I love designing outdoor spaces, which is kind of odd when you think about it, because I'm what you would call indoorsy. This probably stems from my propensity to sunburn, my total lack of athletic ability, and my distaste of being dirty. All of that to say though: give me a gorgeous patio, great weather, and a cold cocktail, and I AM THERE.

That's why I was super jazzed when Selly contacted me via the blog and asked if I could help her design an outdoor space for her family. They just moved from a teeny tiny apartment in Philadelphia to this gorgeous house in the 'burbs, a whopping 3 times bigger than their old place.

And it came with THIS.

simply crafted outdoor modern deck before

Oh my gosh, this deck. It's the deck of my dreams. Modern and new and spacious. And that view. The stuff of dreams.

We all complain about small spaces, but larger spaces have challenges too. How do you fill up the space without it seeming bare, or overstuffed, or hodge-podge? Their deck needed to fill a few key functions - grilling, outdoor dining, and outdoor lounging. It needs to be kid-friendly (they have 5 year old, 3 year old, and 1 year old boys).

Layout was a challenge, but so were budget and schedule. Selly's style is fantastic. Her Pinterest boards are full of luxe spaces, classic lines, bold colors, big florals, and high style. I was digging it. But we needed to furnish the entire space for $1,500, and it needed to be done (as in furnished, not just designed) in about 4 weeks. Challenge accepted.

First, the layout.

The built in bench was the starting point, because, obviously, it's fixed. I started with a dining area around the bench. With a family of 5 and all of their friends, we needed seating for about 8. The great thing about the bench is that you can always cram extra people in.

Adjacent to that is the grill (bottom right). I went back and forth a bit on where to put this. The other option was to place it between the two stairs on the left. That would have been a plus because it's closer to the kitchen. Super convenient for bringing food in and out. The downside, though, is that with three boys running from the house to the yard, there's going to be a lot of foot traffic right there. Little feet that tend to forget to look where they're going. I could already see the collision with a plate of hot steaming burgers. No bueno. So the grilling station moved to the bottom right corner, with an extra prep table near by. Right next to the dining area for serving.

In the center of the space I put the comfy lounge area. The deck doesn't have any overhead shading, so I added an umbrella here. It's on a stand so could be moved around the deck as needed.

OK, onto the pretty part.

Selly's style is updated classic, sophisticated, luxe, and dramatic. It was a struggle right at first to find just the right pieces because most of the outdoor furnishings that are in style right now are all mint and coral and bright. Selly's style is infused with more jewel-toned colors and big prints. We don't have the time or budget for super-expensive or custom items, so we had to mix in some of those summery colors (that are cheap and readily available) with a few more rich-looking, expensive pieces to achieve the look.

simplycrafted luxe outdoor living mood board

1. Umbrella 2. Outdoor sofa 3. Garden stool 4. Outdoor rug 5. Lanterns 6. Coffee table

7. Lounge chairs 8. Planters 9. Garden stool 10. Pillow 11. Pillow 12. Pillow 13. Pillow

14. Pillow 15. Outdoor dining set 16. Outdoor upholstery fabric 17. Portable speakers

18. Plant stand 19. Bench

We achieved this with mucho bold color and pattern. Black and white stripes are a sure fire way to add drama to a space. And let's pleeeeeeease talk about that rug. I about passed out when I saw it. And only $120?! Are you kidding me!? That's a lot of style for not a lot of Benjamins.

We've got a mix of modern pieces here (like those wood and black lounge chairs) with more traditional lines (like the sofa) and some seriously classic luxe pieces (like the dining table and chairs).

The trick to making it work when you have a bold style is balance. Not everything can be loud. We have some showstoppers - like the rug, umbrella, and pillows - but they're balanced by neutrals - like the sofa, dining set, and coffee table.

Now the only problem is that I want to redo our patio to look just like this.

If anyone out there is looking for a little extra help with your space, drop me an email (simplycraftedblog@gmail.com). Creating a mood board is a super affordable way to get some design direction without having to pay gobs of money to an Interior Designer for a full service project. I mean, hey, I do that too. But most of my friends don't have thousands to spare to hire someone to do their space for them. They might be able to carve out a couple hundred, though.

And let me tell you (biased opinion, I know), it's well worth the investment. Spending a little bit of money for a pro to get you started (and it doesn't have to be me, obviously) will save you money in the long run. It'll keep you from impulse buying a piece of furniture that doesn't really work or painting your room three times to get the color just right. We've all been there.

Alright, I'll hop off my soapbox now. Thanks, Selly, for letting me design your outdoor space!

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