As the season’s pleasant temps beckon green thumbs back to the garden, why not undertake a pretty project that will help keep your beds and borders in full bloom?
With a few easy-to-come-by supplies, we took this box-store bookshelf ($120 at Lowe’s) and turned it into a patio-ready potting station—while keeping our budget in check. Here’s how:
You will need:
• 1 A-frame bookcase
• 1 qt. primer
• 1 qt. paint
• 1 qt. sealer
• 1 1/2-2 yds. fabric
• 1 roll Stitch Witchery
• 1 27-48'' tension rod
• 2 paintbrushes (one synthetic)
• Fabric shears
• Measuring tape
• Iron
STEP 1: Assemble the shelf according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
STEP 2: Paint entire bookshelf with primer. After primer is dry (two to three hours later), follow with two coats of paint (we used Valspar’s Black Forest in acrylic latex), allowing one-hour drying time between coats. Apply one to two coats of water-based polyurethane sealer with a synthetic paintbrush.
STEP 3: Measure the space from the third shelf to the floor, then measure the width of the bookcase. Add two inches to the height and double the width. Cut a piece of fabric (we used linen—a steal at $2 per yard from Walmart) to size and iron a one-inch hem along the top. Cut a piece of Stitch Witchery to run the length of the hem. Place it just beneath the raw edge of the fabric to allow a half-inch gap for the tension rod to slide through. Follow Stitch Witchery instructions to fuse seam. Insert tension rod and hang just under the third shelf to conceal clutter. (We left the edges unhemmed for an easy,
breezy look.)
STEP 4: Fill shelves with potting tools, watering cans, seed packets, bulbs, and other gardening necessities.
