When you decide on decorating your deck, it’s essential to use all the given space, as it’s probably pretty limited. First things first, you have to organize your ideas and establish exactly how you want them to function. Why is it so important to consider all this?
Because you might realize that you don’t have enough room for both dining and conversation areas, and if this is a big deal to you and it matters a lot, then you should consider it first. After deciding what kind of activities you want to have on your deck, then you have to select space-efficient furniture and accessories that will boost the comfort and ease your favorite activities.
12 Small-Deck Ideas for your Outdoors
Plan it for entertainment
If one of your favorite leisure activities is to plan outdoor gatherings, then you should definitely devote yourself to creating out of your small deck the perfect entertaining space. Technically, you wouldn’t need that much: just a proper dining table and chairs.
You can also consider a type of furniture that can be easily moved from one setting to another. A dining table, for example, might moonlight as a buffet when you have an outdoor get-together. Lightweight chairs with narrow legs will take up a small portion of the space around the table, and can be easily shifted to various spots of the deck when you need them.
Multi-use small deck furniture
Consider decorating your small deck with some outdoor furniture that will play a double role. You might wonder what I mean by that…well, there are some pieces of furniture that you can use for two different purposes at the same time.
For example, you could try getting a wood console, that will provide you with a handy serving spot for snacks and refreshments. Also, you can tuck two stools underneath, whatever model and size you think would fit best. When you’re having lots of guests, the table will easily transition into a beautiful and cozy outdoor dining table. I definitely want one!
Carve out a small deck entertaining space
Dedicate your little deck to entertaining your favorite guests and loved ones easily, just by arranging small deck furniture in a casual grouping you find fit. Plus, you can always add a small coffee table right in the middle. This way, you will recreate the outside version of your living room!
When you plan on the furniture you’re gonna get for this plan, make sure you choose one that’s not too chunky, so there would be plenty of room to navigate around the sides and enter the focus area whenever it is needed or desired. Also, if you’re worried that the visual weight won’t be light enough, look for patio furniture with open woven designs or even armless silhouettes.
Add an outdoor bar
If you want to have a little corner of warm-weather entertaining, you know what you have to do, right? Have an OUTDOOR BAR! Your guests will absolutely love this, given that they will be completely free to grab whatever snacks and drinks they want, without walking into your home.
In fact, this would be great for you too! A bar like this would have a built-in ice bin, so you can keep the cold drinks as cold as you’d like, and a lot of room for food and glasses. Decorate with plants and hang an art piece after you finished, so it can complete the entire area and make it even more festive.
Add privacy to a small deck
You can give your small deck a strong sense of privacy to foster a cozy and intimate feeling. For example, lattice panels will create boundaries around your outdoor space, and block any unwanted neighboring views. Train climbing vines up the screen for an interesting effect.
Incorporate built-in seating
You can maximize the space on your small deck simply by putting seating around the perimeter. Here, a cozy bench that’s built into the deck railing will EASILY do the trick, and take up as little room as possible. In fact, in comparison to how much space an outdoor sofa would take, the bench is the ideal choice, as it offers a similarly sized seating space.
Not to mention that it will free up a lot of floor space at the center while creating more standing room. If you want to make it more comfortable, consider adding lots of pillows of different shapes and sizes!
Splash color on small deck decor
Either because your deck is painted in an awful and boring color, or because you feel the need of adding, even more, color and vibrance to it, a splash of something bright and colorful is always welcomed! You can use shades of blue and green to liven up a bit a small deck with a strong personality.
Then what? Well, you can go for a small bistro table and lovely chairs that have been painted with green and turquoise paint. If there would be too much of a contrast between the table and the rest of the deck, you can always add little accents of color here and there!
Bring in live small deck decor
And by that, I’m talking about containers that are filled with lush plantings of whatever flowers you could possibly think of! These containers are SO simple, but they have such a great impact at the same time!
Position these large planters to fill in empty corners or frame your deck seating arrangement. If you don’t have too much space to put these plants on the deck itself, you can always try to arrange them on the deck stairs, making sure that there is enough room safely pass up and down the stairs. Also, you can match the color of the containers with the color of the deck, and why not, even the flowers!
Create a conversation pit
Consider arranging your deck furniture in a manner that encourages conversation. Place the chairs across from each other, and make sure you have plenty of low surfaces for drinks and snacks. Also, you can add colorful pillows and even a table in the middle, to have the ideal hosting setup.
Designate zones on a small deck
If you have the right arrangement of small deck furniture, you won’t be obliged to choose between dining and conversation zones! You can have both modest dining sets with low-slung seating and accent furniture. The armless chairs and bench will take up a minimal footprint, while a round coffee table will provide smooth traffic flow.
Personalize your small deck with paint
You know that paint gives a wide variety of easy and inexpensive small deck decorating ideas. You can paint a design on the floor, which would take the place of an area rug.
Turn a small deck into a garden escape
Surround your outdoors with verdant vines alongside planted containers, for an exquisite, jungle-like vibe. You can go for a dense vine that climbs up the support posts, in order to create a screen of greenery.
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