Design

Budget-Friendly Outdoor Dining Plans

May 15, 2017

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One of our most asked about pieces on our deck are our wood framed facing sofas. They are from World Market and ridiculously affordable at just $399 a pop. We got them last year, during one of their outdoor sales and spent just over $500 for both. We love them. I’m actually working on a post right now about how we keep them clean, so look for that this week, too.

I linked to these sofas during one of World Market’s outdoor sales in a Casual Friday post, and received an email the next week from World Market, thanking us and seeing if we’d be interested in partnering on a project in the future. I was thrilled that so many of you snagged a good deal and we’re always up for making over spaces–so why not?

Since our deck is pretty set as far as furnishings go, we asked if we could pay the makeover forward and they were 100% on board. You may remember that we convinced my parents to move right next door to us 2 years ago and it has been such a blessing for us. Charly runs over to see my dad every day and it’s wonderful to see our girls so close to my parents, too. They are always willing to help us haul big things in and out of our home at the drop of a hat–it’s the best. And! If that’s not deserving enough, their deck is still pretty bare since moving in, with the exception of a few lounge chairs they have on their lower level.

This deck is right off their kitchen (that door on the left leads into the kitchen) and it is the perfect spot for an outdoor dining area. I asked them what their outdoor dining wishlist would include and they said:

• Easy seating for grandkids (of course they said this first <3)
• A rug
• Some sort of umbrella to block the sun, but also the berries and leaves the trees drop constantly
• Plants
• A spot for an herb garden

World Market gave us $1500 for the makeover, which you could easily spend on just a table and chairs anywhere else. But we really wanted to give them a completed space, so we stretched it and were able to check off everything on their list, and then some! Here’s what we came up with:

Tiered Planter Stand | Table Runner | Cantilever Umbrella
Outdoor Rug | Dining Table | Black Hairpin Chair
Barrel Planters | Navy Striped Pillow | Dining Bench 
String Lights | Leather and Glass Vase | Tabletop Planter

A few of these items we bought multiple of and hit the $1500 budget right on the mark. We ordered everything and it has already started to arrive! Chris and I are anxious to get it all set up for them and make them a big dinner, al fresco. After pictures to come!

This post is in partnership with World Market.

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What do you think?

  1. Molly says:

    I bought these couches off your link when you posted them for the friends and family at World Market (THANK YOU :)) We LOVE them, but have you attempted to wash the cushion covers in the washing machine? Mine need a cleaning really bad…

  2. Molly W. says:

    I’d love a post (maybe in the fall) about what you do with your porch stuff for the winter (sorry if I missed this in a previous post). We live in Minnesota and one of the things that keeps me from investing in large outdoor furniture is how to keep it maintained through all the different weather we get. Do you put everything in storage all winter?

  3. […] also love this outdoor occasional bench by World Market as featured on Chris Loves Julia.  It retails for $399.  Although it’s not a sectional, I could get 2 of these and place […]

  4. Brenea says:

    You are a wonderful daughter! I hope I can do something as special as this for my parents some day.

  5. Michelle says:

    This looks like it’s going to be amazing – can’t wait to see the reveal! I really appreciate when you do budget-friendly posts like these; it’s so nice for those of us who have a tighter home decor budget!

  6. Sarah says:

    This feels like the perfect little mood board for us! Cannot wait to see everything finished!!!!
    Love love love

  7. Corine says:

    This is so great! They are the MOST deserving! I love the plans and love even more that it’s going to your parents!

  8. Kristin P says:

    I was so excited about those metal barrels for my deck. Then I read the description on world market that they are not for outdoor use, not to be exposed to moisture and not to be used as planters. What’s your plan for them? I’m now on the hunt for something similar that I can use outside for plants!

    • Julia says:

      I think if you use a liner in them, it’s fine. One of the reviews did just that. And I plan on spraying them with outdoor protectant. Fingers crossed! They’re just too good to pass up.

  9. Jennie says:

    Love this design – we actually just had that table and I was so excited about it, but after only being outside a couple days it was already starting to crack on the legs and the tabletop so we ended up returning it. It’s like it wasn’t properly sealed for outdoor use. Just something to consider – maybe you need to put a coat of sealer on it first or something. Seems silly to have to do when it should be made to withstand the elements. Hopefully you don’t have the same issue!

    • Ryan says:

      I’ve heard that wood used in outdoor furniture can often be sourced and built in tropical regions and if/when the furniture is brought to an arid region, the wood can drive out quickly and crack. I don’t know that this is why your table cracked but it does sound like several days is too quick for rain/sun weathering to be the culprit.

    • Julia says:

      What a bummer! It has good reviews, sounds like you might have got a bad egg. :(

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