My last post about outdoor furniture really inspired me to get my own outdoor furniture out of winter storage and onto my covered patio. While I won’t be sitting outside daily for a bit since it’s not consistently warm and we currently have a THICK layer of pollen covering every square inch, this furniture is a nice reminder that summer is around the corner!

I purchased this five-piece conversation set last September during the Labor Day sales. We had just finished renovating our deck and decided to take advantage of the deals at that time since we weren’t able to really use our outdoor space the majority of last summer. We didn’t redo the concrete pad on this covered patio at all, but I still wanted to freshen up this space that connects to the deck.

The chairs have a very modern look and feel to them with the dark gray wicker and the box shape. The chairs are deeper than they look and you can sit and lounge comfortably in them. The ottomans are quite large and can double as additional seating.

This small side table that came with the set is the perfect size to go between the two chairs. I usually keep a succulent of some sort on this table for a pop of color. This particular succulent planter is faux, but once the weather warms up, I will likely make my own succulent planter like I did last year. It’s super easy to do and succulents are so low maintenance. I really liked the geometric pattern of this planter and it ended up complementing the patten on the rug nicely.

Speaking of rugs, I absolutely love this rug I bought from Target. Target is really killing the outdoor furniture game this year. They have a really nice selection of neutral, modern rugs — which, as you all know, is right up my alley. I wanted to keep both the rug and the furniture somewhat neutral so as not to compete with the brightly colored hanging baskets and planters I plan to put out in the next few weeks when it warms up!

I purchased these pillows from HomeSense when I was there taking pictures for my April: Out & About blog post. I spotted one pillow as soon as I walked in the store and spent the rest of my time there trying to find another one. You never know in stores like that if there’s more than one of an item, but I was lucky to find two of the same pillow! I like how the pillow brightens up the chair without being too showy and you can never go wrong with a classic striped pattern.

This is the view from the side of my home. You can see that the area is mostly covered and is directly adjacent to the deck. We have plans to at least repaint the concrete but we haven’t gotten around to it just yet and to be honest, I’m not sure we will! I was so happy with how this little arraignment looked though, that I couldn’t wait to share it even if it’s not 100% finished.

This part of my home faces east, so it gets great light in the mornings. It’s the perfect place for a morning cup of coffee or an evening cocktail. If you have the space, I would definitely recommend multiple small seating groupings in an outdoor space. It makes it easier to entertain and is a good way to bring an indoor feel outside.

I’ll share the rest of my outdoor space soon. I still have more items to buy and flowers to plant! But for now, if it’s sunny and above 60 degrees, you can find me out here, under my covered patio, with a beverage and a good book!

xx, bk

We’ve had some really beautiful Spring days in Northeast Ohio recently and it has me looking forward to spending those nice days on our remodeled deck!! I’ll do a post dedicated to our deck soon, but in the meantime, I took a trip to HomeSense to check out their selection of outdoor furniture and decor. If you haven’t heard of HomeSense, it’s a home goods and furniture store within the family of brands of TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and HomeGoods. I would put HomeSense at the top of the list both in quality and price. I’ve found that HomeSense has more furniture and rugs and less of the smaller decor items.

HomeSense had a really great selection of outdoor dining options. I’ve never seen an outdoor table with a marble inlay like the one above. It was nice to see a different option than most outdoor dining tables I’ve seen that are either entirely metal or entirely wood.

HomeSense also had a great selection of outdoor chairs. The chair above has a nice modern shape and the colors are neutral enough so as not to compete with your other outdoor decor.

This chair by Tommy Hilfiger is one of the best Serena & Lily dupes I’ve seen. It looks almost exactly like the high-end version of this chair which costs over $200! This chair at HomeSense retails for only $80. This could also work indoors as a kitchen island stool or around a dining table.

I just loved the unique design of this chair. The shape of it kind of reminded me of a Chinese food takeout container! I think it would look great as part of a small conversation set on a patio.

I was drawn to the round shape of this table and the matching rounded edges of the chair. I probably would swap the thin cushion with a thicker, more comfortable option. A good trick with outdoor cushions which don’t have ties and slide off easily, is to attach the cushions to the chairs with Velcro strips. That way you can remove the cushions for inclement weather or for storage, but once they’re on the chairs, they’re secured.

Okay. I am really living for these tropical leaf print pillows. I love my neutrals but these would add a nice pop of color to an otherwise neutral outdoor furniture palette.

HomeSense had a lot of outdoor poufs, as well. A pouf is a nice alternative to a traditional ottoman. I like poufs because they’re less “formal” than a traditional ottoman and you can mix and match the poufs with your chairs for a more curated, less matchy-matchy look. The ones I’ve shown are neutral enough to work with a variety of outdoor decor schemes.

I really liked this trio of woven planters. I probably would buy either all three or one tall and one short and keep them grouped together. Fill them with brightly colored flowers and put them in a corner of your patio or deck and I think they would add color and height to your outdoor space.

This planter is really tall in person. While unintentional, the faux succulent peeking out from behind the planter actually looks pretty good. I would fill this planter with something similar — green and tall, real or faux — for a striking visual.

The round shape of each of these planters would definitely lend a more modern touch to any outdoor space. The large, white, round planter would look pretty filled with flowers spilling over the sides. I haven’t really seen a lot of the semi-circle planters in stores. I really liked the look of them and may have to swing back and pick them up when I plant my flowers in the next few weeks!

Ginger jars are having a moment right now and this garden stool is no exception. I like using stools like this in lieu of an actual table. You could also use it as a plant stand or simply as a decorative piece.

This may be the largest citronella candle I’ve ever seen. Citronella candles are a must if you’re spending time outside and this one doubles as chic decor.

This footed hurricane was interesting to me. I’m not 100% sure it’s made for the outdoors, but I would get a couple of these with fake flame candles and put them atop a large outdoor dining table.

HomeSense had a lot of these rattan trays. I think they’re perfect for carrying snacks and drinks from your kitchen to your outside space. They’re also pretty enough that you can leave one out with a citronella candle and small potted plant — instant table decoration!

I really liked HomeSense for outdoor furniture and decor. They had a wide range of styles and at varying price points. If you’re in the market for new outdoor furniture or you want to add some new updates for this upcoming season, I would definitely recommend swinging by HomeSense!

xx, bk