Blood, Sweat, Tears, and a lot of WOOD

Jan 24

Hello there friends and happy new year! It's a new year, new me, new products, and a new blogging schedule! How does a weekly edition sound?! I'm also working on bringing you some vlogging...that's video blogging for you behind the times folks! There are so many exciting ideas and things I plan to share with you this coming year! So let's get started with a before, before, and after. You see, my back deck has gone through not one, but 2 major renovations. Yep, you read that right...two. Mainly because I am crazy and apparently not happy unless I am tearing out something and redecorating within my home. Surely I am not the only one.

I purchased my home which I now lovingly call the House Plus Love house, way back in 2012. You know, way back when in the good ol' days. Back then the wood deck on the back of the house was as the home inspector called it, "condemned". As in "no one should be allowed to step foot on this thing or they will die" type of condition. So naturally it is one of the first things that we attacked with a sledgehammer.

Once all the old and rotten wood was torn down and hauled off, we got to work on the new creation! Like most of my wild ideas, the design was sketched out and discussed in detail with my Dad over dinner and a napkin. After we nailed down the design and got my talented mom's stamp of approval, my Dad and I got to work on fabricating the new design. We enlisted a little help with the initial setting of the large 6x6 posts, but after that it was all us! I think some are shocked to know that I actually know my way around a power tool or two! After a quick lesson from my Dad, I myself: cut, set, and screwed in all of the new deck boards. Girl Power!

The new deck is 6 foot larger on all sides from the old rotten one. It also surrounds the large tree that I just didn't want to cut down. We intentionally included tall posts along the handrails to hold patio lights. I knew I wanted the addition of patio lights from day one for added lighting and charm. We also designed (again on a napkin) the swing bed cover after I found and purchased the swing bed. You can read more about the swing bed design and construction here from my feature in Mobile Bay Magazine. Here's where we ended up after a month of construction...

So that is where the new deck was back in 2014. It was a glorious time of fresh wood and landscaping. But you see, nature has this funny way of making new wood look less than stellar in a few short years. So fast forward to Fall of 2016 (just a few short months ago)! I knew it was time for a deck refresh! The wood was sad and worn and the furniture had seen better days. And let's be honest, I wanted to design something again!! I wanted fresh new colors and a more uniform feel! So I decided I wanted the look of painted wood and finally settled on painting the wood a dark gray (the same color as my shutters Benjamin Moore, Chelsea Gray). I think that color was a great neutral base and backdrop to add in pops of more bold colors. The fall is also the perfect time to purchase outdoor furniture because it is all on sale! I first stumbled across the french bistro style dining chairs and navy umbrellas from World Market which officially decided my color palette of navy, white, and turquoise. Next came the Ikat outdoor rug from Target, faux turf rug from Ballard Designs, and white and navy rockers from Lowe's. Lastly, Dad and I finally finished decking in the lower portion of the deck where no grass would grow and closing in the bottom of the deck with horizontal boards. The closed in area below now allows for some added exterior storage for extra patio furniture and pots. And the horizontal boards add an extra modern touch. We then added the metal farmhouse lights to add lighting to the lower deck...the perfect touch of charm!

I love this outdoor space so much and use it frequently! It has added so much square footage to my home and is the PERFECT outdoor entertaining space! I hope you like it as much as I do! Tune in next time!

Photos from Mobile Bay Magazine feature by Summer Ennis. Recent design photos by Stuart Sox.

Mark Rippstein

Mark Rippstein is the co-founder of R+R Creative Co.

Before graduating from Santa Clara University with honors in Business Marketing, Mark developed a strong work ethic at his parent’s scientific research company. Starting there in his early teens, he jumped in wherever needed, from sweeping floors and counting inventory to soldering circuit boards and setting up trade show booths...he even launched their first web presence in 1996. After working for a couple dot com companies in Silicon Valley and a Dutch bank in Switzerland, Mark spent over 10 years at Google forming and overseeing diverse and dispersed teams and projects. It was through his travels during that time that his appreciation for travel management, especially for trusted and knowledgeable advisors, grew into something that led him to Casto Travel. As Casto’s Director of Marketing, Mark oversaw their online presence, making sure that those who have an experience with Casto, including those working at Casto, had a clear understanding of their values and services. By leading their marketing efforts, Mark was tasked with keeping everything on brand, accurate, and secure. His primary focus was on their websites and their social ties. Mark also provided oversight when it came to having a clear, consistent and positive brand message, particularly pertaining to customer satisfaction, lead generation, and recruiting.

Mark joined his wife, Carla, to build a different type of marketing consulting company. With R+R Creative Co, their objective is to bring clarity, sustainability, and accountability to their projects.

Throughout his years of working on the web, Mark has become an advocate for clarity, consistency, and security. He believes that we should all strive for excellence and going beyond expectations...especially when it comes to working with others.

Find out more at: linkedin.com/in/markrippstein

https://www.randrcreativeco.com