Painting The Lanai And Re-purposing Furniture!
It started like this…innocent enough!
It was a warm evening with just a gentle breeze fluttering the curtains hanging on our lanai.
The Captain and I sat at our al fresco dinner meal …. discussing the ways of the world and politics and a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
I studied the Lanai walls and I said:
“We really should paint the lanai….it definitely needs updating and I am a bit tired of this orang-y/coral color”.
This was not a new topic as we had discussed painting the whole exterior of Villa de la Luna on numerous occasions. Our home is Spanish Mediterranean and most of the exterior is a light tan. We have two sets of very tall doors that are painted a dark brown and then there is the Lanai…the orang-y lanai, a very common color in SW Florida. The courtyard which is an extension of the lanai is painted the same color as the exterior….which is a light tan.
Usually, we do the painting on our own home ourselves….and when I say “we”, I mean mostly the Captain! I paint low lying areas and special projects while he does all the high work and ceilings.
On our flip houses and rentals…we hire the work done.
There was a quiet pause in our conversation as I plopped a small (ironically orange) cantaloupe ball into my mouth.
“Painting the lanai is a great idea. I’ll call Pat for an estimate, he called me the other day needing some work.” the Captain replied as he directed his eyes up and around the lanai. “While we are painting the lanai, let’s do the whole inside of the courtyard and the double doors,…. what do you think?”
And so the painting project of the lanai and courtyard began.
I will post pictures after all the painting is finished…but this just gives you an idea of what we are doing, the colors we have picked out for the walls and doors and of course the real reason for this post…my new project!
I had a vision and a mission.
For quite some time, I had been searching garage sales and curbside offerings. I was looking for a small hutch.
I knew just where it would sit on the lanai, so it couldn’t be too wide or too tall…….
……and obviously, it would be sitting outside subject to the elements, even though it would be in a protected area.
And then……
…….and then, a couple weeks ago, I just happen to look on Craig’s List here and I typed in ‘small hutch’ under furniture and the first item that popped up was THE HUTCH!
Yes! one exactly like the one I had been searching for.
It was fate I tell you!!! See the pic of the hutch sitting in the antique shop.
The hutch was listed at $120.00 at an antique store just over the bridge into Ft. Myers….about 20 minutes away.
It had been sitting there all along just waiting for me to come and rescue it from a fate of odds and ends and mismatched everything being stored on it’s pretty shelves.
It cried out for a purpose and I knew I had just the place and purpose for this little hutch.
But not in its present state…not the hastily painted, white, shabby chic.
No, this little hutch did not need the look of neglect and time worn, although I do have a few pieces of furniture in my home that are well used and worn.
I was so excited that the Captain and I jumped into the pick-up truck and headed to the shop.
After entering the shop, I spotted the white shabby chic hutch with a price tag of $125.00.
And after much bargaining and quoting the Craig’s List price… the Captain and I paid $100.00 for my treasure and we were on our way home. I had big plans for this piece of furniture and couldn’t wait to pick out a paint color and get to work on my project.
So my dear readers…you will have to wait until closer to Halloween to see how I spiffed up this little hutch with paint and the way I breathed new life and purpose for a long neglected piece of furniture.
AND, ….you will see just how the little hutch fits in with the painting the lanai project.
Until then…here is a sneak peek!
Don’t you just love when you find a bargain and it is exactly what you are looking for?
Stand by…more to come!
Hugs Always
What fun, Kari! Can’t wait to see it.
Thanks Sandy…I will be sure to post the pics! thanks for stopping by.