Courtney and her husband are lucky enough to have a wonderful outdoor deck, but weren't sure how to best use this odd empty corner. Inspiration struck and they decided to construct an outdoor day bed to provide some much needed lounging space for a party or a quiet afternoon. Using a combination of new and reclaimed wood, they built a custom seating area to fill up that empty corner.

Courtney boiled this outdoor daybed project into what she calls the Five Fast Details:
- we built a frame to the size we wanted attaching it to our existing deck flooring as we went
- we screwed on our reclaimed hardwood to hide the frame
- we cut chipboard to fit on the top of the frame
- we attached foam to the chipboard and upholstered with an old sheet
- we made a washable, removable slipcover in our chosen fabric.
Sounds simple enough, right? Thankfully Courtney has also put together a couple of excellent step-by-step tutorials that provide a wealth of additional details and photos to help you put together your own outdoor lounge area.
See more:
• The Apprentice Extrovert: Day Bed Tutorial...Part One
• The Apprentice Extrovert: Day Bed Tutorial...Part Two
(Images: Courtney/The Apprentice Extrovert)


Ercol Bar Stool
Love, love!
love it!! but my problem would be those freaking out door cats in my neighborhood. they would claim it for their own
I have to make sure my dogs don't see this picture. They will want one, too.
Awesome sauciness.
My thought (in a good way) was that it looked like a sand box with pillows. Okay, so I'm jealous!! Great Job!! All you need is a drink with one of those little umbrellas in it...
How cute!
I've seen similar things done with a twin mattress but this looks comfier!
Love it! Now you just need a great piece of art to cover those outlet things!
This looks like the perfect spot to curl up with a good book and chai or with your special someone.
I love the stripes!
Sweet!
Oh yeah. It's nap time.
It looks fantastic. I really want that Monkey Magic pillow.
What a cute, relatively easy and simple re-do with a lot of impact. Well done and thanks for sharing!!!!
great job
What color gray is your porch? Love it!
Thumbs up!
Wonderful!
So cool!
Oooooh, lovely!
Makes me want to curl up with a cup of tea, a sandwich, and a magazine!
Courtney is so clever, this day bed is gorgeous. Her other furniture is amazing too.
l love this!! And the dining set on her blog is to die for!
Sensational work! Love it all! The idea, the materials, the colours are all fabulous! What a talented woman! An intimate area for drinks with friends, a nice place to read a book or to spend precious family time! Simply divine!
Love the day bed? You should see her house! Apartment Therapy needs to get her to do a house tour to feature, it is utterly inspiring.
Fantastic with a capital F. I've seen all the work "up close and personal". Very talented lady. Keep up the good work.
I'd like to see the wood painted the same colour as the walls, to make it look more built-in... otherwise it's a great idea and well-executed.
My only question, not being one to waste space, is if the top is (or could be) hinged to access the extra below.
Great project, love the effect.
Oh, that is so incredibly great. I've always wanted a day bed!
has anybody tried putting a brasilazy into an outdoor bench frame like this? I've been considering doing that. Go here to see them: shop.brasilazy.ca