I love my parents' patio because they have done a nice job filling it with potted plants (without it looking tacky). It gets so green even though you really do walk out on a slab of concrete. My mom has been collecting some various seating arrangements and has created a yard with perfect little places to sit in the sun or shade- whatever your heart desires!
However, they have had the same picnic table for a very long time, and it the summer heat of the valley has left its mark. So, that was our starting off point and from there we created, what we like to call, Camp Chic. (Or something like that, I feel like there were several variations :)
So, here is the table before. Just a basic green plastic table.
My mom had already thought of some ideas. And as we discussed our impending trip to Lowe's we decided bronze legs (it is summer time afterall) and black top would look best. But obviously, not just plain black. We decided chalkboard paint would be ideal! That way she could do the table anyway she wanted for any occasion. Or you can just sit out there and doodle. Or you can write a note. Or the menu. Or you can draw place mats instead of using real ones. The possibilities are endless! Genius, right?
We spray painted the plastic with a primer first (which was clear so we had to cross our fingers that we got the whole surface). Then we flipped the table over to spray paint the legs. We were eager and the sun helped dry things quickly, so after a break we flipped the table over and got to work painting on the chalkboard paint. It went on surprisingly easily and was unnaturally fun to roll on (in my opinion).
In fact, we the paint on so easily, that other pieces got facelifts too. You can see the swing in the background of the picture above. The stand kind of blended in to the concrete, so we rolled some paint on the back and then decided the whole thing could handle it. So, my mom ended up with two updated pieces!
Honestly, don't you just want to host a dinner party here now? I do! We even got solar twinkle lights to complete the look :)
Here is the rest of the backyard:
This was my Mother's Day gift for my mom. It needed some reconstructive surgery from hanging, but I think I was able to fix it. You'll have to let me know Mom...
Here is the obligatory picture of Eloise. The yellow bench was my grandparents, but my mom also gave that an update with yellow paint.
I love all the clusters of potted plants. And these are perfect chairs in the afternoon.
This was the sign from my grandparent's cabin. I putting a post-it on that as an inheritance note :)
My parents' garden. It is so picturesque every summer. And my dad grows some delicious vegetables! (If you look carefully, you can see a green chicken. It was my attempt at another spray paint project, but it was a little too reminiscent of an alien for my mom, so it was banished from the patio to try to blend into the green of the garden. Oh well, you win some and you lose some.)
Though I may be biased, I would say this was quite a successful endeavor (except for the alien chicken). Best part was definitely working on it with my mom (and a few walk-throughs made by my dad :)
I would like to be sitting there drinking a margarita right now, wouldn't you?
Update: When I returned to my own hinterland here in San Diego, the front part of the yard was full of every piece of yard furniture they own! I was greeted by several slides, lots of chairs and two very large tents. This place never looks the same!
