About 17 years ago my husband and I were walking through Target and I saw a bench that was on clearance. This was my first ever clearance purchase at Target! I can still remember how excited I was that I found it because we had just purchased our first house and money was tight. But this was something I could afford, it had a little bit of storage and it was perfect for my entry way. The stars aligned that day!
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Fast forward 3 years-we sold that house and purchased this house and I didn’t have anywhere to put my bench…so it sat on my back patio….for years and years… and years. But now I spruced up my bench with a little paint and put it on my newly stained deck and it’s perfect! (I’m taking down my curtains in the screened porch to wash them and was too lazy to move the ladder out of the shot).
My husband needs someplace to sit when he’s grilling and I used to have a little red bistro set on the deck for that purpose. But I thought this bench would be much more comfortable for him.
Plus the seat lifts up and it’s a perfect place to stash his grilling tools (and get them out of my kitchen)!
I used some black exterior paint I already had to paint it. I decided to go with black for a variety of reasons. The deck color is called cedar but when it’s wet it can look almost pumpkin? Sometimes it looks brown sometimes it looks more orange – depends on the light (my husband is not fond of it but I’m not re-doing it). Black was a color that looked good with the deck color. Also, you see the deck from a big picture window in the kitchen and my floors are black and white and my counters are black. So it helps to tie the two spaces together.
Here’s the before. It originally was some type of blond wood and I painted it white when we moved to this house.
Next to the bench (on the other side of the steps leading to the backyard) is my container herb garden that I showed you how I planted here.
This potted fern is going to go next to the door leading into the screened in porch.
The deck is done! Yay one project is completed. Only about 20 more left to go before we can list this house! 🙂
Penny @ The Comforts of Home says
May 12, 2014 at 7:45 amThe bench looks great in black. I love your metal pail with the flowers in it and the pretty pillows.
Bev says
May 12, 2014 at 7:51 amWhat a great find Manuela! You found the perfect color and the perfect spot for it. -Bev
Theresa H. Roach says
May 12, 2014 at 7:58 amLove that bench! AND storage too? WOW! Enjoy your week dear Manuela, HUGS!
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
May 12, 2014 at 8:12 amIt looks great, Manuela! I like the bench black. It looks like it ties in with your pots, too. It seems like you got your monies worth out of that clearance bench!
[email protected] says
May 12, 2014 at 9:22 amI love this! I have almost the identical bench and hauled it on the back porch. I am going to spruce it up with pillows! Mine is black and I love how it pops on the brick patio! Great job! Of course, we have snow on our patio this morning!!! laura
Glenda says
May 12, 2014 at 10:17 amLooks great – I really like it black.
Don’t know about you but seems like I finish one project and 2 pop up in its place. 😀
Have a great week.
Pamela Gordon says
May 12, 2014 at 10:23 amI love the bench and it looks great painted black. It stands out more against the white railing of the deck. I like the other black touches in the urns too. Enjoy the week!
Vee says
May 12, 2014 at 10:33 amLove the bench painted black…looks great in place. It is a lot of work getting a house ready for sale.
Judy Clark says
May 12, 2014 at 12:18 pmYour deck looks fantastic Manuela! Love the black bench.
Judy
Kathleen Grace says
May 12, 2014 at 2:01 pmThe bench looks great, and it’s such a useful piece out on the deck!
martina says
May 12, 2014 at 4:33 pmlove the bench…your deck looks so pretty!
Debra @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
May 12, 2014 at 5:18 pmIt looks great ! 🙂
Martha Ellen says
May 12, 2014 at 7:29 pmThe black bench looks stunning on your newly painted deck! ♥
Yvonne @ StoneGable says
May 12, 2014 at 9:04 pmWhat a fabulous bench! I love the storage!!! The black is stunning and what you put with it really pops!
Deanna says
May 12, 2014 at 9:30 pmIt looks great in black. Don’t you just love a classic piece like that? Long lasting style!
Debbie says
May 13, 2014 at 6:33 amI love the bench. We need something like that out near where my husband grills. His stuff currently hangs in my pantry and generally gets in my way. Love the storage in that one.
I went back to see the deck because I had somehow missed your makeover. Ours is in worse shape than that. I keep putting it on my to do projects list and then pretending that it’s not on there.
Cindy says
May 13, 2014 at 8:53 pmThat is a great bench and looks perfect in it’s new home! Love the little bunny planter as well! Blessings Cindy
Manuela Williams says
May 15, 2014 at 8:02 pmThanks Cindy!
Richella Parham says
May 15, 2014 at 11:04 amIt looks great, Manuela! How awesome that it’s lasted well all these years. It’s hard to beat a clearance purchase, isn’t it?
Manuela Williams says
May 15, 2014 at 7:58 pmThanks Richella! I know – it was on my concrete patio protected by the deck all these years so we’ll see how it does on the deck now that it doesn’t have anything over it.