The Ridgemont House Upper Deck Design

We're back with our next space in the the Ridgemont House project!

If you missed it, the last few weeks I've showcased our design plan for a handful of rooms, including the entryway, main floor great room, the main floor home office, the sitting room (aka the dining-room-that'snot-a-dining-room), the entryway, and, you can see an overview of the full project scope here.

Today we're taking a look at one of three outdoor areas in the project—the upper deck design.

The Ridgemont House Upper Deck

I imagine this will be the place where my client's family spends the majority of the summer. It's raised up, so it'll be safe from bugs, and it gives a fantastic view of the lake. Here's a photo of the deck when I measured the house in cold, cold January (sorry they're so dreary and through windows, it was COLD and I wanted to spend as little time outside as possible LOL):

The deck is simple layout wise: there's a small covered section over by the slider which leads to the kitchen—this is where the grill will live—and then one large rectangular area that we planned to split up between a sitting area and dining area.

The Upper Deck Furniture Layout

The layout is straightforward and super functional. We're planning the dining area to be on the right side when you're standing at the slider facing out. It's closest to the grill and to the kitchen, so it will make for a great flow. We planned a table to seat eight—they are a family of six, so space for two friends!

For the seating area, we have a mid size sofa and two accent chairs, which allows for more flexibility than say, a sectional, which would leave them with fewer options should they want to switch it up.

Lastly, we have a couple potted plants that will add the opportunity for greenery to the space:

Upper Deck layout with dining set, sofa, armchairs, planters, coffee table, grill spot, and kitchen slider. Labels indicate locations.

The Upper Deck Furniture Design Plan

The exterior of the house is a blue grey tone, and the deck boards are a grey-ish brown, so while we went with a lot of warmer tones inside, we went a cooler route out here.

Our first design is below, followed by our re-design. Unfortunately, in a job this bit, items get discontinued or majorly backordered, so we ended up swapping the chairs for something that would arrive sooner:

Deck Furniture Version One

Outdoor furniture design on white background, labeled "Upper Deck." Features beige sofa, chairs, round table, dining set, and potted plants.

Deck Furniture Version Two

Outdoor furniture design labeled "Upper Deck" with a beige sofa, chairs, table, round ottoman, planter, and wood floor sample on a white background.

We went with a mix of light and dark neutral tones and simple lines, and we brought in some texture between the rope on the chairs, the woven side tables, and the concrete coffee table. It's going to be so dreamy to sit out there this summer!

Up Next...

Next week we're taking a look outside at the lower level great room—which is essentially the same foot print of the upstairs great room. It's super funky and fun and I think it might have been my favorite space to design in this house.

Stay tuned!!

Work with Lauren Figueroa Interior Design

Lauren Figueroa is an interior designer working with folks in West + Southeast Michigan and NYC, known especially for her unique and speedy Designed in a Day service.

LFID works with clients from Detroit to Clarkston, and all the way to Grand Rapids, Holland and Traverse City, and most recently, NYC. I pride myself on creating bespoke, people-centered spaces—because after all, the people you love is what this life is all about!

If you have a project on the horizon, get started by telling me about your vision here, and you can view past projects here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Minimalist living room with a tan leather sofa, wooden coffee table, and plants. A black fireplace and framed art adorn the beige walls. Designed by Lauren Figueroa in Michigan.