3.31.2008

what do you think I'm full of?

We recently bought a new sofa, and thanks to the new Ikea down in Orlando, it was affordable.  Like any middle class American family, we put our old sofa on the front porch.  Actually, it was the carport, and it is a futon, not a sofa, but you get the point.  It started out that we put it out there because we were having a big party and needed some outdoor seating.  I made for a lovely outdoor living room (they are very in right now) and was very comfy.  So comfy that we left it there so we can sit on it, drink beer, and yell at the kids when they get too close to the street.  We had to move it to the shed due to an impending power washing of the house and concrete, but it got me thinking...can we defy nature and Florida's propensity to mildew absolutely everything left in unairconditioned space, and turn the futon into outdoor furniture?  I found a woman on craigslist.org who makes futon covers, and am looking for a good price on some outdoor fabric.  I asked our handyman what to use to keep the wood from rotting.  I remembered reading in Real Simple about painting the bottoms of your shaving cream cans with clear nail polish to keep them from rusting in the shower, and wondered if that would work on the futon's screws.  I have a small concrete pad behind the laundry room that would be the perfect spot for an outdoor living room.  We could build a roof, maybe use some roll up bamboo fencing as walls when needed, throw in a bunch of plants and two chairs.  If we wanted to get fancy, we could even install a ceiling fan!  Ah, as I always tell my husband, I am full of good ideas.  If only I had the funds to support them.

3 comments:

Kimberly said...

Amen! Sounds like a great idea.

Ethan Stonerook said...

Aly, what about wood finish from a boat shop? Lots of folks spend lots of money on teaque boats. I'm sure the marine store up on 23rd near main has some kind of wood finish that will protect the wooden part of your futon. Also, please don't tell anyone I was reading a decorating blog...it was an accident...really.

aly said...

That would have been a great idea. Alas, we sold the futon on craigslist. It was not worth the hassle. Sure, I won't tell anyone. But it is nothing to be ashamed of, Ethan. Good design is universal.