My Outdoor Space Transformation

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Pier 1 Imports via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Pier 1 Imports.

The oh-so-sad "before" shot of our outdoor space.

When we first looked at our house, one of the features we fell in love with was the large terrace off of the master bedroom. It was a blank slate and I imagined doing so many things with the space. But in the nearly two years that we've lived here now, I've done...none of them.

So, sadly, we have spent barely any time out there. There has been furniture out there, sure, but it's old and dingy (leftover from our last apartment) and completely uninviting. As you can see from the photo above, we didn't even bother to set it up properly--cushions were strewn everywhere. It was a mess.

I've been wanting to fix it up since we moved in, but the project kept getting pushed. And now that we're embarking on a redesign of much of our home, I just really didn't feel like spending the money for an entirely new set of outdoor furniture.

So I was incredibly excited when Pier 1 Imports invited me to collaborate on a "freshening up" of the space. My two main goals: 1) Make the space--and my existing furniture--look and feel bright and inviting with new, fun accents. And 2) Set it up so that it was conducive to both entertaining and relaxing. (I was keeping the chairs, but ideally, really wanted to add something that would allow me to lay down sometimes!)

Inspired by my past trips to the Greek Islands--a place that always elicits a feeling of relaxation and escape for me--I decided to go with a "Mediterranean Blues" theme. I love Greece for so many reasons, and wanted the space to kind of bring me back to that relaxing, beautiful place.

And, drumroll...here it is!

...The "After" shot! Cobalt pillows, Mediterranean Tile pillows, garden stool, beverage tub and stand, large rope lantern, medium rope lantern, Mason jar rope lanterns, serving bowl, outdoor LED candles. All by Pier 1 Imports.

Hammock stand, hammock, cobalt pillows, Mediterranean Tile pillows, garden stool, rope lantern. All by Pier 1 Imports.

Pillows were really the main game changer here. I went for a mix of solid cobalt with jute trim and a fun Mediterranean-tile inspired print, and I couldn't believe how quickly they transformed the space. Furniture that had looked tired and blah just seconds before, suddenly had new life. (I am kicking myself for not buying new pillows until now!) 

I have been wanting a garden stool or two forever, and I love these metallic gold ones. They look really cool and really elevate the space visually, but they're also incredibly useful. I'll use them as side tables most of the time, but when we're entertaining, they will work nicely as extra seating.

And I'm SO excited about this beverage tub! I love the burnished copper-y finish and the included stand--it's going to be amazing as an ice bucket/drink server for parties. On more low-key days, it's great for holding a pretty bunch of flowers or even rolled up beach towels.

I love having candles burning outside at night, so I went a little nuts in that department! I love the rope-wrapped lanterns, and especially love that those are faux candles inside (powered by LEDs--you just switch them on and off), so they're totally kid friendly.

But perhaps the most exciting thing: the hammock!! I never dreamed we'd have one--I thought you needed, you know, trees. But Pier 1 had this great metal hammock stand to hold it up and it works anywhere. My kids are obsessed with swinging in it and I'm obsessed with just laying there. With a glass of wine.

I also got a ton of entertaining accessories to go along with the Mediterranean theme, which you will be seeing more of soon in an upcoming post. Stay tuned! (That great serving bowl on the table is just one of the pieces I bought. It's actually melamine, so it's totally durable and my kids can't destroy it! It will be used as a centerpiece when I'm not entertaining.)

My next purchase is going to be an outdoor rug (I have my eye on this one!), but for now, I'm so happy with the way it turned out. What do you guys think? And are you planning on doing any outdoor-space decorating this summer? Would love to hear about it!

Find what speaks to you. See our Outdoor Living collection in stores or at pier1.com/outdoorliving.

From Thursday, 5/28 – Sunday, 5/31, ALL OUTDOOR FURNITURE WILL BE ON SALE, 20% - 50% OFF!

SHOP THE POST