Boy do I have spring fever!  I have been on a mission, lately, to spruce up my back patio.  I dream of an outdoor space where I WANT to unwind, a place where our family can spend time together and a place that I want to show off!  Of course, I also want that space cheap:)
My first plan of action was to create an outdoor dining area.  We love ourselves some cook-outs!  We purchased a patio set last summer but I never did anything decorative with it. 
***Many of you have sent emails asking where I got my patio set and we purchased it on-line at Home Depot.  It is a Martha Stewart set and I LOVE it!  It was shipped for free and 20% off!  Check out the circulars in your Sunday paper because they run great deals on patio furniture!***
Back to the Chargers!
I love the look of chargers for a tablescape but the price tag on most of them busts my wallet, especially for outdoor dining!  I had a vision and I went with it!
I picked some 1 x 12’s from my scrap pile and got to work!
I cut 6 pieces at 12″ (I might add that my husband was over-joyed for me to get rid of some scraps;)
I gave each piece 1 coat of Minwax Dark Walnut Stain
and followed up with 1 coat of Minwax Polycrylic.
That was it!
Seriously, that was it!  Very little time and they were FREE!
I also cut one 1 x 12 at 24″ for a centerpiece and I love how it shows off my citronella lanterns!
Please excuse the mess, we are installing a pool right now (which is another reason I am ready to spruce up my outdoor area;)
If you don’t have 1 x 12 scraps laying around you can purchase one 8′ board at a hardware store for around $13.  That’s less that $2 per charger!  To make it easier, you can have it cut for you while you are at the store.  From there, your only job is to stain and finish:)
I am so in love with these chargers!  I love the natural look of them and I LOVE that I can use them for inside dining as well!  Now, I’m off to set up my inside dining table!
~Ashley

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33 Comments

  1. These are great. So easy and they give a beautiful look. We are working on our backyard and I can’t wait to start shopping or making stuff for the table setting. Thanks for sharing.

  2. How clever is this! I love it! Hope you link this wonderful tablescape to Tablescape Thursday on Wednesday evening. It’s a perfect post for TT. 🙂

  3. What a fantastic use of scraps! They look very “organic chic”. I also really love the lanterns on the table too. You’ll have such an awesome entertaining space once the pool is finished.

  4. First, I am so jealous of the pool! It is going to be so beautiful. The brown and greens of the table are beautiful. What a lever idea. Those lanterns are really fun. Enjoy it when it is all done.

    1. Thank you so much Jacqueline! We are very excited too! I think I am more excited about decorating the backyard though;) Thanks so much for stopping by!

  5. So cute. When I first saw them from afar, I thought you’d appropriated floor tiles as chargers for outside… and on that note I am thinking that would be another super cute weather tolerant charger- some pretty 12 by 12 tiles… On Craigslist you can often even get free tile when folks have just a box or less leftover…excited to do some work outside!

  6. Love your idea! Very creative and looks great on your table. Your green dishes are perfect for outside. I bet you can’t wait till the pool is finished! Please drop in for a Mikasa giveaway!

  7. These would be fun if you painted them with chalkboard paint. After painting my kitchen backsplash with chalkboard paint, I want to cover everything in chalkboard paint. I hope you understand 🙂

  8. I sure do LOVE your chargers!!!! How wonderful they are, especially for outdoors! I also love your patio set! I am on the lookout for a rectangular table….I ahve a round one right now that only seats 4. Thanks for the tip! XO, Pinky

  9. Those are sooo cool! Great job! We just moved from DFW to Northern OK and I have been trying out some of your fabulous DIY ideas in my new home! Thanks for the inspiration!