Winters are so cold and long where I live that once things warm up, I try to chase my kids outside to play in the sunshine as much as possible! Â Kids outside usually equals mama outside. Â And you know what keeps mama happy outside? Â A comfy spot in the shade to park herself with Pinterest or a good book while the kids run around and splash in the pool!
I really believe that having outdoor furniture is a key to getting the most use out of your outdoor spaces.  Outdoor furniture turns the great outdoor beyond your back door from “they yard” to “the living room outside.”  If you’ve been thinking that patio or lawn furniture is way out of your budget, think again!  There’s outdoor furniture aplenty to be found on Craigslist and roadsides across America.  A little imagination and some spray paint can go a long way to making your dreams of comfy seating outside come true.  Check out these 5 Ways to Makeover Outdoor Furntire.
1. Refresh a Picnic Table
Check out this adorable child-sized picnic table refreshed by DIY Inspired and featured at Roadkill Rescue.  I love those red and white cushions!
2. Â Paint Some Cushions
Did you know that outdoor cushions can be painted? Â Get details on how to make your faded cushions look as good as these at A Lovely Place to Land.
3. Â Refinish Plastic
These plastic Adirondack chairs were found on the side of the road, dusty and faded. Â Luckily, you can paint plastic with fantastic results, too, like Sweet ‘n Sour Gumballs shared at Roadkill Rescue.
4.  Brighten Up Wicker and Wrought Iron
Wicker and wrought iron furniture tends to be pretty sturdy, but often gets faded and dirty after a while. Â Serendipity Refined used bright paint to give this porch furniture new life.
5. Tile a Table
Tatertots & Jello completely transformed the look of this patio table with paint and subway tile. Â It looks so chic!
Need a little more inspiration? Â Check out some of my past posts on making outdoor cushions, repairing a firepit, and building an outdoor coffee table.
I love the tip you give to add some fabric to your picnic table’s benches as well as giving the table and benches a little paint job. I think the white turned out so well, and it lightens up the piece so much. I love the fabric chosen, and I think that adding fabric puts a little cushion on the benches so they are more comfortable to sit on. Great DIY, thanks for sharing!
Hi Meg, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I am glad you enjoyed the tutorials. I agree that the picnic table from DIY Inspired looks much lighter and brighter. Thanks again for reading! 🙂
Thank you for a wonderful overview and detailing of outdoor furniture. I found here the easiest way to design outdoor furniture thank you so much again.