Sweet Parrish Place

I'm the girl with champagne taste and a tight budget

Wooden Spool as Patio Table- Back Deck Tour

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Spool table3

As I sit here writing this post, I am somewhat at a loss as to how to start.  Do any of you fellow bloggers ever feel that way?  I always struggle with my opening paragraph!  I mean, obviously, as you can see in my opening picture, I got a new table on our back deck, and it is an old spool that we are using as a table!  This spool table is the star of the show today people!

I am madly in love with it,  but I want to go back and tell you a little story about my beloved spool table.

And then, I am going to show you around the rest of my lower and upper level deck that I have been working on and getting ready for summer.  Sound good?  I hope you stick around, because I have lots of pictures to share today, and I am super excited to share them with you!  Below is a view of the lower deck.  You can click here to see this same view of our lower deck from last summer.

Lower Level Deck1
So, here is the story of my new spool table that I am in love with.  I guess I should start with the couple who made it possible for me to get this spool in the first place.  Back in October, it was my two year bloggiversary, and I had collaborated with Minted.com to host a giveaway for $150 credit to Minted.  I also shared a tour of my family room and the new gallery wall I hung in there.  When the winner of the giveaway was selected, the winner was someone named Teresa, who I did not know.  I assumed she was just a random reader from far far away.  I emailed her to tell her she was the inner and congratulate her and thank her for reading my blog.
Spool table1
When she responded, she told me that she lived right up the street from me, and she drives by my house every day!  We exchanged a few emails, and realized we both have boys the same age, in the same grade at the same school!  I was amazed!  So, ever since then we have exchanged several emails and texts, and we started following each other on Pinterest, and we send each other pins from time to time.  One day she sent me a pin of a project that had been made with pallet wood, and she said that her husband has access to wood pallets at work and he could get me some any time I wanted them.  Well, don’t you know I jumped at that chance?  I told her I would love to get some once the weather broke.
Spool table2
Well, one evening I was on Pinterest and I came across this Pin of a spool used as a table, and I absolutely swooned!  You see, I seriously wanted to get rid of the patio table and chairs we had owned for over 10 years.  A few years ago, I spray painted them to freshen them up, but they were starting to look worn again, and I was just plain sick of them.  We had tossed around the idea of buying a picnic table and painting it a fun color.  But when I saw that spool table my heart started beating faster, and I just knew I had to have one for our back deck.  So, I quick sent that pin to Teresa, and asked her if her husband also had access to large spools.  And then I held my breath and waited for a response.
Spool table4
You see, I had a hunch that he could get me one.  Because her husband works for the phone company, and oddly enough, my father worked for the phone company for my entire life, from the age of 18 until he graduated.  And we had smaller spool tables on our front porch that were used as side tables when I was growing up.  And I knew my father had brought them home from the phone company.  She emailed me back and said yes, he can get them!  Yay!!!  So, all we had to do at that point was wait for spring, sell our old patio set, and get the deck power washed and sealed, and we were ready for our spool table.
Spool table6
But, the table almost ended up not happening.  Here’s why-  so, we had sold our old set for $100, and we even bought the adorable grey weather proof wicker chairs you see pictured (for exactly $100) with the spool table in mind.  We power washed and were preparing to seal the deck, and I emailed Teresa to tell her we were ready for the spool and some pallets, and she emailed me back and said her husband would check for one as soon as he returned to town.  All was looking good, until he went to work and all the spools and pallets were gone (gasp)! NOOOOOOOO!  My heart dropped and I thought I might have to give up my dream of a spool table.  Although, I knew he would eventually have more, I wanted one right now!  He said he would check in the neighboring town for one the following week, so I still had a glimmer of hope.
Spool table7

A few days later, I was at work and I got a text message from her with a picture of a large spool, and measurements, and he could get this one for us whenever we wanted it!  I told her I would have to go home and figure out if it would be the right size, and she even went outside and measured her own patio table and it was the exact same height- Bingo!  Isn’t she just the sweetest?  So we made arrangements to go pick it up last weekend.  Being 150 pounds, it took three strong men to get it up the stairs to our deck, but they did it (and one of those strong men was Chip, Teresa’s husband).  Believe it or not, I have never met Teresa!  I have to say, it restores my hope in humanity, knowing there are such nice people out there who are willing to help a sister out.   I have met Chip, because he helped us get the spool, but I have yet to meet her!  We have plans to go walking together and even get the kids together at the pool very soon though.  And we are definitely going to have a cookout for Teresa and her husband, and also the other friends who helped us by letting us use their truck and helping get the spool up the stairs.

When I saw this spool in the picture, I fell completely in love with it.  I had plans in my mind to paint it a fun color, or stain it or something, but when I saw it, I just thought it was perfectly distressed and weathered, and I am in love with it just the way it is.  So right now, our only plans are to have a round piece of glass made to place on top of it.  I think that will make it easier to keep clean, and I will feel more safe having the kids eat off of it.  I also think the shiny glass will be the perfect touch of glimmer to this weathered spool.  And I even love the chairs we bought to go with it!  They match almost to perfection, and they are some of the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in.  We actually bought five, but one of them is currently on our front stoop.  They are the perfect height for the table.  You can’t sit all the way back in them if you are going to eat, but who does that anyway?  They are nice and casual and loungey (is that even a word?), and I could just sit out here in them all day long!

Spool table8
So now that you have seen my spool table, and hopefully love it just as much as I do (I know it might not be for everyone, but it is for me!), let me show you the rest of our lower deck, and fill you in on some DIY I have planned out here over the summer.  And then we will move on to the upper deck.  You might remember these brown chairs that I spray painted last summer.  They are still looking like brand new!  I have this large pot that is not being used, so the plan is to make a side table by spray painting it, and adding a round tray or something of the sort to the top, kind of like this side table I have pinned.  I am sure I will be blogging about it in the near future.
Lower Level Deck2
Last year, we hung some lights from the top deck, and they have come loose, so we need to re hang them.  And the red chairs that I spray painted a couple of years ago need a few more coats of spray paint.
Lower Level Deck3
These two chairs were a curbside find a couple of years ago.  They need a coat of spray paint too.  and I am going to buy a couple of colorful pillows to place across the back of them.  And the hummingbird feeder has been sitting in our garage unused since we moved here, so I got it out and filled it, and now LC needs to hang it out here.  The table also needs some love.  The metal bottom is rusted, and needs cleaned and spray painted (I forgot the add a graphic about that).
Lower Level Deck4
So, there is still work to be done on the lower lever of the deck, but in the meantime, you might find me sitting at my new spool table, glass of wine in hand, relaxing.
Spool table9
Let’s move up the stairs now to the upper deck.  You walk out of our kitchen onto this deck.  This checkerboard floor was a labor of love two summer’s ago, and you can read all about how I painted it here.  It has been two years now since I originally painted this deck, and it was looking really tired.  So, a few weeks ago, Mr. 15 Year Old gave it another coat of white paint.  When we power washed the deck, we did not power wash this floor because I was afraid it would remove the paint completely.  So, Mr. 15 Year Old scrubbed it down and then the next day, he painted all of the white squares.  He did tape them off first with Frog tape.  He was in some trouble with us, so cleaning and painting this deck was one of his punishments.  I was planning on doing this myself, and I was quite happy that I didn’t have to!  The first time I painted it, I remember being utterly exhausted when I was done.  The second time around it was much easier because it just needed refreshed.  But I was still happy to have someone else do it.  And even though it was a punishment, I think Mr. 15 Year Old kind of enjoyed it.
checkerboard painted deck1

Last weekend, we went to a rummage sale and a community yard sale, and I picked up this vintage spool and this old planter.

Vintage spool and planter1
I thought about doing something to this planter, like painting the legs or something, but for now, I am enjoying it as is.  We found the spool at a community yard sale.  It was a parking lot where different people had brought things to sell, and there was a man there with a slew of old vintage and antique things.  I paid $10 for this spool, and I also bought an old stool for $5.  If you follow me on Instagram I posted some pictures of my finds last weekend.
Vintage spool and planter2
I would love to know your opinion, what would you do with this planter?  Would you paint it, or leave it as is?  I would love to read your opinion in the comments.
Vintage spool and planter3
We have had these chairs for probably five years, but we just purchased this little café table last summer.  It is the perfect spot to eat dinner if it is just LC and I on a warm evening.  We love to sit out here in the evenings, and we get really good shade out here.
checkerboard painted deck2
checkerboard painted deck3
I purchased this little solar lantern a few weeks ago at Kohls.  It is currently on sale for $11.25, and it looks so cute all lit up at night.
solar lantern1
We have a couple of large planters on the upper deck that I planted some fresh herbs in, but I didn’t show them to you today because right now, they look like just dirt.  I am hoping they will grow soon so they will not only look pretty, but we can use them for cooking.  We planted oregano, basil, and cilantro.  If they ever grow, I will share them with you.
So that sums up our back deck tour for today.  As I told you, I have some more DIY projects to finish up, and I will share them as I get them done.  I also got some pallets on the same day I got the spool, and I have plans to make a bar or side table for the bottom deck as well.  So I can’t wait to get started on that!  Starting next week, I have 6 weeks off from work for summer, so I hope to get started really soon.
Have a great weekend!

This is where I party:

Friday:
Creativity Unleashed// Home Matters// Weekend Retreat// Craft Frenzy Friday// Freedom Fridays//
Farmhouse Friday// simple and Sweet Fridays// Frugal Friday// Show and Tell Friday
Catch as Catch Can// Friday Favorites// Pinworthy Projects// The Inspiration Gallery//
Home Sweet Home// Fridays Five// Fridays Unfolded
Saturday:
Found and Foraged
Sunday:
That DIY Party// DIY Sunday Showcase
Monday:
Bloggers Brags// Inspiration Monday// Amaze me Monday// Something to Talk About
Motivational Monday// Remodelaholic// Metamorphosis Monday// Make it Pretty Monday
Tuesday:
Project Inspired// Two Uses Tuesday// Inspire me Tuesday// Totally Terrific Tuesday
Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party// Show and Share// Tutorials and Tips// The Scoop// Brag About It
Trash to Treasure// Tuesdays at Our Home// Tweak it Tuesday// Do Tell Tuesday
Wednesday:
Share Your Style// Wow us Wednesday// Work it Wednesday// Wordless Wednesday
Thursday:
My Two Favorite Things on Thursday// Treasure Hunt Thursday// Creative Exchange// Inspiration2
Share Your Cup Thursday// Thursday Favorite Things//Moonlight and Mason Jars
Monthly:
Before and After Party

Comments

  3. Samantha says

    I have one on my deck. I made it stationery so I do not need to move it anywhere else. It gives a cozy ambiance like you are in a fancy deck side restaurant in the metro.

    Reply

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