So here I am – a Canadian and newly minted Florida snowbird having just purchased my first property. While the purchase process was a challenge and exciting at the same time, I was quickly faced with the renovation project. I needed to have the space done within 8 weeks. Where to start? Every room needed a lot of work. Well, I started with the space I liked most, and the reason I purchased the property. The balcony.
Up high on my priority list was a large outdoor sunny space (see my last post on condo shopping). Normally the outdoor space is the last area of attention, but I really did not want to overlook it. I have a south-facing unit, which affords me sunshine most of the day. Given that Florida beach weather can be cold in the Winter months (even for a Canadian snowbird), having a sunny outdoor space in the condo unit was important to me.
Budget-wise, the outdoor furniture could not be given attention. I have major renovations to do (I will cover these in future posts), so I needed to do this as cheaply as possible. Having this space done first was also important, to be a sanctuary from the chaos that was about to begin within the apartment.
The previous owner left me with some old beaten-up patio furniture, so I figured a DIY was in order. Since the furniture design was modern and the structure solid, I decided to refinish and buy some new cushions. Here is what I needed, all purchased at the Home Depot:
- Sanding sponge and paper
- Scraper
- Metallic Spray Paint (Aluminum)
- Painter’s Tape
- Protective gloves, mask, & drop cloths
This was an easy process, with most of the work in the preparation. Just need to scrape, sand and spray the furniture. We used the blue painter’s tape to protect the slats. Just be sure to protect yourself and work in a well-ventilated area.
For the cushions, I worked with the great folks at Patio Furniture Warehouse in Hallandale. They were fantastic to help select standard cushion sizes to fit the frames of my existing furniture. I was able to get a custom look for an off-the-shelf price. I highly recommend. While at the store, I also picked up a great new outdoor dining set to match from Suncoast Furniture.
Check out my before and after – I love this space. My balcony also benefited from the building’s concrete restoration project, taken care of by my condo association. More on this adventure in a future post !
Hello there! I'm Paula. This is my little blog about my personal style, Florida living, and transforming a fixer-upper into the vacation home of my dreams. I blog to stay creative & to hopefully inspire others. Enjoy, xox
