Mum-of-four Liz Amaya transforms ‘tired’ old pool deck into stylish tropical oasis

A mother of four has revealed how she transformed her “tired” old pool cover into a stunning Bora Bora-inspired tropical oasis, and her tips to help you do the same.

Stylist Liz AmayaThe 40-year-old, from Brisbane, and her family spent just over a “work week” painting, renovating and decorating the platform, saying she wanted to make something that was “easy to maintain” but also stylish and “atmosphere coastal’ .

“Our deck was looking worn and needed freshening up and staining again,” Liz told FEMAIL.

‘Part of the revamp was that the deck needed an update, and part of that was making something that was easy to maintain because painting is less maintenance than oil staining.

“The space is in the sun most of the day, which is why the wood dries out so easily.”

A mother of four has revealed how she transformed her ‘tired’ old pool deck into a stunning Bora Bora-inspired tropical oasis, and her tips to help you do the same (Liz Amaya pictured)

BEFORE: Said he wanted to do something that was ‘easy to maintain’ but also stylish and with a ‘coastal vibe’

AFTER: Stylist Liz Amaya, 40, from Brisbane, and her family spent just over a ‘work week’ painting, renovating and decorating the deck.

Liz said the Amaya family went back and forth about painting it white or washing it white and ultimately decided to paint the space.

“We chose white because it’s fresh and bright, and I was interested in a more coastal vibe by the pool. The project brief was take me to Bora Bora,” she said.

Because they already had a Gerni high-pressure wood cleaner, they were able to clean the deck relatively cheaply.

Liz estimates that she spent $700 on paint, non-slip and wood cleaning materials, and another $200 on new head cleaner for her pressure washer for wood.

AFTER: Liz said the Amaya family went back and forth about painting it white or washing it white and ultimately decided to paint the space

The mother-of-four (pictured in the space) said she spent about $5,800 on the area, including decor, furniture, plants, and lighting.

She splurged a bit and added $3,000 worth of furniture by way of a beautiful L-shaped sofa, table, chairs, and cushions.

The remainder of the total spend of $5,800 went toward pots and plants ($1,600) and additional decor ($300).

“We work on the deck in stages based on our work commitments and parenting duties, aka Uber for our four children,” Liz said.

“It was about a week’s worth of effort over a month long, depending on the weather.”

DURING: She said they put in about a week of work to do the project, but split it up over the month due to weather and work and home commitments.

The first step was to clean the deck, followed by a power wash on the wood and then three coats of white paint (pictured during)

The first step was cleaning the deck, followed by a power wash on the wood and then three coats of white paint.

After this, it only remained to design the furniture and plants to recreate a coastal feeling.

Liz shared her tips for aspiring renovators, saying it’s all about doing your research and creating a budget.

“Have a vision of the space with inspiration and inspiration boards before starting a project,” she said.

‘Always refer to it when making selections and as the project continues. This helps achieve the overall aesthetic in a space and execute your vision.’

AFTER: When Liz shared the results of her work on Instagram, she received praise from thousands

AFTER: She said the most important thing when renovating an outdoor space is having a mood board (pictured) that you can refer to

Elsewhere, the 40-year-old said you should always use a “quality” exterior paint, as well as one specifically for wood exteriors.

“Rolling paint applies the paint easier and more consistently on the wood,” he added.

“Using a non-slip sand mix to add adhesive to the deck, especially in a wet area, was also good.”

The mother of four shared the results of his work on Instagram, where thousands of people rushed to congratulate him.

“This is amazing,” one person commented.

“It looks fabulous,” added another.