Our Porch & Pergola Reveal + A New Outdoor Dining Set

Building a deck was one of those things we had on our (long) list of projects at the Cozy Ranch but it wasn’t something we anticipated doing right away. Our first summer in the house we spent renovating the kitchen and the bathroom, painting and replacing all the trim in the interior, and whitewashing the floors. When the spring rolled around, we wanted to tackle replacing the back door with a slider and when Craig started on that he realized he might as well redo the siding on the back of the house. The shingles were shot and needed to be replaced, but shingles are really expensive (something we were not aware of) so we decided to do board and batten siding with rough cut pine. It will weather to a nice silvery grey and is durable enough to withstand a New England climate. One project led to another (as they always do) and after Craig finished doing the siding we decided to start on the deck.

Initially we planned to use pressure treated wood to save money, but we decided to spend a bit more and invest in mahogany as it will last longer, looks better, and won’t splinter the way pressure treated does (you can walk on it barefoot worry free). Since Craig built it, our only cost was materials and the value we were adding far outweighed the initial expense. Craig drew up a plan for the pergola and started on that after finishing the deck. He used red cedar for the posts and white cedar for the strips. You can see more of the entire process in the highlights on the Cozy Ranch Instagram. As you can see from the before pictures below it was quite a transformation. Craig finished the deck and pergola in July but we just recently got our outdoor dining table and chairs from Article so I wanted to wait to share the space until we had it all set up.

Before

We chose the Tavola dining table and Sylva chairs from Article. Because we didn’t stain the mahogany decking it weathered to a silvery grey and the colors compliment the table and chairs really nicely. Article doesn’t have showrooms, so their pieces are priced at a fraction of the cost of traditional retail (and shipping is a flat fee of $49 on most orders). They also offer a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so if you’re not 100% happy, you can send your furniture back, they will come pick it up and give you a refund (minus shipping charges -typically $49). The Tavola dining table and Sylva chairs were exactly what we were looking for, a combination of modern and coastal style that’s durable enough for New England weather and most importantly, functional. It really makes our deck feel like an extra room and since our house is small we take full advantage of that. One of the best things about the dining table is despite it’s size and sturdiness it’s easy to move. I don’t like big clunky furniture that’s heavy and cumbersome. It’s nice to have a table and chairs that can easily be moved around. The chairs are also really comfortable to sit in (dinner guest approved).

While the weather is still nice we take every opportunity to enjoy our new outdoor space. We did a little decorating for fall with some pumpkins, gourds and mums. I found some pretty string lights to hang around the Pergola which adds a really nice subtle glow as the sun goes down. As you can see from the photos below the Pergola also provides shade and privacy. We get full sun all day which makes the deck almost too hot to enjoy in the summer months. The pergola and the umbrella are perfect for enjoying the space and staying cool even on hot days. We’ve been lucky with beautiful fall weather, hoping it sticks around for a bit longer. Believe it or not, we’re already on to the next project, which is close to finished, stay tuned for our mudroom reveal!

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Tavola Dining Table c/o
Sylva Dining Chairs c/o
Umbrella and Stand c/o
Olive Wood Cutting Board
Dark Wood Cutting Board
Outdoor Sofa and Chairs (see this post)
Throw Blanket
Long Pillow
Garden Stool
Outdoor Lantern
String Lights