This year, I swore I was going to make myself a comfortable outdoor space where I could enjoy the Summer with my dog. Problem was, due to unexpected events, I wasn’t exactly swimming in cash.
So, it was time to get creative. I knew I wanted a slat wall, a ton of plants, a comfortable seating area, a bar, and a water feature…so off to the flea market/thrift store/lumber yard I went to begin the treasure hunt.
The Project
First on the hit list was the lumber yard because my main aim with this space was to make it cozier and zone it off from the rest of the yard. A slat wall seemed to be the perfect solution, so I went to the lumber yard and dropped $80 on furring strips and 2x4s and, Voila! A slat wall was born. The bonus being that I used all the off-cuts to make the decorative pieces hanging on the fence, so this was a zero-waste project.



Later that week, I was lucky enough to score these old metal lanterns for $3 a piece at the flea market. I also picked up this copper washtub ($35)and a pond pump ($19) and got busy making the water feature. Once the tub was patched and held water, I bought some water Hyacinth from Facebook marketplace ($5) and a White Pickerel Rush ($16) from the local nursery.
After the fountain was flowing, I got busy on the bar, which is a 2×12 scrap held up by heavy-duty brackets. Total cost: $40. Luckily, I already had some bar stools in the garage, so I turned them from screaming orange into a subtler green and they look perfect.



Finishing touches: I got most of my plants and pots for free, except for my beautiful Cana Lily which cost $23. The tin ceiling tiles and the planter were flea market finds and cost me $30 total. I painted them green to match the house color. The pillows were gifted. The life preserver was an old piece I already owned.

Totals
Building Materials: $120
Paint: $25
Pots and Plants: $60
Decor: $60
Total: $265
Now, bear in mind that I started collecting things for this project in December and it is now June. If you’re going to adhere to my TGIF philosophy (Thrifted, Gifted, Invented, or Found), then you’re going to need patience. The perfect plant or the perfect piece of decor are not always readily available when you want them, so you have to wait it out and keep your eyes open. The payoff though, is that you will have crafted a space that is uniquely yours, filled with stories, and all done on the cheap. That’s a design trifecta in my book.




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