A Cheery Patio Update

Craigslist makes me nervous, but good deals make me giddy so when I successfully acquire a good deal on Craigslist, it makes me ecstatic. Finding a great deal on two outdoor rocking chairs made my summer. I know, I know. It’s the little things.

It’s hard to sit in a chair that doesn’t have a seat, but for $10, I couldn’t pass up these beauties. (Thanks to my Mister for demonstrating.)

I figured I could just waltz into Lowe’s or Home Depot and find some precut vinyl straps that would magically clip in to my chairs and, just like that, I’d have two amazing rocking patio chairs. 

I figured wrong.

It’s nearly impossible to find vinyl chair strapping in this neck of the woods. It’s also impossible to find someone who will re-strap chairs for a fee lower than the cost of a semester at our local community college. So I looked up my best friend Google to see what my options were.

I found a great website called ChairCarePatio.com. Not only do they sell supplies to repair vinyl strap patio chairs, but they also have a very detailed how-to section and an entire video section in which you can view someone doing the repairs.

With such a wealth of information, it was pretty easy for me to determine what tools I needed to fix my chairs. None of the straps on the chairs were actually missing, but there were about five that had pulled out on at least one side. Originally, I planned to replace these straps but after doing some digging around on the site, I decided to try to just reattach them.

When you buy new vinyl straps, you have to heat them in hot water to get them to stretch across the chair and then, as they cool, they shrink and tighten. By simply reattaching the existing straps, I took a risk that my straps would be too loose and not support whoever was sitting in the chairs. But I figured if this was the case, I could always order new straps later and just replace them. So I ordered a bunch of the plastic rivets and went to work.

Following the directions on the website, I was able to reattach all my straps in about an hour. Once they were all fastened, I gave the chairs a good washing. I contemplated painting them black or white to blend in with the trim on the house but I couldn’t make up my mind fast enough so I just moved them up to our front porch.

Can we talk about our front porch for a minute?

My dream home consists of a wrap-around porch with rocking chairs, a swing, a comfy reading nook, and container plants bursting with color. It also comes with a maid, a landscaper, a sauna, a wine cellar, and a dressing room/walk-in closet…but I find it best to focus on what I have instead of what I want so back to our current porch and those repaired rocking chairs. 

Up until these chairs came into my life, our porch décor consisted of two stained camp chairs and a worn out welcome mat. The epitome of welcoming, I know.

I wanted to add some color and warmth and happiness and figured the best place to start would be cushions for the chairs. Now, hold on to your hats for this one folks. Never have I ever been to HomeGoods. (Gasp). I’ve read about this mystical fascinating place. Deals. Rows upon rows of frames, mirrors, lamps, curtains, and décor. Angels singing. Well, two out of three anyway. And a store finally opened up within driving distance from us about a year ago. Can you believe it’s taken me an entire year to find an excuse to get to this paradise?

After the shock and awe wore off, I managed to pick up two beautiful cushions. I love the pattern and the color and they are super comfy. 

I found the pillows at Kohl’s on a 60%-off-outdoor-stuff day and I had a 30% off coupon. Both pillows for $10. I walked out of the store looking over my shoulder because I felt like I was stealing them…

Once the chairs were decked out in their new cozy duds, I added my DIY stenciled rugs and a cute and colorful table I picked up at a local thrift store. 

I also replaced our worn out welcome mat with one I found at Hobby Lobby. The space was rounded out with a couple hanging baskets and some pretty mums. 

As I come up the drive way, I’m greeted by cheery colors and blooming flowers. It’s like my porch is saying, “Hello, summer. Welcome home.”

I love it but it’s not quite “us” yet. Maybe I’ll add some cute house numbers or some painted planters or a wreath or a succulent garden. Or maybe I’ll just sit in the rocking chair and sip a glass of wine.

Either way, this updated porch area provides a nice spot for the Mister and I to have dinner or coffee (or wine). About two-thirds of our property lies in the front of the house, so now we have a cozy area to hang out and enjoy the beautiful view, including some amazing sunsets. 

If you’re looking to bring some color to an outdoor space, I highly recommend starting with a blank slate and picking a general color scheme. This will make the process a bit less overwhelming. Then take it slow. Add piece by piece until you have the space you are dreaming of. Before you know it, your porch will be welcoming you home too. 

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