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Alfresco Dining in a Secret Garden

An alfresco dining area can be enjoyed anywhere – even in an unkempt yard. Move dinner outside and find your secret garden tonight! 

al fresco dining how to

Hi, Friends! Monday came so quickly – this summer is flying by. Our weekend was fabulous. It cooled down just enough for us to get outside for a bit of yard work and fun! But today, I am excited to be joining the lovely Chloe of Celebrate and Decorate for a sweet summer Alfresco Dining Tablescape Blog Hop!

I hate to admit that I’ve gotten behind on my gardening, especially in the backyard. The front yard received a little bit of love earlier in the summer, but we’ve completely neglected the back garden.

summer alfresco dining table

When things are looking overgrown as they are, I tend not to want to spend much time out back, as it usually reminds me of all of the work there is to do! But summer only lasts so long, and we should be taking advantage of the warm days and sultry evenings whenever we can. It’s all about perspective – rather than seeing my garden as overgrown; I’m choosing to see it as a secret garden! And there is no better place for a picnic for two than a secret garden – alfresco dining at it’s best!

SET AN ALFRESCO TABLE TONIGHT

 

summer alfresco dining table - hydrangea cuttings
al fresco dining for two in secret garden

One doesn’t need a fancy patio set to enjoy a romantic summer picnic – All that’s required is a quiet spot, a place to lean your elbows on, some comfy chairs, plates you love – unmatched or otherwise! – Good food and wine and great company! Candlelight doesn’t hurt either.

summer alfresco dining table - blue and white tablesetting
summer alfresco dining table - view of hydrangea and daylillies

I enjoy blurring the indoor/outdoor line by using my indoor furniture outdoors.

summer alfresco dining table - full table view
al fresco dining using humble materials
summer alfresco dining table - hidden alfresco table

summer alfresco dining table - hydrangeas on table with candlelight
My darling hydrangeas. I was surprised to see that the blooms on our shrubs were a kaleidoscope of colors this year – pinks, blues, purples – with both large and compact clusters!

summer alfresco dining table

 

summer alfresco dining table

So, do you have a Manicured or a “Secret” Garden? No matter what you have, I hope you’re able to spend some time in it before the summer’s end!

summer alfresco dining table

Thanks so much for stopping and make sure you drop by to visit some of my talented blogging friends for alfresco dining tablescape inspiration galore!

Pin for later: Alfresco Dining in a Secret Garden

Alfresco Dining Ideas
knockitoffkim.com projects

OTHER FUN SUMMER PROJECTS

Make Pineapple Decor for your Home for just $1

pineapple decor - candle holder closeup

 

Metal Plant Table Upcycle

plant table make-over

How to Make a Floral Clutch Bag in 10 Minutes or Less

floral clutch bag_pin

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Before and After: Five Steps to a Charming Outdoor Sitting Area

Use these outdoor seating ideas to transform your driveway into a charming seating area. The best part? You’ll use items from around your home!

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Spring Burlap Wreath with Felt Flowers
Hello, and welcome to the Garden and Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop! I’m excited to share my driveway sitting area with you and hope you agree that space is much improved. A big thank you to the always sweet Tara at Lehman Lane for hosting this fun hop and be sure to check out Emily at Two Purple Couches for a peek at her Garden and Outdoor Space!

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
I don’t know about you, but my kid LOVES to play in the driveway. We have oodles of kid-centric outdoor space for him, but he prefers the blacktop every time. This causes a bit of a predicament – it’s the one part of the house that we can not see him from any other part of the house unless we are right with him. As a result, we spend a lot of time in the driveway, just outside of our garage.

The garage is also our most used entrance into our home, only not through this door! As you can see, the entrance is blocked, and the door is falling apart.

Outdoor Seating Ideas for a Charming Outdoor Sitting Area

With my recent efforts toward curb appeal – what? You’ve not seen the Front Porch Reveal?! –  this seems like an obvious place to make some real change. Given that we’ve recently painted the shutters and the front door a deep black, this one, still green, sticks out like a sore thumb. Literally.

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.

We plan to replace the door and the clutter inside isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t this area couldn’t be a little more pleasing to the eye – for absolutely no cost!

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Spring Burlap Wreath with Felt Flowers

ADD SEATING

Step 1: These chairs are used as extra seating in our home. Although I wouldn’t leave them out in the elements permanently, they can safely stay in the garage until we’re ready to use them. I love the new seating area so much that I plan to add some more permanent outdoor chairs shortly!

 

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.

ADD A TABLE

Step 2:  A table is a great place to show off accessories and to put a cold drink when I’m watching my child run circles in the driveway.

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.

ADD LIFE

Step 3: I added multiple plants in various shapes and sizes. We have great morning light in this spot and shade in the afternoon – perfect for plants and also for sitting! All of these plants are perennials as well, and little maintenance. I love how they soften the look of the blacktop.

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.

ACCESSORIZE


 Step 4:  Just like inside your home, the right accessories can make a huge difference outside your home. The wreath on the door hides the worn areas of the door and draws your eye away from the clutter inside. Look around your home for items that can work both inside and out!
Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Spring Burlap Wreath with Felt Flowers

ENJOY IT

Step 5: Kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

 

Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Outdoor seating ideas using items from around your home.
Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you found some fun outdoor seating ideas for your Outdoor Space! Make sure you head on over to Two Purple Couches and tell Emily I said “hi”! For even more fun, visit our participants from this week!
Summer Garden Tour & Ourdoor Spaces Blog Hop

Summer Garden Tour & Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop

Summer Garden tour and outdoor Spaces Hop

Monday

Lehman Lane

Our House Now a Home

The Dean’s List

Green with Décor

2 Bees in a Pod – Vicki’s House

Summer Garden Tour / Outdoor Spaces Hop

Tuesday

Two Purples Couches

Knock it Off Kim

Summer Garden tour and blog hop

Wednesday

2 Bees in a Pod – Jennifer’s house

My Life from Home

Average but Inspired

Refresh Living

Summer Garden tour and blog hop

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Pin for later: 5 steps to a Charming Outdoor Seating Area
wall repair_feature

How to: DIY Wall repair after Wallpaper Removal

If you’ve recently started a painting project only to realize you’ll need to remove wallpaper followed by a wall repair project, don’t panic – I can show you how to fix it WITHOUT replacing the drywall. 

wall repair

Hello, hello! Welcome back for week #2 of the latest round of the One Room Challenge hosted by Calling It Home. We continue working towards making our formal dining room into a multi-purpose playroom with dining room potential. Our primary focus this week was on getting the room painted.  We ran into problems immediately, as our home’s previous owners had painted over wallpaper not firmly affixed to the wall. Moisture getting underneath the loose paper resulted in significant air bubbles under the paint and forced us to remove the wallpaper before painting. Progress came to a screeching halt – as likely happened in your project!

Dining Room Makeover

 

If you’ve recently started a painting project only to realize you’ll need not only to remove wallpaper but also do some DIY Wall Repair, don’t panic – there is a way to fix this WITHOUT replacing the drywall – In seven easy steps!

 

DIY WALL REPAIR FROM WALLPAPER REMOVAL DAMAGE

DIY Wall repair after wallpaper removal

STRIP IT

1 Remove as much of the wallpaper as you can. If you’re working with vinyl wallpaper, the vinyl top will pull away easily, leaving the glued paper backing stuck to the wall. You can use a solution of fabric softener and warm water to remove a large portion of this. A heat gun will also help to soften the glue and move the process along more quickly. If you’re dealing with paper wallpaper, such as we were, use a putty knife and your fingers to scrape as much paper off as you can!wall repair - paper removed after

CLEAN IT

2 Use a rough cloth or sponge with either 1:4 vinegar and water or wallpaper paste remover to remove residual glue. Rinse with water and let dry.
wall repair_zinsser

SEAL IT

3 If you also removed part of the drywall paper, you’ll need to seal this paper with an oil based primer before applying any spackle patches. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a drywall paper bubbling mess. We like Zinsser shellac-based primer. Apply it directly to the paper, let dry.
4 Sand and scrape the wall after priming to remove any remaining paper and smooth down any rough areas. Re-prime and repeat as needed until there are no loose paper edges exposed.
wall repair - fill large gouges

PREP IT

5 Fill any large gouges and holes with 2-3 thin coats of drywall compound – the smoother the finish, the less sanding you’ll have to do. Be sure to feather the mud at least a few inches out past the damaged areas for easier sanding.
freebie banner
6 On the areas where there the drywall paper was removed, we ran a skim coat over the entire surface because the damage was so extensive.

 

PAINT IT

7 We’re not professional drywallers. As a result, our finish is usually less than smooth. Use a damp cloth to wash away large bumps and lumps of drywall compound, then sand smooth. Apply drywall primer, let dry, then paint to your heart’s content!

LOVE IT

We choose a lovely greige neutral, Glidden’s ‘Smooth Stone’ in an eggshell finish, for greater washability and added brightness.

Finally, we have a fully painted room!

So, there is a bit more painting to do, and there are still a few things to come in on order. We’ve got to get cracking on the building of the table and completing the built-ins. I also still need to find artwork. I’m seriously considering the purchase of a paint sprayer in the coming weeks. Maybe Santa will gift me early!  Wish me luck!

dining room_makeover_header

Be sure to take a peek at all of the other participants as well! Some AMAZING designs are coming out of this challenge – you don’t want to miss it!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a commission when a sale is made by clicking on the link, at no additional cost to you. I value you and your trust and only recommend products and brands I genuinely love. Thanks for supporting Knock it Off Kim!  

 

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