With summer right around the corner, we’ll all be spending more time in our yards and patios. When was the last time you redecorated outside? A great way to whip up a comfortable outdoor seating area is by repurposing indoor furniture, which can be found in abundance at second hand furniture stores.

Whether your interests lie in gardening, kicking back with friends, or just working on your tan, you can make a completely unique set of patio furniture to suit your style.

[Photo courtesy of: Bautizo y Comunion]

Cushioned Furniture

If you have, or can make, a covered shady area in your yard, the possibilities are endless when bringing indoor furniture outside. Second hand futons and couches are great for relaxing outside on a breezy summer night, as long as a little dirt on the fabric doesn’t bother you. When using cushioned furniture, you can also make or buy weather-durable covers for couches and chairs.

Set up some relaxing outdoor seating with futons, chairs, and a refinished coffee table, and you have a perfect place to host a backyard BBQ, or even just a family meal. Just don’t forget the citronella candles to keep the bugs away!

Wood Furniture

Wood furniture is one of the easiest things to find in second hand furniture stores. Kitchen tables and chairs, coffee tables, and even headboards can all be used in creative ways in the yard or garden. And because wood will need to be refinished for outdoor use, you can choose pieces that are scratched or stained. Pictured below is one idea from The Bloggy Mom Network’s list of elegant ways to repurpose indoor furniture for outside use.

[Photo courtesy of: The Bloggy Mom’s Network]

Headboards and Chairs          

Headboards can be used in many ways. The picture below is an old wooden headboard that has been turned into simple yet adorable wall hooks for gardening tools.

[Photo courtesy of: A Cultivated Nest]

They can also be used as a trellis for climbing plants, as a frame for hanging shade cloth or chicken wire, or as walls for a small enclosure around a flower bed. Many people have turned second hand headboards into garden benches! If used around vegetables or edible plants, be careful what materials you use to refinish, as some chemicals can bleed into the soil. Old headboards can be found in many places, from second hand furniture stores to yard sales.

Chairs can also be a versatile part of your garden. They can be used as planter stands or even turned into a garden swing as shown below.

[Photo courtesy of: My Apple Tree and Me]

Don’t feel like you have to drop big bucks on a new patio set, when the perfect project might be waiting at second hand furniture stores near you. Come down to your local Arc Store and see what we’ve got for you and begin turning traditional inside furniture into pieces that will create an outside oasis. The Arc Store in Chico has tons of furniture for 50% off in our parking lot sale, seven days a week!