Thanks, they are all great suggestions! I love the idea of the fairy lights. We've got hardly any space to create an entrance inside, it basically goes straight into the lounge room. Do you have any advice - there's not even room for a little table for keys, etc.
Thanks again, I really appreciate your suggestions!

Hi emmaruth Is it possible to move the chairs slightly, so that there is not a visual block right at the doorway? Can you separate the lounge chairs & fit a small table between them to create a landing spot for your keys etc. That would break up the blockage & give visual interest, especially with flowers or indoor plant to compliment the outside colours. You could change the tablescape from time to time with some of your photos, travel mementos, or collections. Hope this gives you some food for thought.

Wow, fantastic ideas! You are right about the chairs being a visual block - they are leftovers from previous houses and really too big for the room. If we got rid of them I think we'd have room for a table as you suggest. Thanks again, I really appreciate your advice!

I agree with the suggestion to grow hedges or shrubs on either side of the stairs. I would suggest replacing the existing pots on either side of the top of the stairs which much larger "statement" pots with some interesting, tall and narrow architectural plants to create an artificial "doorway" and somewhat "grand entrance" onto the deck.

I would potentially compliment those pots with some smaller, rectangular planter boxes around the edges of the deck (with much shorter, but complimentary plantings) to enhance the feeling that it is an outdoor room (and to prevent anyone from accidentially stepping off the edge of the deck).

I would also re-arrange the furniture so that there is a clear thoroughfare from the stairs to the timber doors. And I would consider creating a faux entry feel by removing the blue box/esky (?) against the wall between the window and door and replacing it with a small, durable/outdoor "console table" and then hanging an appropriate outdoor artwork or even a mirror above the table. For example:

http://www.bigw.com.au/home-gifts/home-décor/arboreta-mirror-107699.htm

This might help the space to feel more like an "entry".

You could even go for the obvious and add a "welcome" mat outside the door and/or a painting with "welcome to my/our home" (or a similar phrase) on the wall. For example:

http://www.target.com.au/p/wall-words-hello/56300024

Great suggestions, thanks! Yep, the blue box is not a permanent feature on the deck. ; )
Doing something with a hedge and pots could work quite well, thanks!

The steps to the deck are shallow and steep which to me would automatically turn people off.
My suggestion would be to remove these steps and have the steps the full length of the side visible but coming out a lot further from the decking. In other words the new steps would be much shallower, covering a much wider area and would be far easier to walk up. Think of visitors bringing plates of food etc, having to climb these shallow steps?
You could put small pots of colour on each step as they do in Mediterranean countries like bright red geraniums for example. Or even a large, narrow pot at the top on each side of the wide steps with a clumping grass in it like Lomandra.
But to me the most important consideration is to get rid of the existing steps.

Thanks, Timandra. I've always hated the steps, they seem too tacked on and not integrated into the deck for me. Will consider your suggestion - it might be expensive but probably worth it in the long run.

I would definitely start by rearanging the furniture inside - not very inviting if you have to weave your way around chairs to get through a space. (If you have the budget I'd consider gettjng rid of the ones you have and replacing with some smaller pieces). Outside, put a big planter where the blue box is, replace the steps with some wide pkatform steps (I'll try and add a pic of mine). Have you considered paintjng tge decking boards tgat line tge side of the deck (you'll see mine is charcial if i can add tge photo) it just breaks it up a bit. When tge budget allows put a structure over the deck and if tge deck is big enough create a space for dining and a lounge area for relaxing. Heaps of things you can do. Would be interesting to see the rest of the yard to look at hiw you canntie it all together. Good luck and have fun with it. Aorry it wont let me add a photo from a mobile devic3

Consider putting a screen behind the chairs inside to make It more like an entrance. You could hang a nice pic or small entrance table for keys etc. the outside needs a doorbell or a name for the house to give it that entrance look. A railing around the deck, two nice decorative trees for the entrance stairs and a railing for the stairs. A small gravel pathway to the steps and maybe a letter box somewhere. I think blinds or curtains for the window where you can see the dining chairs would be better. Good luck, hope that helps

So helpful, thanks Jodee and Toni. I'd love to see photos of how you painted your deck, Jodee, if you can work it out. There's not much room for a screen, Toni, and I think that would block off the lounge room too much from the light. But I love the idea of decorative trees, I'll have to do some hunting around. And a doorbell makes a lot of sense! Here's a photo from the garden.