Decks & Patios: Creating an Urban Oasis in Philly

Turning your deck, yard, patio, or garden into an outdoor oasis might seem like a lot of effort. But we've found that a quick trip to your local garden store to find some inspiration and a little bit of dirty work are all it takes to turn around your seemingly savage garden or neglected deck.

If you're selling, it makes all the difference in the world to have a well manicured exterior even if it is a small deck. Outdoor spaces increase the property value, so sellers , play it up!

And to new home buyers: A lot of first time buyers have just purchased a home due to the $8,000 Obama Tax Credit Incentive that ended June 30th, 2010. Now you have an entire new home to decorate. Don't forget about the outside.

For existing homeowners and renters: With  the summer upon us and guests arriving, people want to show off their apartment, condo, or row home... . A beautifully appointed exterior space to enjoy the outdoors can create a warm and memorable experience for all.

Our deck used to look like this. We had amazing views of Northern Liberties, but no place to really enjoy them together.

I chose to visit City Planter, Lowes, and Pier 1 Imports. All local stores.

At Lowes I bought all of the plants on the clearance rack for $30 !

Pier 1 had a sale on the chairs and the pillows were 30% off !

We re-purposed a set in our storage unit that belonged to my late great aunt Anna. The table and chairs were freshened up by Carter Studios. Our deck was looking ready for summer. All it needed was some plants.

So our Outdoor Oasis 2.0 was well on its way. That's when we decided to add some finishing touches.  The table and chairs is a nice, whimsical setting for morning coffee.  But we wanted to add a more comfortable option for long-term lounging outside.  The deck chairs with cushions (found at Pier 1) added a bit of contrast and color in addition to some softness. The white flowers that we chose for the planters are now in bloom and coordinate nicely with the table/chairs combo.

The decking material was replaced with a weatherproof material done by our preferred vendor, VAR Construction.

Trust the experts at these shops to answer your questions. We've rounded up our favorite sources for planters and tools below.

Port Richmond

The Port Richmond Lowe's has consistently great deals on landscaping needs like mulch and garden tools, for the neighborhood that has many porch front homes, lawn spaces, and back yards.  It's where the community turns for their outside solutions. And don't forget to check out the clearance rack, like I did.

Lowe's
3800 Aramingo Avenue

Northern Liberties

We cannot get enough of  City Planter, the shop you should turn to when you really need some ideas that will set you apart from your neighbors and give you a truly unique outdoor haven.

City Planter
814 N. 4th St.

South Philadelphia

In South Philly, Pier 1 has lots of outdoor furniture to choose from, whether you are looking for wicker or papasan chairs, or even a swinging chair.  Pillows, cushions, tables, and umbrellas will help you build your new getaway, and it's all reasonably priced, too. One of the  managers at Pier 1, who lives in Fishtown, was super helpful and professional on a recent deck-shopping trip.

Pier 1
2310 S. Columbus Blvd.

Finally, our urban oasis comes together in its third transformation!

We love what we've done in a short time with our roof deck and now we have the whole summer to enjoy it.

Related:

A Home is Only As Good As the Contractor Who Built It

Creating an Urban Oasis? Think Local. Visit City Planter!

A Visit to Carter Studios in Port Richmond

Outdoor Furniture for the Ultimate Urban Retreat