16 Ways to Upgrade Your Old Patio Furniture
A couple seasons of hot sun, rain, dirt and dusty storage can leave your patio furniture looking a little worse for wear. But new patio furniture can be expensive, so you don’t necessarily want to throw the old stuff out. The good news? Although those chairs may have seen better days, it’s easy to rescue patio furniture with a coat or two of spray paint, some creative sewing skills and maybe a tassel or two. You’ll be amazed at how these 16 simple DIY projects can completely make over your patio and create an outdoor area you can’t wait to start entertaining in.
1. Cooler Ottoman: It’s a table, it’s a chair, no… it’s a cooler! Hide away that cooler in a super pretty box that rolls around to whoever needs another cold one. (via Home Depot)
2. Macrame Lawn Chair: All you need are two crochet hooks, macrame cord, an aluminum folding chair and a bit of time to make this stylish pastel seat that you’ll want to show off way after summer is over. (via Mollie Makes)
3. Tasseled Pillow DIY: Every porch needs a porch swing and every porch swing needs a couple colorful pillows — with tassels, of course. Even if you don’t have much talent with a sewing machine, you’ll be able to whip up a couple of these easy pillows in no time. (via A Beautiful Mess)
4. Boldly Wicker: Painting wicker is a little bit more time consuming than painting plastic chairs, but you can easily remove all the old paint with a high-pressure hose; just make sure it’s completely dry before you start painting. (via eHow)
5. DIY Nautical Pillows: If you’re “on board” with the nautical trend, give your tired patio chairs an easy update with the soft blue hues of these super simple pillows. In just a few steps, you can give your patio some anchor-infused goodness and make it a much softer place to sit. (via Style Me Pretty)
6. Patio Table Update: Patio tables are not easily replaceable, so if you’re tired of the way yours looks (or if it just looks tired), give it an easy makeover with a bright coat of paint. Add some stripes or spots for extra personality. (via Lovely Indeed)
7. Spruce Up the Seating: If you have an outdoor dining set, you don’t have to do anything drastic to give it an upgrade. Just casually drape some inexpensive sheepskin across the seats and benches for an instant luxe upgrade. (via Shift Crtl Art)
8. Wooden Planter Stands: Give your potted plants a little style boost with some pretty wooden stands. You can make several stands in varying heights and group the pots together to make a mini vignette. (via Remodelalholic)
9. Built-In Beer Cooler: Those evening dinner parties are about to get a lot more fun with these built-in coolers. Keep everyone’s favorite drinks right on hand so you don’t have to keep running back and forth into the house. (via Domesticated Engineer)
10. Chevron Chairs: Why settle for boring old gray patio chairs when you can decorate them with really bright colors and cool patterns? Stripes, polka dots, chevron, whatever you love — just put it on those drab chairs. (via Diva of DIY)
11. Rustic Pot Stand: Once you paint some pots, it’s time to get them to eye level so everyone can admire your handiwork. A little bit of copper wire and a slice of wood should be easy to find at the hardware store. (via Upcycled Treasures)
12. DIY Pallet Coffee Table: Stack two pallets on top of each other, add a top and paint the whole thing in your color of choice. We especially love the addition of wheels so you can move the umbrella wherever you need sun protection. (via Place of My Taste)
13. Add Pom Poms: Instead of spending a lot of money on a brand-new umbrella, give the one you have a happy makeover with spray paint and a homemade pom-pom trim. This way is actually better because you can switch up the accent color every summer if you please. (via Persia Lou)
14. Cheery Welcome: Just spray paint everything and a magical transformation is guaranteed every single time. (via DIY Til We Die)
15. Swing Makeover: Too many years of hot sun, rain and dripping popsicles can really wreak havoc on your swing cushions, so work some sewing machine magic and give your swing a colorful new life this season. (via Tatertots and Jello)
16. Magic Carpet: Literally the only thing you need to update your patio area is a bold rug. Now you can enjoy your dinner without getting your toes all black from patio dirt. (via Ten June)
Does your patio furniture need some TLC? Tell us what you’re thinking about updating in the comments below!