Unique patio table

Welcome to my patio! (as is... surely more morphing to come as always)

I use to have a standard schmandard patio glass topped table with metal chairs with big thick sumptuous padding. I sold the works at my garage sale a few weeks back. The set was less than a year old. Why did I do this you ask? Because I didn't like looking at it.

You're forced to look at a patio table nearly 24/7 because it's generally right outside your kitchen windows. So I put my need for all things rustic into action and salvaged this old workbench from someone's garage, into my new fun thing to look at.

Last night the table top was still a deeper shade of mocha with black distressed accents from where I had it sitting last. (I've had this thing for awhile!) Today, the top got a fresh coat of white.

The chairs are a rescue from a used furniture store. I scooped them up for $80 a pop which I thought was alot at the time, but I knew I LOVED them. A lady stopped me in my tracks on my way out and asked me if I knew what I had. I told her simply, pretty chairs. She then proceeded to tell me how they were made, where they were made and they were worth $1500 each. WHAT?!? Giddy, I took them home and have used them here and there over the years. They are comfy as is with no padding to boot. Strange but true. I love the lines. And they were already black.

Oh. By the way, I reside in China in an unmarked area not even on the map. Way too far to come and steal my chairs so don't bother.

This little doodad sits on the table. The flowers are fake and always in perfect bloom!

Here's the view of my little character building coming to life, from the patio. So I indeed have encouragement to keep going on that thing because I look at it. Alot. I know. I have too much stuff on the go. Like you don't... (snicker)

And there's that ever present honkin' big bbq. It is what it is. What I LOVE about this table and chairs out here is they now match that big honkin' big bbq. The last set of chairs was really a beautiful rustic deep brown, but it always bugged me that I didn't chose black. Well, I didn't have the bbq then and the bbq didn't come in a beautiful rustic deep brown. Whatever. It now matches and I can breathe much better, thank-you!

Here's what I did last night when I needed to escape from my messy house (due to too many projects and downtime). It was a lovely quiet evening with me 'n the dog.

I also strung up some white Christmas lights along the front of the patio for a nice night glow effect. It was wonderful! To kill the brightness, I unscrewed most of the bulbs to achieve the ambiance I was after. Easy fix if you wish for more brightness. Worked great!

A patio table does not have to be what Walmart carries. You can create your own! And I'll be honest. I LOVE looking at this stuff. When something makes you smile, you know you're on the right track. Buh bye to thick padded cushions with palm fronds.. hello to my little quaint world of all things distressed!

My mom will never figure me out.