hmmmm…oh no…my house is small…oh dear…hmmmm….ohhhhhh dear….oh no…..ohhhhh boy ohhhhh boy….
It was after this mansion vs. cottage realization that I went into literal shock. Inertia set in. I was frozen with fear.
Well dear readers…fear is sometimes the best motivator. Remember my deck that I had not redecorated for 6 months…well, for no apparent reason, I decided a deck redecorate in less than a week would be the solution to the mansion vs. cottage issue. Makes no sense…I know…but this is the way my mind works. (Btw, one person at my office laughed at my dilemma and said I should just put up a bunch of mirrors around the house and maybe it would give the illusion of more space…grrrrrrr)
All of this to say…here is the Part 1 of a series on my deck redecorate…will share with you details on fabrics, accessories and costs in upcoming post(s).
It took me exactly 5 days to do it all…deck refinished, fences painted, all furniture reupholstered, teak furniture refinished, custom pillows made, accessories bought and flowers added in…
Take a look at the before and after…I actually liked the way it looked before…very rustic…canyon style living…but I think this new look is good for a bit of change.
BEFORE, my deck was rustic and woodsy and covered with leaves!(above)
AFTER, a corner of my deck is more tailored and bright colors nicely contrast with the white fence. (above)
AFTER, my new outdoor fabrics in a mix of playful prints! (above)
WAY BEFORE, my deck back in 2002 when I first moved into my house…it was well worn, dreary and was about to collapse. (above)
BEFORE, back in 2009 when this photo was taken and until last week, my deck was monochromatic in browns and tans…it blended right in with the natural setting (I liked that by the way…the blending). (above)
AFTER, I introduced a color palette of greens, browns, off whites and blues to compliment the outdoor hillside setting. (above)
AFTER, a tall centerpiece floral arrangement on the dining table of white Daisies and Pom Poms blends well with the setting and these flowers last for eons outdoors! (above)
BEFORE, the main seating area in this outdoor living room lacked style or pops of color. (above)
AFTER, the outdoor living room area is grounded with a geometric cane pattern outdoor rug and reupholstered cushions on the teak outdoor furniture. (above and below)
I love a pretty white daisy! (above)
I know this outdoor room makeover did not turn my house into a mansion…but I’m pretty happy with the results!
Please let me know what you think…good or bad…(you are welcome to not like the results too…if you don’t just let me know…I love hearing all opinions and feedback…). Comment below.
Also, thank you to the reader and CF who both motivated me to hop into action.
xoxo
Coco
P.S. I struggle a bit with this makeover as I did like the rough unfinished look of the deck before…now I feel like I’ll have to polish and shine and wash and primp the space all summer long and into the winter. Before, I just let the leaves pile up, let the furniture get dirty, let the teak weather…it was what you might call the “lazy look”. LOL!
P.P.S. Stay tuned for more posts on the deck including resources on where I got everything and a post on how the deck can go from colorful to all white – I’ll tell you how later!
P.P.S. To see the side by side comparison and more photos of the deck way back when in 2002…before even the “before”…go to the official COCOCOZY FACEBOOK PAGE. The deck was really a wreck when I first moved in back in 2002 (or 2001…not sure). You have to see!
All photos in this post by Coco of Cococozy
Gorgeous!!! LOve the transformation!
LOVE your new deck! the blues and greens mixed with a little brown and the patterns is just fab! great job coco!
Having company coming is a great motivator, I try to have some gathering at least twice a year to get things done that I put on the back burner. I love your transformation it looks so fresh and inviting. I think it adds fun!! A place to relax or have a party,Enjoy you did a great job and very fast I might add!! Kathysue
Company always motivates me, too! It looks so great!
Wonderful, elegant and ever-so-fresh new look! And very welcoming for your guest! Looking forward to your “deck” stories — and deck details — especially about the teak furniture! I have an old, old teak cart that needs a bit of love!
Jan at Rosemary Cottage
This looks so great! Congrats – looking forward to hanging out on it one of these days….
Luv the after — now will you please come over to my house?
Love the way the green garden stools pick up the colors of the palms and greenery. Also like the fact that the outdoor pillows can be changed out as the seasons change…how cute this will be in the fall with browns and oranges against that white background. We are lucky that we can do that in southern California. Nicely done!
Wonderful transformation with some simple changes. It looks so fresh and comfortable. Alright – now it’s on my to do list. Thanks for the inspiration.
Simply a great job all around. It’s made me want to re-do my patio! And loved the motivation!!! funny what a visit will make you do. LOL!
Charming! I love it!
Chicissime, bravo! I love this post so much. The description of a cottage in the Hollywood Hills sounds SO romantic to begin with, charged with history, surrounded by an interesting mix of architecture (I’ve never been, so this is just my imagination working …) I have visions of your cottage being lived in by writers and rising actors … Anyway, I love your deck, the new version is so chic and bright and self confident, thank you, I really enjoyed my little trip to California!
Sharon
Oh my, how inspiring! I cant wait to hear all the details. Well done!
Shazam! Looks so .. perfect I guess is the only word. The before’s look so dreary and boring. I am SO copying the rug in the outdoor space .. (-:
Good job! smiles.
Everything looks wonderful–all refreshed and brightened up. Love the rug and the pillows really add a punch of color.
What a transformation! Love the outdoor rug.
beautiful job – I have volunteered to host a family reunion this year just to ensure I get my house finished – totally get it.. LOL!
Looks lovely, ready for entertaining. I have been working on a deck makeover of my own, so interesting how using color outdoors can change the look so much.
You are so funny – I love your new deck!
Your new deck looks Amazing. I love the hits of turquoise and the texture/pattern of the rug.
cheers
Susan
Your writing style is sooo adorable! Thank you for being both informative AND entertaining! We need more of that in the world, for sure. Also, I absolutely love the cheery colors of your deck makeover. How could you NOT love being in that outdoor space… whether mansion or cottage is attached?! It is as charming as it is FAB! Kudos.
I love the color palette. It looks so much more alive! Beautiful!
I am revamping my outdoor area and this is such an inspiration!! Especially love your outdoor rug. Any chance you could share your go-to shopping sites for an outdoor rug? Keep up the great work!
Looks so fresh… well done! I am in the process of my own deck make-over so thanks for the inspiration. Of course, this was prompted by houseguests I will be having in 2 weeks. Sometimes that is what it takes to get moving on that “to-do” list!
Cordially,
Ms. Manor
mindingthemanor.blogspot.com
wow, you really got yourself motivated. i can’t believe you did all of this in such a short amount of time! it looks FABULOUS!!
Love this – it looks so much more inviting!
Looks fab — nice work! I especially like your cozy seating arrangements.
thx for your sharing~~^^
Love it!!!
I’am truly in love with the transformation!! The pops of color are amazing!!
Such a beautiful outdoor room! We have a small house and created an outdoor “family room” too. Love the colors, I would love to hang out there.
Londen
wow. amazing vision u have. it was a beautiful space to start with but the colors have truly transformed the feel of it. must be lovely sitting out there. enjoy!
So much nicer and fresher. The great thing about having a smaller place as opposed to a huge house is that you don’t have to clean as much, AND the mortgage is generally quite a bit smaller. ;-)Internet blogs can be a great motivator to getting things done.
So Inviting!
You had a great space, but the refresh punched life and a sense of light hearted fun into the space. When’s the party?
Noticed a comment from “John Eaton”: wondered if he is related to the John Eaton who made a music CD entitled “Indiana On Our Minds” — I saw him perform once, in the early 90s: what a wonderful entertainer! Plus, great CD.
A fire pit table would be nice to keep the party going or to warm up a romantic moment…
Coco, I absolutely love this! You did a fantastic job! I renovated my outside space as well this year. See mine here http://yourcolorvision.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/secret-retreat-tucked-away-in-the-city/
Again, great job and happy holidays!
Holy glam!
I loved how it looked before – very Hollywood Hills but love love love the after. It looks amazing. Of course, I wanted to know how you redid all the furniture, where you got your furniture, who did your reupholstering…just being nosy because I need to do the same thing. Like you – I live in Manhattan Beach in a tiny beach house – can’t get much of anything in LA and have rented our cottage for 4 years and the backyard is a thorn in my side. It needs work and it’s on my list of things to do. This just served as my inspiration. Thanks so much!
Love this outdoor cozy and functional space!
Where did you get the outdoor rug?
I have a deck just begging for a cute rug to add more style 🙂
Love it! I need to copy this exactly! How did you refinish the deck and what color stain did you use? I want to use the exact same color. Thanks for posting this!
Love it! What color stain did you use and did you have to sand the deck first?
Love it!
nice job! love the blues!
I love the color of the cushions!!! green and printed pillows…LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!!!
Wow Love the colors and harmony in your back yard very CREATIVE.
Love the punches of color and how you cleaned it up. Excellent job and I bet it was every bit as nice as the patio in the “big” house 🙂
This makeover is just FABULOUS! I love the pops of colour, it just looks so well put together. I’m dreaming of updating my own little deck (soon – I keep putting it off as well and now it’s Autumn so it’ll be at least another six months!) so I’ve pinned this for a reminder of what can be acheived!
xxx
luce espectacular, en verdad felicidades . . . I love it
Absolutely beautiful! Your BEFORE was good, too. You were just ready for a change. I’m sure when you cleaned your BEFORE look, it looked beautiful, too. I think red roses would have worked your BEFORE. However, great job on the AFTER. Very refreshing.
Love it, does anyone know where the outdoor rug came from? It would amazing on our outdoor terrace!
I am looking for similar teak patio furniture. Where did you get yours or any suggestions?
Kudos to you! So amazing combination of fresh colors, simple but not dull! ♥
Beautiful, fresh, visually stimulating AND peaceful all at the same time… a GREAT success. Wonderful work, I’d love to see photos of it at night with candles and torches lit. The combination of colours are very “salvitory” 🙂