I’ve been looking for seating for our back patio for what feels like forever. I had a very specific idea of the clean, modern look I wanted, but it was a classic case of champagne taste on a beer budget (the Equinox sofa, at top, retails for over $2000). So when I saw this old metal-framed sofa and matching lounge chair at a second-hand shop, I jumped.
I figured we could strip the pieces down to their metal frames, paint them, and refit the frames with cedar slats (the original cushions were wood-backed).
Cheaper and quicker than powder coating, RustOleum matte pewter spray paint easily covered the frames – and looks great! Cedar slats, stained with Sikkens Cetol-1 in Natural, provided a stable base that can be left outside year round, and look half decent even without the cushions.
Finally, we had cushions made (out of Sunbrella Charcoal Tweed #6007), added some throw pillows, and voila!
The lack of furniture was my final stumbling block to acheiving patio greatness. Now that it’s complete, a great many gin and tonics will be consumed there (at least until the rains start).
Check back later this week to see before and after shots of the entire patio!
Jim/ArtofGardening says
They look like a million bucks!
Martina says
Stunning. I’ll buy them off you . . .
Karen says
OK, that is freakin’ gorgeous. But how do you remember to bring in the cushions before the rain comes?
Andrea Bellamy says
Jim – thanks! :) Fortunately, they didn’t cost us an arm and a leg, unlike the set that inspired them!
Martina – thank you. I wish SOMEONE sold something like this for under a grand. (It won’t be me, though – sorry!)
Karen – The sofa cushions can be left out – they’re made of the same foam used for boats, and Sunbrella is outdoor fabric. You can literally brush the water off. That said, we’ll probably put them in our storage locker over the winter. The lime green throw pillows are brought in every night.
Emma says
Nice job!
degan says
oooh it looks fantastic! when did you find the time to do that?
Andrea Bellamy says
Thanks Em!
Degan – well, we bought the original sofa and lounger back in June! So we’ve done it over a period of a few months. And if I’m completely honest, I did very little of the manual labour. I spotted the used set, ordered the fabric online, and bought the throw pillows. Ben did the sanding and spraying and cutting and stuff. Just one more reason why we’re good together!
blomma finds says
I am coveting your new patio furniture. Looks amazing! Wish I had them… and a nice gin & tonic too!
paola says
They look aces. I love the colour. You’ve done a fabulous job.
tifanie says
oh, i love it! wait… i need details about how you put those cedar slats together. i’m doing the same thing to an antique bed right now and was wondering exactly how to tackle the platform!
Tammy says
Wow! G&T’s at your place… she said anxiously awaiting the evite ; )
Willi says
Wow! You could go into the furniture refurbishment business! These are gorgeous (but not as lovely as your patio!).
ricki says
In my humble opinion, these are better looking than the spendy version. Do you know about curbly.com? It is a cool site devoted to DIY projects, etc. This project would be a great addition.
Willi says
Design*Sponge also shows off reader makeovers every Wednesday. You should definitely send this in!
Andrea Bellamy says
Blomma – thanks! Come join me for a drink or two :)
Paola – thanks, hon. The colour was tough – I thought it might look too black, when what I wanted was charcoal gray. But I’m happy with how it turned out.
Tifanie – If you take a look at the photo of the frame, you’ll notice it has a small lip all the way around. We cut the slats to fit so that they’d sit on the lip, spaced them out evenly, then screwed them into pre-drilled holes. Let me know if you want more detailed instructions!
Tammy – Saturday afternoon?
Willi – Aww, thanks! Too much work to do full time though!
Ricki and Willi – I will definitely submit this. Thanks for prompting me.
Kyle says
This is great — exactly what I was thinking of in my mind’s eye. One clarification: did you build the sunbrella cushions or buy them? If you built them, what kind of foam did you use? Great work!
Andrea Bellamy says
Kyle – we bought the fabric and then had the cushions made. I’m not sure of the exact type of foam used but I know it’s the same kind used in cushions for boats and yachts. (The lady who made them for us works in that industry.) Hope this helps!
Jean says
Wow, that looks really great. You’ve inspired me!
Stacy says
Saw this on Design Sponge and came by for a closer look and to find out more about the spray pain (LOVE that color)– this is such a fab re-hab! I do actually like yours better than the spendy version you based them on!!!!
Can I ask how much you spent on the cushions – materials and labor?
Andrea Bellamy says
Stacy – the fabric was $100 CDN (we splurged on the good stuff). The foam and labour for the cushions was $280 CDN. The original (used) furniture set was $80. So not really a cheap project, but certainly better than the “spendier” version!
Kim says
Great job! Can you give us more details on the cedar slats process? I think thats the only part that really daunts me
mosey says
This is really beautiful. I love the look even without the pillows. I think the cedar wood was a great choice! Very inspiring!
England Furniture says
I really like how you re-fitted this 2nd-hand furniture to go with your new patio. The part where you put cedar slats on the furniture frame added strength by weight distribution. Thanks for posting this.