With summertime quickly approaching, it's time to get your yard in shape! We've compiled some of our favorite outdoor furniture tips from Martha Stewart to share with you! If you try one of these tips, let us see your work! Upload your photos to our Facebook page!
Source: Martha Stewart
Instead of settling for a print that's not quite right, make your own outdoor chaise cushions using inexpensive pillows and the fabric of your choice. For each cushion, you'll need four polyester-filled bed pillows and waterproof fabric meant for outdoor use. (Recommendation: Use 22-by-18-inch pillows and a 46-by-77-inch length of fabric.)Fold fabric lengthwise, right sides facing, and sew the two short ends shut, leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Turn fabric right side out. Using a water-soluble pen and a ruler, mark horizontal lines to divide fabric into four equal parts; pin, and sew. Sew two pairs of 12-inch lengths of twill tape to each opening. Insert pillows, and tie shut. The fabric will protect the pillows from moisture, but it's best to take the cushions inside before it rains.
Source: Martha Stewart
Set the table for a whole season of festive cookouts by giving it a new summer coat. The wooden slats of a classic picnic table provide a ready-made outline for stripes. Red and white are very versatile -- with blue napkins and flag "bouquets," the table's ready for patriotic gatherings; adorned with bright red, orange, or yellow tableware, it would have "casual barbecue" painted all over it. Semigloss latex exterior paint and primer will give a picnic table a shiny new look. Prime table; allow to dry. Cover the edges of alternating slats with blue painters' tape. Apply two coats of red paint to the untaped slats, and allow to dry. Remove tape, then apply new tape to edges of painted slats; paint two coats of white on remaining slats, and let dry.
Source: Martha Stewart
Turn a camp cot into an elegant patio daybed. Throw pillows in coordinating colors provide a soft surface to lean against. Cover a 4-inch-thick foam cushion with striped fabric and trimmed the edges with piping. The cot slipcover is sewn from more of the same fabric; box pleats at the corners are tied with ribbon. To complete the look, apply two coats of light-green exterior paint to the frame.
Source: Martha Stewart
A customized camp stool makes for more than just a convenient seat. Artfully refurbished, it will function as a nifty side table in a sunroom or on a porch. Remove the existing canvas. Use it as a template to cut fabric for a new seat, making the fabric 1 inch wider. Fold each long side of the fabric over 1/4 inch two times; hem. Lightly sand the frame, and apply 2 coats of exterior paint; let dry. With a staple gun, attach one end of fabric to the underside of one of the frame's crossbars; repeat on other crossbar, stretching fabric taut.
Source: Martha Stewart
Table-and-umbrella tandems are often found on patios and decks, where they provide sheltered seating for large groups. Why not adapt the concept to more intimate settings? You will need a small wooden table, plus an outdoor umbrella that's proportional to the table. Using a drill with a hole-saw attachment that's slightly larger than the diameter of the umbrella pole, make a hole in the center of the table. Paint the table (as well as matching all-weather chairs, if you like), and insert the pole through the hole and into the stand.
Source: Martha Stewart
Hang a tire from a branch, and let your kids experience the sensation of flight at home. To sway, spin, and fly through the air -- that's what swings are good for. The tire swing is a classic, and hanging it from a tree brings the fun to your own backyard. For more details on the safest way to hang a tire swing, visit here!
Source: Martha Stewart
To complement your backyard with the most appropriate furnishings, you might forgo a trip to the garden center and head to the lumberyard instead. Encircling a majestic black locust tree, this bench delivers 360-degree views. As far as lumber goes, any durable wood coated with weatherproof exterior paint will do. While you can mimic the design of this hexagonal structure, alterations will have to be made to suit your tree and terrain.
Source: Martha Stewart
Tree stumps, used individually or clustered together, function as low tables. A coat of enamel paint applied to the tops serves a dual purpose: It adds a jolt of color and creates a smooth, sealed surface. Furniture gliders can be attached to protect the floor.The wood must be dry for this project to be successful; otherwise, the enamel paint will bubble. If the wood is damp, let it dry in the sun or in a warm, arid room. This project has to be done in steps, so keep in mind that it may take several days to complete.
Tools Needed: Electric sander, Tree stump, Sandpaper in extra-fine, fine, medium, and coarse grades, Wood filler, 2 paintbrushes, 1 for primer and 1 for paint, Wood primer, Enamel paint, Hammer, 3 to 4 furniture gliders
How-To: 1. Using the electric sander, prepare the surface of the stump. Sand, changing from coarse to medium to fine paper, until the top is smooth. 2. If there are holes on the surface, use wood filler to conceal them. Let dry, and then rub the surface lightly by hand with fine sandpaper. 3. With a paintbrush, apply wood primer to top surface, painting from the outside edges inward to keep primer from dripping down sides. Let dry, then sand lightly by hand with extra-fine paper. 4. With other brush, apply enamel paint to top, again painting from the outside toward center. Let dry 2 to 3 days. 5. Sand lightly by hand with fine paper. Apply another light coat of enamel. Let dry for at least 2 days. 6. To create feet, hammer furniture gliders into base.
Source: Martha Stewart
A vintage wooden cupboard provides handsome storage for gardening supplies. Perched on the front porch, it serves as a way station between house and garden. You can step out the door, slip into your gardening shoes, and head off with tools in hand. On your way back in, kick off the shoes, and stash them and the tools without tracking soil inside. Make room in the cupboard for houseplant and cut-flower supplies, too; won't it be good to get them out from beneath the sink? Look for a spacious old cupboard at a flea market or junk shop, and fill it with pots, bulbs and seeds, a hose, and other gardening essentials. Wooden boxes customize the space: One holds bags of fertilizer and potting soil, the other holds tools. Paint unfinished boxes with semi- or high-gloss paint.
Source: Martha Stewart
Decking your yard with tiki torches is an inexpensive, festive way to bring island style home -- and to light up the night without electricity. Use them to line a path or surround a patio. If the ground is paved or rocky, you may not be able to find places to poke the torches into the soil. Instead, anchor them in gravel-filled, galvanized-steel flower buckets, and have yourself a tropical night. To anchor the torches, position flower buckets on level ground for stability. Hold one torch upright in each bucket, and fill the bucket with garden gravel to about 3 inches from the rim. The containers are then heavy enough to support the lit torches safely as they burn. Both the buckets and gravel are available at garden-supply centers; torches can be purchased at home-supply stores.
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