Porch Bench

The same week I built the bench for my dining room table Kim, over at NewlyWoodwards, built one for her front porch.  Well, actually, her husband Ryan built it.  I loved the style and the idea so much that I told her right then I might have to steal it.  She clarified that I wanted to steal the BENCH – not her husband – and gave me permission.
Kim’s bench is SO sweet. It looks adorable with all her pretty fall decor arranged on it.

I wanted one bad, but I kept putting it off, thinking I’d have to build it from scratch like she did.
Then one day I remembered this mess that I bought at a yard sale a few weeks ago.

Seriously – is that not the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen? I only paid $3 for it, but I couldn’t figure out EVEN THEN why I was buying it. Take a good look, ladies, and remember this next time you whip out the craft paint because THIS is what can happen when you get carried away. Every bit of this thing – NOT just the stenciling – was painted with craft paint (which at least made it easy to sand off!)  Matt – who never says anything about all the junk I bring home – was horrified. I told him it would be fantastic when I was done with it. 
The gross little thing sat in my garage for a few weeks, sanded and primed (because I couldn’t stand to look at the grapes and ivy leaves for ONE MORE SECOND) while I thought and thought about what she might become. I rejected several ideas before remembering the porch bench.
One weekend I showed Matt Kim’s Bench Post and asked him if he thought we could use the mess as a starting point. I’d already purchased the MDF to use for the top.
He got right on it – ripping apart the old bench and using it as the sides to the new one.

Then he cut the MDF for the top (to my specs, of course) built a box out of 2x4’s and attached it, evened out the bottom of the sides (so it wouldn’t wobble) and assembled the whole thing.

AND he looked cute while doing it!

Let’s zoom in on the part I like best…

ANYWAY…once he was done I primed it (grey) and painted it (black) and let her dry in the garage.

Then I moved her to her new home on the porch and gave her some decorations.

Pretty, huh?

If you love the “Autumn” sign (I’ll admit that I do – even though I’m the one that made it!) you can read all about making it here - it was super EASY and lots of FUN :)