By Connie, blogger at Misc Finds 4 U
We’ve been working on creating an outdoor room by updating and improving our deck and yard so that we’ll entertain our family and friends more often. We’ve painted the house and deck, replanted the grass, added flowers, furniture, and new deck decor, but there was something missing. Something to pull it all together and give it the final touch that says that this is a place of relaxation.
Deck Decor: Sun Umbrella Sets the Stage
A sun umbrella is something we don’t have a need for much here in Seattle, but there are a few days a year that they’re a necessity to be able to work and play outside. We have one, but it is pine green which used to match the trim of our house, so although it’s fine (and will be donated), I wanted to splurge and have an umbrella that actually accented the work we’ve done.
I fell in love immediately with the Easy Up Cantilever Umbrella from BrylaneHome (I just check their site and it’s 55% off right now!). I loved the look, the size, and the color (I decided on the dark gray to blend in nicely with the pale silver gray of the deck). The size was perfect, 9-feet in diameter so large enough to cover our patio table, but not so large that it covered too much of the deck. Also, the metal color would also blend in well with our existing furniture.
So I order the umbrella and did a little dance while I imagined how fabulously the gray would look against the other colors of teal, blue, tan, and silver we already had back there.
Deck Decor: BrylaneHomeEasy Up Cantilever Umbrella
A short time later a LARGE box arrived via FEDEX and I knew it had to be the umbrella. I gleefully ripped open the box and discovered I’d ordered the tan version! WHAT?!?! Boogers! But I decided to pull it out and see if I liked the umbrella overall before sending it back and reordering the gray. Boy am I glad I did because I discovered that the tan was PERFECT! I carried the umbrella outside and held it up to the table, balancing it left and right, and realizing that once again, my mistake had actually been a good thing!
I could hardly wait until my husband got home to install it. We decided on the location, clamped it in place, and then attached it to our wood deck with long screws. You don’t have to install it in the same manner, you can do a temporary installation by placing sand bags or cement blocks over the legs of the base. However, with the windstorms we get here in Washington, and my husband’s penchant for safety, securing it to the deck was a must.
Unlike umbrellas that stick through the center of the table, this one is taller (9 feet tall!) so I don’t have to duck under it. Plus it goes up and down with little effort on my part and it’s solid so I don’t have to worry about it blowing over or falling on myself or a guest.
It also works in the rain which is a HUGE plus for me. I do a lot of my prep for cooking outside on the deck and we have drizzle even in summer. Our old umbrella filtered the rain, but I still got wet. This sun shade keeps me dry and my temporary kitchen available no matter what the weather – that’s a win/win! The fabric is a durable polyester which can be spot cleaned, so we expect to get years of use out of it.
We’ve really been impressed with the quality of the BrylaneHome Easy Up Cantilever Umbrella outdoor sun canopy and let me tell you, my husband does not impress easily. He loves the sturdy construction of this outdoor umbrella and the built-in safety features like the metal cotter pin to hold it open, the 6-steel ribs that support the canopy, and the steel t-shaped stand that holds it. I love the style and the color and the ease of use so we’re both pleased!
When we’re ready to put the umbrella away, it folds back onto itself and has a self-tie to keep it neat. We can remove the top part of the umbrella for over-winter storage and leave the base attached to the deck, or we can cover the top half and leave it attached to the base. It gives us so many options for use and storage.
I think the BrylaneHome Easy Up Cantilever Umbrella is the perfect finishing touch to our deck. It blocks the sun (and rain), looks fantastic, and is well-made. what more could we ask for?
