I’ve always loved a good DIY project. I’m crafty. I’m creative. I like to get my hands dirty. So, when we recently moved into a quirky 1970s home, I knew I was going to have fun fixing it up. One of my favorite things about my home is the atrium. It’s a rare feature, and one that I absolutely love. The best way to describe the placement of the atrium is this:
Picture a square house. Now take a square cookie cutter and place it right in the middle of that house. Remove the cookie cutter, and you’re left with our atrium.
The renovation of this outside room was a fun one. I started by turning an old popcorn cart into a flower bed. The popcorn cart itself was – I’m not ashamed to admit – a piece of trash I picked up on the sidewalk during one of the city’s “big junk” days. At the time, I had no clue what I wanted to do with it. I just knew I wanted it.
First, I bought a bunch of terracotta pots and headed to the craft room.
From there, I painted each pot to represent what was going inside of it. In this case, I wanted an herb garden so I could simply step outside and grab some oregano or rosemary or whatever I may need for a meal I’m cooking.
I planted the herbs and used a few bricks to prop the pots up on.
Next, I wanted to bring the popcorn cart to life. I picked out spray paint in my absolute favorite color, and got to work. After a few coats, the piece was complete, and I was pretty happy with how it turned out!
Once my herb garden was complete, the rest of the renovation came together. Succulents were planted, art was nailed to the wall, lights were strung, and patio furniture was purchased and (frustratingly) assembled.
I planted lavender to put on our table because I simply can’t get enough of the calming scent.
I’m excited about the new room we can now enjoy. Best of all – it actually makes summer somewhat tolerable!
What’s your next project? Share your DIY tips below!
