Southwest Inspired Bench DIY

My brother Matt helped me figure out the pattern for this bench a few years ago and I've used it over and over for all kinds of different projects. I even found a way to upholster it!  Today I'm using every color of acrylic to colorize the lovely pine wood.  I love how the colors blend into each other and create new colors where they meet.  The intensity is just wonderful, too!  Just like a kid does with a new box of crayons.  Let yourself go with color, my creative posse, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

The perfect little bench for my hidden forest!

Add a serape and you've got home decor gold!

Watch how I made it here!

Have a seat, friend!

Roadside Rescue! From Headboard to Bench!

Not too long ago I found an amazing headboard on the street and dragged it up 3 flights of stairs to my house.  Yes, my neighbors looked at me AGAIN with those judging eyes, but I had a plan!  I was going to turn this headboard into a colorful bench for my yard and that is exactly what I did....

It was a much easier project than I thought it would be, too!  I still have to find a few matching pillows, but I'm pretty happy with the results so far!

My beautiful bench sitting under my favorite little tree

With my woven outdoor blanket on the seat

Watch the short video tutorial here

The sad, lonely, abandoned headboard

YOU'LL NEED

An old headboard

Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint

20" x 80" x 1" birch plywood (seat)

*80" was the width of my headboard so measure accordingly

2 pieces 1" x 4" x 80" pine board (to frame seat)

3 pieces 1" x 4" x 20" pine board (to frame seat)

4 pieces 2" x 2" x 18" pine board (legs)

1 box of 1 3/4" long wood screws

Drill

Paintbrush

Dropcloth

Screw the 1" x 4" x 80" pine boards to each side of the 20" x 80" birch ply seat

Slide the 1" x 4" x 20" pine boards on each side of the seat and screw in place

Slide the 3rd 1" x 4" x 20" pine board 2" away from the center of the seat and screw in place

*This is for support

Put screws on the sides and on the top of the bench to keep everything in place

Next we are adding 3 legs on the front of the bench

Screw the 2" x 2" x 18" pieces on the inside corners of one side of the seat

Screw a 3rd 2" x 2" x 18" in the center of the first two 

Screw the 4th 2" x 2" x 18" leg in the center on the other side

*You will have 3 legs on one side and 1 leg in the center on the other side

Flip the seat upright on it's legs and screw the headboard to the side with one leg

For my bench I mixed red and blue chalky finish paint to make a deep purple 

I painted the outer frame, legs and bench face purple

I painted the details and seat in two different colors of orange