Final reveal: My $160 DIY patio set

On Friday afternoon, I finished putting together our budget-friendly outdoor dining set. I went $10 over the DIY budget goal, bringing the total to $160. But, overall, I was still happy with the money I saved.

I started with a freebie table, which I refinished in oil-rubbed bronze. For the tutorial on that project, click here. After the table was done (the spray paint came to about $10), I went on a hunt for seating at seven different stores. I finally landed at Big Lots, where I pieced together a $70 bench with four chairs, which were $18 apiece. The total cost of the seating came to $142 (before taxes). Here’s everything all put together:

I love the new finish on the table. I think it matches the seating very well.

The bench is my favorite piece. I think it adds an upscale touch to an otherwise run-of-the-mill dining set.

If you’re curious about the throw pillows, I made each of them in half an hour. Click here for the tutorial.

The chairs and bench did not go together as a set. I actually found them in different spots of the store and noticed they were made of similar materials. Tip: When decorating on a dime, you often have to think outside the box to create the look you want.

I will mention that I need to exchange one of the chairs because its legs are damaged. So if you head to Big Lots for these items, inspect them closely before purchasing. 🙂

To make for a fun and more well-lit photo shoot, I set up the table in the yard, put a Pottery Barn jute rug under it and decorated the tabletop with stuff from around the house. Tiny and I had fun drinking all that lemonade. 😉

Trivia question: Can you guess which three items on the table were purchased at yard sales for under $1 each? Leave me a comment with your guess and I’ll reveal the answer in my next post. (I’ll also reveal it the night before on Facebook, so if you haven’t “Liked” me yet, click here.)

What do you think of my “new” outdoor dining set? It required energy, creativity and a lot of elbow grease, but I’m happy with the results. To recap, here’s a “before” of the table:

And the “after” …

I’m linking this up to Home Stories A to Z, A Stroll Thru Life, Thrifty Decor Chick, DIY by Design, House of Hepworths, My Repurposed Life, House of Rose, Miss Mustard Seed and iHeartOrganizing.