YAY- thankfully I'm receiving a refund this year! With a new dependent, plus job loss last year, I was pleased when I completed my return, but then realized, "Wait, that's MY money anyway!" But I digress... {hehe}
I've decided I'll go ahead and fix up the back deck as it's been neglected for almost 3 years. It'd be nice to have furniture out there...for Baby M to eventually destroy of course.
The original back deck, boring, naked, and needing some personality- 3 years ago.
The back deck today: not much different as it's still boring, naked, and needing personality. At least I installed some wrought iron flower planters on the rails. {well also I've had 4 trees removed for safety, but you can't really tell much from the dense forest that is my backyard}
So, where to start? I was really impressed with Home Depot's Martha Stewart line. I first saw these outdoor sets in-store and the cushions are very comfortable, the metal structures seemed sound, and I was happy that they offered free shipping for purchasing Online.
Martha Stewart Fireside Set {$500}
Martha Stewart Chat Set {$400}
And then I searched for Walmart's offerings. They have a Better Homes and Gardens line which looks better aesthetically, but I honestly couldn't tell the quality difference in-person.Seaside Garden 6-piece set {$474}
Sand Dune 4-piece set {$250}
Rattan 5-piece set {$218}
International Caravan 4-piece Settee Set {$318}
If it were purely by price, I'd choose one of the WalMart offerings BUT I'd like to select something with both quality and a good price. {oh and after reading reviews, many of the WalMart sets use the plastic bands for seating rather than keeping everything the same metal material-BOO!} Target has a great Smith & Hawken line, but their prices are actually quite a bit more than Home Depot's.
Deck Challenges:
- I need to invest in easy-to-keep furniture...or really no-maintenance furniture. Teak would be pretty, but I'm thinking metal for easy spray down
- I have a small toddling child who will indeed enjoy moving everything around. So I'd prefer furniture of substantial weight {to discourage rearranging} and am maybe thinking Wrought Iron but this could change
- Speaking of my small toddling child, it might be nice to keep the adult furniture somewhat small to midsized so Baby M can have some room to play on the back deck too
- With the constant fall of neon dust {pollen}, I'll need to budget for outdoor cushion storage {plus this will preserve the cushions longer}
What do YOU think? Tips or Suggestions? Recommendations?
7 comments:
Have you checked Ikea? Last summer we saw tons of cute little patio vinettes for SUPER good prices.
I think Mason would like the Fireside set... Ha! Can you imagine what a pain that would be if you ever tried to use it while he was around? Colt would burn his hands off in 2 seconds! Good luck with the deck remodel...
Thanks Jamie- I sooo wish we had an Ikea here! My issue with shopping @ Ikea is the whole shipping thing {and yes, I realize the irony with my line of work...}
Martina, it's actually a really cool table. There's a secure cover for when it's not in use and then if I were doing a fire anyway it'd be at night after his bedtime so wouldn't be an issue...but you're right- I wouldn't want a burnt toddler!
I like all of them! Considering quality, I think I'd go with one of the Home Depot sets. Target has a couple of sets I love; but you're right, they are expensive. I can't see myself paying that much for a sofa I use all the time, much less for furniture that I can only use about 3 months of the year in Minnesota!
Brad's Deals has Home Depot coupons. One is $50 off of a $500 purchase. I'm not sure if you can combine this with the free shipping or not, but it might be worth a try. You can see them here: http://www.bradsdeals.com/stores/home-depot-coupons
Awesome- many many thanks Erin! I'm actually leaning towards the firepit set anyway so that would work!
We got a set at Home Depot about 5 years ago and it has been GREAT. It was on clearance at the end of the summer so we got it for a steal. It is heavy enough to be toddler-proof. I can't remember what it is made out of...some sort of metal...but it hasn't had any issues with rust or weathering. It still looks brand new! It's got some kind of woven all-weather material for the backs and seats of the chairs...again, still looks brand new. We just hose it off when it's covered in pollen or has bird poop on the seats.
Tesney thanks so much for your rec...I may be a wuss and wait until the end of the season too, just not sure if I want to have it for now (purely for my comfort & convenience) since M can't really play in the backyard and is confined to the deck or going to the park.
Very cool that it's been such a good investment for y'all! =)
Post a Comment