In The Garden // DIY Pallet Seats

Next Saturday is a certain someone's sixth birthday party and because we're forever keeping it cheap and low-key we've opted for a garden party with a barbecue and (of course) lots and lots of cake. The garden has always been a little bit of a sore spot with me but since I've kicked it up a notch with the DIY it's been a source of inspiration. We live in an area that hosts a lot of takeaways and newsagents so every now and then there's a pallet in a doorway somewhere for the taking. We accumulated three and made them into much needed seating for the garden. Have you seen how expensive a garden things are? Oh boy. Both the bench and the massive chair cost the value of a box of screws because we needed…well, a box of screws.

They were a pretty quick project too. The bench was made in two hours by sawing a palette behind the second knuckle, cut the top planks of the shorter piece at an angle and screwing them together so the back rest leans back slightly. We added legs with some wood just laying around and topped it off with some very watered down Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paloma that was left over from the living room sideboard project. Up in the head rest there's space for around four pots of flowers too so I'm looking forward to filling those up this week.

The massive pallet chair was one idea I got from Pinterest, loved and sat on for about two years. In the end it turned out to be a quick (but heavy) project. Just essentially two pallets, one cut at a slight angle screwed together with some stronger legs attached. Because the area it's in isn't waterproof (yet) I've just rolled up old duvets on the base and back and covered them with a throw I don't mind getting dirty, some cushions and a another throw in case it gets a little breezy. At the end of the day I can just parcel them all up inside the throw and bring them out whenever necessary and it's a great little spot in the permanent shade to read, work on the laptop (there's my office just inside so great to hear music from too if I'm using Spotify) and be able to drink coffee, watch the dogs play and keep an eye on the girls. It seats all four of us but boyfriend and I can get on comfortably with our legs crossed.

It's shaping up. I've still got a few bits to add like some solar fairy lights near the bistro table and chairs, flowers in the back of the bench and big chair and we're going to pressure wash the patio tiles free of mud and grime before the big day too. What do you think?