Fabric Ideas for Patio

I decided to update my boring beige and green back patio with some more colorful fabrics and paint.  I didn't realize how expensive outdoor cushions were until I started pricing them. So I started looking at discount stores and fabric stores for some inexpensive alternatives .Trying to find coordinating fabrics from different stores and manufactures is not an easy task but I did find these prints with the same aqua color that I think go together well.  I found a yard of outdoor fabric  to cover the cushions on the 4 dining chairs, a small chair cushion  and a set of two larger ones for the price of 1 seat cushion in the high end stores.  I plan on using the blue's and green's from the cushions to paint the chairs and table.

Does anyone have any inexpensive and colorful  DIY projects I can incorporate into my patio makeover?

Another Great Use for Pallets - Small Space Pallet Garden

The upcoming arrival of Spring takes my thoughts from indoors to outdoors. I love to grow my own herbs and vegetables and am always looking for creative and attractive DIY ways to utilize as much available space as possible for gardening. This includes using attractive pots on my porches and deck, so I was thrilled to find this post at Apartment Therapy which repurposes a wooden pallet into a beautiful garden display perfect for any small outdoor space.

And who would have thought to turn old plastic storage tubs and trellises into a useful porch garden.

For more great "gardening without a garden" ideas like these check out the original post here.

Floral Pillows

Bright, colorful, patterned fabrics can make dramatic changes to any space, indoors and out. Small splashes of color from throw pillows is an excellent way to lighten, brighten, and add vitality to your decor.

There are several options to cover your existing pillows and some don't even require any sewing knowledge at all; howver, I did sew these.

Look for fabric remnants at various fabric and thrift stores, and even yard sales. If you really want to be creative, you can use pillowcases, sheets, shower curtains, or old clothing items to create unique, one-of-a-kind handmade designer pillows for your space.

I really love the additional pop of gentle color that the fabric adds to my front porch, and how it softens the hard lines of the wrought iron railings and metal bench.