• This deck could use some color and some inspired decorations.

  It's easy to forget outdoor areas when decorating your home, focusing your attention on spaces that you use more, such as the kitchen or bedroom. A well-decorated deck becomes a treasured space: both an area to commune with nature and to escape from the rest of the household. Creating a festive, intimate space out of your deck shouldn't require hiring a professional decorator or designer; there are a lot of transformative changes that you can implement yourself.

Bistro Lights

• Bistro lights are string lights similar to Christmas lights, but have a stronger presence as they feature larger bulbs, approximately the size of golf balls. You often see them at restaurants that have alfresco seating. Attaching bistro lights to the rail of your deck, or stringing them above your deck can create a dramatically warm atmosphere, changing your deck form a dark, inhospitable place to a glowing environment reminiscent of an outdoor eatery ripe for sipping a beverage, listening to music or chatting with friends.

Colorful Chairs

• Revamp ordinary wooden deck chairs by painting them a bright, cheerful color. Cover each chair with a different color and create a rainbow effect on your deck. Alternatively, select two colors and paint each chair an alternating color for a more focused color scheme. Pair each chair with a colorful cushion made out of water-resistant material. Cushions will make those wooden chairs more comfortable and more inviting for spending time out on the deck.

Fleamarket Table

• Even an old wooden table, purchased at a flea market or a yard sale, is a preferable alternative to a generic, plastic outdoor table. Cover the table with crackle paint after you apply a layer of top coat, to create a shabby chic appearance. If you don't feel like painting it, throw on a decorative quilt or a merry floral or nautical tablecloth.

Small Accessories

• Small, tasteful accents truly make the deck into a special space. Large candles in deep glass bowls produce an intimate, elegant environment. Decorative throw pillows give seating added comfort and evoke an extra touch of sophistication. An old painting, bought at a garage sale or thrift store, gives the deck a classier atmosphere.