Meet the result of Lockdown and cabin fever: our new pallet seating area!

It really feels like a whole new room has been added to the house. We knew we wanted to create a seating area here but we had a few limitations. We rent so couldn’t make any permanent changes, we had a small budget, and there is a flower bed along the bottom of the wall on the left. Where possible we wanted re-use or recycle things. We also wanted it to feel really comfortable and luxurious- like a proper outdoor sofa. So here’s what we did!

We inherited an already well-planted garden that had got a bit wild. So we have been busy weeding and planting flowers and vegetables and are getting so much joy from it. One of our friends is a gardener with an allotment and has swapped seedlings for sourdough and flour- a middle-class lockdown cliche I realise.

I designed a rough layout of where I wanted the seating, and how I wanted it to look, bearing in mind the brief and limitations above. I hand draw designs like this usually. I then found a local pallet company who delivered EU pallets for £5 each. You can often get them for free- search for a local company near you.

Dave put it all together (cheers Dave). The sofa looks most impressive but was far easier than the benches! I asked him to cover the top and front siding which I think helps to make it look slightly less pallety. We then all sanded it. Dave chopped bits down for the sides then bolted it together.

After searching for the best option for cushions, including making them myself (which wasn’t practical!) I came across the brand Gardenista who make their cushions in the UK. They sent me their cushions as a press gift which is why this post is marked as AD. The cushions are specifically made for EU pallets so they fit together perfectly. Very satisfying indeed! If you can get the pallets for free or cheap, this means you’re able to get a set of garden furniture for a fraction of the cost.

Before:

Here is the space before the makeover. We struggled to get things to grow in the bed here as it didn't get much sun and it was a popular litter tray for the neighborhood cats! We discussed a few different methods for putting seating here, including building something in front of the bed, but that would have looked weird. As we rent we couldn’t do anything permanent. So we decided to put some weed membrane down, then put 2 long strong pieces of wood over the flower bed to create a base for the pallets. It has worked really well and feels really sturdy, and is very easy to remove when we move out.

After:

And this is it afterward! We love hanging out here.

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The Details

The pallet cushions, and the stripy pillows were a Press gift from Gardenista.

The fire-pit was a birthday present for Dave from me and Dave’s family. They are the same ones they have at Elmley, our favourite place, so we wanted a piece of it in our garden! It’s from Firepits.co.uk.

To dress the space, we went for some of the stripy Gardenista cushions, and some cushions we already had. Similarly, with the rug, sheepskins, and blankets- I just bring them outside rather than buying a whole set of outdoor items.

The parasol was a second hand eBay bargain.

The patio gets full sun in the mornings, moving to the front of the house by around 2 pm. When we need more shade in the mornings we peg up a large flat sheet. Eventually, we want something a bit sturdier, but it works well for now.

The festoon lights are really old, from Lights4Fun

The incense is lemon balm pyramids from Haeckels in Margate.

The lanterns are Ginger Ray

The large square olive green cushions are Deco Collective.

Ok, I think that’s everything! Any questions, pop them in the comments.