Fun Fact: we purchased our first home in the city as a foreclosure. It was the winter of 2012 and the housing market still hasn’t recovered from the recession. We were young, in love (not yet married) and ready to create a home. We wanted a project and project we got.

It took nearly 7 years of renovations, done by us and a few things that we left to the pros…but this past weekend, we finished the last big project on our list: updating our deck and patio with the help of Westlake Ace Hardware.

We always go into the hardware store with a plan and a shopping list. Otherwise, we can easily go overboard. Especially my husband. We decided to stain the deck and touch-up some paint to give a fresh feel to our outdoor entertaining space. What we didn’t plan on, but was so worth it, was a new grill.

When we walked into Westlake Ace Hardware and were greeted by the BBQ collection, my husband was long gone. I knew it was going to happen whether it was on the list or not. It didn’t help that the kind clerk informed us that we could purchase the showroom model without any assembly required. He was sold.

We are big entertainers. Love a good dinner party for having meals outside, so I am not sure why we waited so long to make these updates. Honestly, it’s amazing how much of a difference a little stain and some new grilling appliances can completely re-create your space! Oh, and don’t forget some fresh plants. Love the pop of a little greenery outside. That’s all we did and we love the results!