Try An Adorable Thrift Store Flip To Decorate Your Small Patio On A Budget

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The best of outdoor living in the summertime revolves around sipping on frosted lemonade on the patio as the sun slides down below the horizon. It's for this reason that useful patio setups typically include something lovely and thrifted, vintage even, as part of the decor — all the better if it's a cute DIY table on which to sit said frosted lemonade. That way, it's always within easy reach when thirst strikes. Plus, a piece like this just looks plain cute when you want to show off decorative plants, small lawn statues, and other decorative items in your outdoor living room. 

There are a lot of reasons why you should use a thrifted table for your next patio DIY project. You're likely to find a double-tier table at almost any secondhand shop that's going to look most excellent once you take a sander and a bit of spray paint to it. Since the table will sit outdoors, it's best to use indoor/outdoor spray paint, like Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines ultra-matte off-white interior/exterior spray paint and some Magnolia Home ultra black chalkboard paint, but you can customize the color palette to fit your decor.

Stencils featuring an old-fashioned font and decorative symbols give the DIY patio table the look of a vintage black and white newspaper or magazine advertisement. A PARBEE farmhouse stencil set adds an extra dose of cuteness to this project. Or design a vinyl image that you can transfer onto the table. And finally, you'll need some sponge brushes, plus some newspaper or a big piece of cardboard, to complete the job.

The upcycled thrifted table makes up the bones of this project. If you're aiming for a vintage look in your backyard, scout around auctions and thrift stores to find tables that look retro. Although you'll spray paint over the piece, you want the basic foundation to match the vintage fonts and decorative elements you'll add in with the stencils. Additionally, keep in mind that while the original stain and varnish on the piece has probably seen its better days, which is okay. You'll be painting over the original finish once you're done sanding it.

If you're not into stencils, get creative with decoupage. You can still lean toward the vintage newspaper look, but rather than stenciling the lettering on the table, cut out copies of old newspaper ads and glue them onto the top of the table instead. Once you're done gluing the decorative elements onto the patio table, cover it with a couple of coats of Mod Podge Outdoor sealer.

Finally, whether you stencil this piece or add decoupage to it, it's worth thinking about the design as it relates to the other decorative pieces you have out on your patio. These makeover techniques are especially good to use if you have two mismatching thrifted pieces you'd like to use together, like a side table and a beat-up wooden stool or bench. A common color palette and the use of similar imagery on the pieces, including the same type of font, will visually unify the pieces without taking away from their underlying uniqueness.