Spring Ideas: DIY Patio Furniture Upgrades & Updates
Get ready for summer!
Outdoor patio furniture really takes a beating, even if you take good care of it. It’s inevitable that over time it will become faded, stained, and very old-looking much faster than our indoor furniture does.
It can be expensive to update your patio with new furniture every time it starts looking a little drab, but let’s face it: Your patio furniture can make or break a good patio design!
But you can update your old patio furniture with a little DIY work and upgrade a few key pieces to tie it all together into a great patio design!
Things to Consider
- What is the layout and design you want (only a seating area, seating and dining, only dining, fire pit lounge area, etc.)?
- Is the furniture you own still usable (in good working order and not broken)?
- Do you have all the pieces you need (seating for a small group if you like to entertain, an umbrella or sail shade for comfort, a place to dine if you like to eat outdoors, etc.)?
- Do the pieces you own have the style or vibe you are looking for (maybe the pieces are mismatched or the wrong color)?
Getting the Look You Want
Decide on the layout and design you want for your outdoor space. If you are unsure, create a design board on Pinterest and collect images that appeal to you. Decide what colors you want to use.
Once you have decided on a general look and feel, take measurements of your space to help determine what furniture pieces will fit. Sketch out your patio layout on paper if it helps; don’t worry about having it perfectly scaled. Take stock of what you have, and decide what you can use even if some of it needs a little sprucing up. Decide what furniture you need to purchase… either new or secondhand.
Fixing up that old faded patio furniture is very easy with paint and fabric! This sample homeowner updated their old metal and glass side table with a coat of Hammered Metal spray paint to coordinate it with other furniture pieces. Then they decoupaged some colorful fabric underneath the glass surface.
Additionally, their old metal dining table was dirty, faded, and stained. They scrubbed it clean and gave it a fresh coat of spray paint. They also painted some mismatched, faded chairs (seats and all… YES, you can spray-paint the seats too!) to make them complement the table.
For this patio, a pair of new lounge chairs were purchased along with a new umbrella to provide shade and tie the whole grouping together. Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed, you don’t have to replace all of your old patio furniture to have a beautiful space to hang out with friends and family. Update what you have and purchase just a few new or even secondhand items to tie the whole look together.
*Tania Pelletier has been the do-it-yourself blogger behind [littlevintagecottage.com](http://
littlevintagecottage.com/) for over 10 years. She has a passion for sharing the journey she is on to fix up her small ranch house and also shares fun crafts and upcycling projects. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook to see more of her ideas.*
