Fox and the Buck is a member of Amazon Associates and other affiliate programs. This means that if you make a purchase through one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Doing this helps fund the creation of more content for Fox and the Buck. Thank you for being here!
If 2020 taught us anything, its that having a home you feel comfortable in is essential these days. With most nights and weekends spent home, sprucing up our outdoor living space became top priority. We wanted to feel like we had our own ultimate backyard oasis to retreat to after a long day.
The weather is warming up again, and I’m bursting at the seams to use all our outdoor goodies! It seemed like I was one step behind everyone else last year with purchasing patio furniture and accessories (and starting my veggie garden… lol), so I’m rounding up all my must haves a little early for you to get a jump on the season.
Furniture
Since we knew we were going to be investing in some patio furniture, we wanted to get our deck in really nice condition before we set everything up. We wanted to feel like our daughter could be out there barefoot without getting a splinter, so we power washed and painted it. I was surprised at how well the power washer worked! Watching the dirt and grime get stripped away in nice even lines was soooooo soothing.
Our back deck is decently sized, but not huge by any stretch of the word. We had to be a little space conscious when picking out our patio set. This one is not only nicely sized the price was too good to beat. It comes with a coffee table too! If our budget was slightly more generous, I would have loved this splurge.
Since we spent so much time cleaning and painting the deck, we wanted to protect the paint from wear and tear while earning some style points too. This indoor/outdoor area rug was the perfect addition. It makes the space feel a little more homey and I don’t have to worry about it getting wet or dirty. If the light color scares you, this one is also super cute.
Our back deck went from zero to hero in just a few weekends of work, but something was missing. We loved sitting out there but wanted a little ambiance, so we found this cool fire pit and now you literally have to drag me inside at the end of the night. Its so peaceful and actually throws a decent amount of heat to offset the cooler evenings. This fire pit would have been an epic buy too since its portable!
Décor
Now that we have a beautiful, peaceful deck its time to bring it up to “pro” status. No deck can reach this ultimate backyard oasis status without café lights. Its just not possible! They add that extra wow factor when guests come over. I like these because they are LED bulbs, and you can connect more strings together to cover more space!
I also wanted to add some throw pillows in the mix this year. The patio set we have is amazing, but it doesn’t have any back pillows so I found these outdoor throw pillow covers on Amazon that are so cute. I actually follow this brand on Instagram and I love their indoor throws too! What I like most about them is that they are just covers. So, while the upfront investment is a little more since you’ll also need outdoor throw inserts, if your style changes then so can your covers.
We have a funky corner of our deck, so I love the idea of tall planters to fill the space. I’m planting lemongrass in these because its a natural mosquito repellent!
For the Kids
I have a toddler who is the actual busiest baby EVER. She shows zero interest in TV and asks to go outside 43728941 times a day. Deep in the panic of C*VID shortages, I bought this water table for her and she LOVED IT. I’m so excited to break it out again this year for her again this year!
This splash pad was another summer toy I desperately wanted to get and couldn’t because they were sold out. Since the community pool will probably be a no-go for us this summer, this will be a fun way to keep everyone cool and entertained.
Extras
And since we have our glorious fire pit, this marshmallow roasting kit is a necessity. The poles are telescopic which makes for super easy storage. It even comes with a little case to keep them in! I can’t wait to show our daughter the fine art of roasting marshmallows this summer.
Last, but definitely not least, this baby/pet gate has been a lifesaver at corralling my escape artist dog and wild child toddler. It’s made of a sturdy mesh and retracts in to a sleek base so when its open, you hardly notice it. We kept it installed all winter and it still works great. For days when I just want to hang out on the deck, this gives me peace of mind that the stairs are not accessible. We actually loved it so much, we bought one for inside, too!
As if I wasn’t excited enough to spend more time on our deck this year, writing this blog post for you has me even more thrilled we made the investment to create the ultimate backyard oasis for our family. It makes our home feel bigger, and my least favorite season all the more appealing.
Will you be sprucing up your outdoor space this season? Is there a must-have I missed? Let me know in the comments below!
