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HOW-TO: July 4th Party Deck

If you are festive and like to entertain like I do, try these 4th of July décor ideas! This table setting is beautiful, inexpensive, and really adds pizzazz with style. It makes you want to pull up a chair, hang out, eat, and have fun! Check out the rest of my party deck for even more ideas … all without breaking the bank.


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
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Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.

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My focus this year is a more relaxed and intimate setting for a few people versus having a large, loud party. I preset this table last weekend to show you how to display something similar for yourself for this coming week. The rest of the décor is on display to enjoy for the rest of the summer.


My deck seats 12 comfortably which consists of four seating areas, including a dinette set for six (however, I like to set it for four). The deck is not huge, but it isn’t small either. It is perfect for my needs, so whatever size your deck or patio is, with a little special planning, you can make it work for you, too!


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.

WHERE TO START – July 4th Outdoor Décor

The very first thing I do when I start decorating outdoors for Memorial Day or the 4th of July, is gather all the patriotic decor I have from previous years. Taking inventory of what I already have and can reuse is a great way to save money but also reinvent something that is already purchased. My holiday decorations, regardless of the holiday, are typically repurposed from the previous year; and then once the holiday is over, I hit store clearance aisles to land good deals for additional items to use the following year. I own a lot of décor that was 90% off!


Of course, the 4th of July is a great time to decorate your home with red, white and blue. Flags, bunting, balloons, and streamers are all great ways to show your pride for the holiday. Those are just the basics, right? There is so much more you can do that costs little money …


When to Put Up July 4th Décor. I put my July 4th decorations up the week before Memorial Day. Patriotic decor is relative to not only the 4th of July holiday, but Memorial Day and Labor Day, as well. When the 4th of July holiday is over, I swap out the flag décor for more basic summer décor. Then, when Labor Day draws near, I add back a little more flag décor.


How Much is Too Much? I am a true patriot and do like celebrating and decorating for July 4th; however, I personally am not a big fan of displaying a TON of patriotic décor. I do love what it represents—but I prefer to display it in moderation. I think this has to do with my being a color consultant and knowing that normally those colors don’t go well together (mainly the blue and red). Think about that. The only time you see blue and red together is during a patriotic time like July 4th, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. Otherwise, it is generally not used in home décor.


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.


MY ORGANIC TWIST ON THINGS … The Decorating Ideas I Used


Where and How to Get The Look of This Table Setting

Believe it or not, EVERYTHING—and I mean EVERYTHING—you see on this table I got for $1.25 each at the dollar store, except for the tray which I bought for $10 from Home Goods and the metal pitcher which was $5.00 at the dollar store. Some of the items even came in packs of 2 or 3 for $1.25 each.


You do the math. I didn’t spend much and was still able to create this beautiful table setting!


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.

TIP ALERT! As shown above, add a tin of silverware, candy, or other items to place on top of your napkins. It makes for a beautiful display but also keeps the napkins from blowing away!


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
Additional 4th of July Décor ideas I Brought into the Space

I am sharing with you my organic twist to the décor as well as tips for those wanting full-blown patriotic. Besides my patriotic table setting, here are additional décor ideas I used that you, too, can incorporate into your own deck or patio:


1. Incorporate Pillows

My Organic Twist: You will notice the pillows I used have blue, white, and green in them. There is no red. This was intentional, and as you can see it plays beautifully against the neutral, organic lounge chairs and green plant on the accent table. The dark brown lounge chairs also pop against the creamy tan brick. Did you see the large star behind the chairs? The star, which is a true patriotic symbol, is the perfect decoration to add to this space; and, because it is a star and what it represents, it doesn’t have to be red, white, or blue. Again, this has a more organic look and feel to it.


These pillows are actually indoor pillows which also gives an organic, natural vibe; and they do not get dirty because I placed a large tin tub on the deck (normally used for ice and drinks … I have several tubs) to hold the pillows when the lounge chairs are in use and people don’t want to use them. NOTE: I do not suggest using indoor pillows for outdoors if they are going to get wet or damp.


For Those Wanting a More Patriotic Look: Once you have your furniture set up on your deck or patio, add 2-3 pillows that are a solid color (blue, red, or white) with a variety of outdoor pillows made with patriotic fabric, and just like that, you have a fun seating space showcasing the 4th of July holiday.


2. Add red, white, and/or blue flowers

My Organic Twist: It’s very easy to go overboard when using patriotic decorations; so, this year, I gave it a little more of an organic feel. You can never go wrong with organic!


You’ll notice the white lilies in my centerpiece where I also added soft greenery. This creates such a beautiful and organic look, and when I tie a red mesh ribbon around the white metal pitcher, it’s the perfect organic centerpiece for July 4th celebrations along with additional red, white, and blue décor included in the table setting.


For Those Wanting a More Patriotic Look: It can be helpful to focus on a base of solid colors and then layer in details and patterns over time! A nice flower to include in your patriotic decorations and celebrations are bright red geraniums because they are such an iconic, bright flower that does well in containers. You can also plant white petunias or blue lobelias. Alyssum also looks beautiful draping out of galvanized tubs.


3. Add in patriotic bunting and/or flags

My Organic Twist: You can add flags just about anywhere because the long stick makes it easy to stick them into anything with depth. Because I love plants so much, a great place to add flags is to your plants … not just your flowers (which is what I typically see).


This year, I had fun adding flags to my tub full of ice, freeze pops, and Italian ice. SEE PICS BELOW! I love how this tub looks. Using a white tub was the best option because the colors in the flags and freeze pops and Italian ice really pop in the tub. NOTE: You'll notice my bin of yard games next to the tub of ice. What is the July 4th celebration without games! I actually got this FREE from a man in Michigan when I attended his barn sale.


By the way, have you ever eaten Italian ice? They are awesome! I much prefer them over freeze pops, as they have a thicker and deeper flavor than freeze pops.


For Those Wanting a More Patriotic Look: This is completely optional, but bunting is a classic decoration for the 4th! There are so many different types of bunting to add that classic red, white & blue to any wall or table. Bunting flags look wonderful over a drinks table or BBQ station.


You can also display small flags in a variety of ways such as hanging out of mason jars or even on toothpicks to stick in your dessert or hors d'oeuvres. Don’t forget to proudly fly a large flag in the flag holder by your front porch, too!

Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.

4. Add pops of red

Yes, this holiday is for red, white, and blue, but I emphasis adding pops of red because the red looks so nice with all the green grass. Confused by what I mean? TIP ALERT! Red and green are complementary colors, so pops of red—in this case—looks better than pops of blue. I find that it’s really the red that makes a huge difference in your patriotic outdoor design!


The white and blue are easy to find, but when you add a little red, it makes the whole display pop! This is because red is the most dominating color in the color system … out of 3,000 colors! Again, my floral arrangement is the perfect example of using a pop of red!


Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.
Decorated July 4th Party Deck by Carla Gentle with Design Realign, Inc.




Add some simple touches, like a red lantern or red basket. These stand out against white pillows or more subtle touches. Plus, it’s easier to find inexpensive solid red pieces you can use in a variety of ways than to splurge on patriotic-themed decor that only fits on patriotic holidays.


5. Make some patriotic crafts with your kids

I am adding this because this is a fun way to get your kids involved. They love making crafts and will feel so special by your putting their work on display for everyone to see!


There are so many clever DIY July 4th crafts out there to add a unique spin to your deck or patio décor. This includes:

  • painting blue and white stars to an old galvanized tub for a unique drink station.

  • adding a little paint to an old pallet or watering cans to add a little rustic charm.

  • making red, white, and blue luminarias with tissue paper to place along a driveway or path.

IN CONCLUSION

The 4th of July is a fun time to celebrate with it being in the summer, having fireworks, eating a lot of yummy food, and so on. For me—being a designer—the most fun part for me is the decorating and entertaining. Put your own twist on how you would like to decorate and celebrate July 4th. You can add an organic twist to your patriotic decor like I do or go full-blown patriotic everywhere you look. Own it and have fun with it!


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