Phil asked what I wanted for my birthday last March and I immediately told him I wanted a custom potting bench. I had a gazillion ideas which would all require an experienced carpenter. With his blessing, I began to ask around about a carpenter, but it’s sometimes hard to hire workers here in Highlands. No one even came to see the spot I had picked out and talk to me about what I envisioned. Bummer. But Phil told me that he would build a simple bench and I could decorate it to make it what I wanted. I wasn’t sure but I knew it had to be better than what was presently there. Ugh. I reminded Phil that we had brought three pressure treated columns from Alabama and, maybe, we could use them on this project. He thought for a moment and said, “Yeah. I can cut them in half and use them as table legs.” I reminded him that I had saved Miss Cora’s original sink and I’d like to use it, too. He agreed and began measuring the space and drawing the table. “Don’t forget to add shelves between the outside windows,” I told him. First he cut, painted, and set the post legs. Then he built a table top and cut the table to hold the sink. We picked up an inexpensive faucet set from Lowe’s and he installed it. Looking good! He added trim to make it look more finished. He painted the table top and legs Ewing Blue (Benjamin Moore Paint). I found outdoor fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby and turned it over to a friend at church to sew table skirt panels. (Thank you, Marie!) He painted the shelves Ewing Blue and the trim Chantilly Lace (Benjamin Moore Paint). I made a quick trip to our local nonprofit second hand store—Mountain Findings. I was looking specifically for an old rake head to use as hooks to hang my tools. I didn’t find one, but I did find an old peg towel hanger or is it a hat hanger or... whatever it was, I took it home and spray painted it yellow to brighten it up. Now my garden tools hang from it. Also at Mountain Findings, I found this metal basket for $1. I love it! And I found this artificial ivy for 50 cents. I added artificial flowers and a spray nozzle to this garden hose to make a cute wreath. I thought the white trim was too blah so I asked Phil to paint a colorful flower border. It took him four or five days but he never complained. i added a lot of my old garden items to the shelves. And we added a hanging basket for some more color. Phil is currently painting Miss Cora’s original mailbox a bright metallic blue and then he’ll paint a large sunflower bloom on the side. The mailbox will keep my garden gloves nice and dry. Isn’t this potting bench so stinkin’ cute? I smile every time I see it. Thank you, Phil!
2 Comments
Brenda French
8/21/2018 05:17:26 am
I absolutely adore it. So glad you left the legs exposed. What a great idea. You guys really do have some talent and thanks so much for sharing it with us. I am still planning to come down one day and I expect a step by step tour.
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Phil & SharonMarried 40 years and hoping to enjoy many more! Archives
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