After we added shade sails to the back deck and, consequently, started spending more and more time out there on the sectional, I was itching to bring a little of our indoor style outside. I love it when outdoor spaces feel like just another room and reflect what’s going on indoors. I already had a few neutral outdoor pillows, but I was hoping to up the ante with more color and pattern…without breaking the bank. Outdoor pillows can be so expensive and tend to sport one-dimensional fabric that feels generic. I was looking for something a little different.

I ordered four inexpensive 16″ x 16″ kilim pillow covers from this etsy shop. The covers were priced at $9-$14 each. With shipping, the total cost for the four covers was $73. I hunted down four 18″ x 18″ pillow inserts suitable for outdoor use which set me back another $20. (FYI – Pillow inserts should be slightly larger than their accompanying covers for a fuller effect.) Then I spent $8 on a can of Scotchgard outdoor water shield. (It looks like the price has since increased. Google for the best price.)

I stuffed the kilim covers with the inserts and used a sweeping motion to spray on the water shield, making sure to cover all sides without saturating the fabric. The Scotchgard spray definitely has an odor to it, so it must be applied outdoors. I wouldn’t suggest using it on indoor textiles, but for fabrics that will be used outside and will be vulnerable to the elements, it’s a great option.

I propped the pillows up against our outdoor dining table to let them dry and air out for two days then tossed them on the outdoor sectional. I love them! Especially since they rang in right at $100 for all four.

A few of you have asked about the outdoor cushions and pillows in regard to rain. The shade sails are meant to provide shade only – not shelter from rain. We leave the cushions and pillows outside in dry weather and stash them on a tarp in the garage when wet weather strikes, to extend their life. (I wash them every fall and store them in the attic over winter.) Even so, I wanted the kilim pillows to have some sort of moisture barrier so they would be okay if we accidentally left them out in the rain or if they got a little damp from overnight dew. So far, so good.

I also added a striped outdoor rug to the deck since we tend to go barefoot and rugs always feel nice underfoot. I scored this ~7′ x 9′ rug for $100 from Overstock with a coupon. I’ve discovered that if I add items to my cart and wait a few days, eventually an Overstock coupon will show up in my inbox. #workingthesystem

I would never suggest using an outdoor rug on a patio, but on a deck where the rug is up off solid ground and air flows in between the deck boards, it’s a viable option because it can dry out completely between downpours.

Recently, a neighbor kid put a foot through the matching coffee table that came with the sectional. You can see the original table here. The glass top was off at the time, so he wasn’t hurt or anything. I can’t say I was sad to see the table go. I had always wanted a non-matching table anyway. This was my chance! I grabbed this teak table for $165, on sale and with a coupon. The chevron detail on the top is a nice touch and, so far, it has held up superbly to rain. (Teak will do that.) I plan to oil it every year to keep it looking like new. The legs are removable, so I plan to stash it in the attic over winter along with the cushions.

I picked up the SÖTCITRON self-watering planter, the STABBIG candleholder and the BELEVAD candle dish on a recent trip to IKEA. (I was scoping out kitchen stuff for the flip house! Details coming soon.) The planter is great for succulents and people whom have a history of overwatering (ahem, killing) them. The inside of the candleholder is lined in shiny gold and looks so pretty lit up at night. Which reminds me, I also found these oversize GLIMMA tealights and they’re my new favorite invention since the Target sheets with the ‘SIDE’, ‘TOP’ and ‘BOTTOM’ cheat tags. They burn longer than traditional tealights. Perfect for jack-o’-lanterns!

And with that, it’s just about time to take down the shade sails for the winter, stash the cushions and pillows in the attic, cover the sectional and bring the succulents inside. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. We’ll see you next year deck. Hopefully, even more than this year. It’s been real.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking