Sunday, March 6, 2016

Splendor in the Grass: DIY My Spring Blog Hop Outdoor Ottoman

Though the month of March may come roaring in like a lion, it's arrival is still a welcome promise of the sunny Spring days soon ahead. Many a frosty March morning, I find my mind wandering to sunny green fields and pastoral picnics, or perhaps planning my imaginary topiary garden (yes, I have one) 
So when I learned that Donna of Funky Junk interiors was hosting a Hometalk DIY MY Spring Hop for bloggers to share ideas celebrating all things Spring, I was delighted to take part. 
Nothing speaks to the season like the freshness of new green grass, and recently I noticed a trend incorporating it into whimsical outdoor furniture and decor. It seems all sorts of natural elements, grasses and moss (real and faux) are being reinvented as unique upholsteries and quirky furniture finishes. Think chic chia pet.
Inspiration, clockwise from top left
   Floral and moss chair, Hative.com
Grass Wall, architectural digest
Mossy sofa set, lushhome.com
Grass Chairs, Paris, Decorpad
Grass sofas, (for rent) AFR events

I thought adding one of these fun pieces to our humble outdoor space would be lots of fun and add a little greenery until the real stuff grows in. Sadly without the budget for a custom live creation or a surprisingly pricey faux version, this was going to have to be a DIY. 
Not being blessed with the greenest of thumbs, (for me, growing mint on my windowsill is a major horticultural coup), the idea of taming live grass into perfectly manicured decor didn't seem likely. 
To the rescue, inexpensive artificial grass sold inexpensively by the foot at your home improvement store, craft store plastic grass, an old crate and spray paint.

Faux Foliage Ottoman 
I figured a simple ottoman shape would be simple and small enough to give a more subtle nod to this unique trend.
I used:
A sturdy plastic crate 
faux grass carpet to cover crate
(Lowes or most home improvement stores)
plastic friendly spray paint 
2 plastic grass matts (from Craft store)
These were a bit pricey (even with coupon) so I used these only to accent and add dimension to the top of the ottoman
I roughly traced the height of crate and marked the grass carpet on the reverse, cutting one long piece sufficient to wrap around crate
Note: this is a bit messy to cut so is best done over drop cloth or outside
Since this will be a temporary occasional piece, I simply attached the grass carpet with large wads of rolled of Gorilla tape spaced evenly around crate. This allowed the flexible grass to sit evenly over the ridges and spacers of the crate.
An appropriate strong glue could be used if intended for tougher wear.
I then trimmed the two grass matts to fit the top not attaching until after painted.
I lightly spritzed everything with spray paint to make the green colors of sides and top more cohesive and to camouflage any areas where the crate might peek through. 
I used a few varieties of green for a more realistic finish- luckily having some paint from leftover projects. Layering the different greens while still wet lets them blend more naturally.
Then simply let dry, tape on top matts and accessorize.


Whimsically elegant accessories and "Think Spring" accents make a fun contrast to the down to earth texture.
While longer faux grasses are available, the shorter greens on these matts gives the grassy effect yet is level enough to allow you to perch items more easily.

Many Thanks for Visiting
and please pop over to the other fun blogs for DIY's, house tours, garden tips and more
and look for #DIYMySpring on your favorite social media



36 comments:

  1. I adore this idea! Visiting from the spring blog hop!

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  2. Cute idea -- love it! Visiting from the #DIYMySpring blog hop!

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  3. How lovely to have so green grass everywhere, inside home too !!
    Thank you for your lovely ideas, my sweetest Christina,
    may your weekend be blessed wiyh love
    with much gratitude
    Daniela

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  4. How lovely to have so green grass everywhere, inside home too !!
    Thank you for your lovely ideas, my sweetest Christina,
    may your weekend be blessed wiyh love
    with much gratitude
    Daniela

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Daniela!
      We are hoping for Spring!
      So glad you stopped by for a visit
      Cheers!

      Delete
  5. Such a cool project & fantastic outdoor piece!

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  6. What a fun idea! I will have to Pin this so I can make one myself!

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  7. I'm gasping over here!!! I LOVE this idea...and who would've thought you used an old plastic crate of all clever things?! Fun ideas...the wheels are spinning friend. ;)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!
      I had seen grass furniture in magazines but thought it be fun to DIY it lol
      So glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for stopping by :)

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  8. Adorable, my friend! You have created such a sweet and fresh scene. Love the bunny and small roses :)

    Thanks for sharing with Roses of Inspiration. Hugs!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Stephanie-And many Thanks for your lovely parties
      just dreaming of Spring lol
      Cheers!

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  9. Christina, what a clever and fun idea! Love your creativity and I think it looks fabulous!

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  10. Oh my gosh, how cute is this? I had not heard of this new moss furniture rage. Loved the photos you shared!
    hugs,
    Jann

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jann! It's sort of a quirky trend but lots of fun -I figured it might get some use at summer outdoor tea parties :)

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  11. This is SO creative and you made it look so easy to make, too! I am doing over our patio this Spring and I should make one of these!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

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    1. Thanks so much Carrie!
      It was almost embarrassingly easy to make - I guess I couldn't wait for the real grass to turn green! :)

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  12. Pure brilliance! This is the cutest ottoman I've ever laid eyes on! The pop of green is dreamy!

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    1. Thanks so much! And thanks of putting this all together- (no small feat!) This was lots of fun - now I just need our real lawn to green up :)

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  13. Super idea!!! That's a fantastic idea! And I love how you used a plain plastic crate as the base.

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    1. Thanks so much Heather!
      I try to use what i have lying around lol :)

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  14. Hi Christina,
    What a cute idea. I'm all about the moss right now. And, you can never have enough tabletop and surface area. Very clever!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!
      It's funny- I'm seeing moss everything right now too! Must mean Spring really is here
      Thanks for visiting
      Cheers

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  15. This is so creative and original. I love this look. It's perfect for the patio or balcony.

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    1. Thanks so much!
      We have a quirky little patio area in the back of our yard and it does work really well in a small outdoor space
      Thanks for visiting
      Cheers!

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  16. Wow, what a neat addition... Adds another layer of "cozy." Good job!

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  17. Hello, what a great idea and a lovely addition to the decor on the porch. I like this creative use for the crate. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!
      I wanted something a bit different lol
      Thanks for visiting :)
      Cheers!

      Delete
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