Décor dilemma
The challenge
Marelize de Villiers of Prieska writes We live on a farm outside Prieska and we’d like to buy comfy patio furniture and other practical décor items for the 6 x 4m stoep (above left ). We spend a lot of time out there, but the space is not being used to its full potential. We don’t want to build a permanent braai on the stoep; we have an indoor braai in the adjacent living area (above right ). Here are a few of our challenges: • Huge stacking doors lead out onto the stoep and since our dining table is located right next to it, there’s no need for a large table outside. Instead, we’d like to create a space for socialising, drinking coffee or relaxing with a book. • Spiders make nests in every conceivable nook and cranny on our stoep! We love woven and cane furniture but we’re concerned that with the bugs it will be a permanent job to keep it clean. What do you suggest? • We have an old Oregon pine workbench that we salvaged from the barn on the farm and I’d love to revamp it and use it on the stoep. The top and legs are still in good condition but the bottom shelf is full of ugly oil marks that we’ve repeatedly cleaned with sugar soap and left in the sun to lift the oil, with no success. • We’d like to paint the indoor living area; it’s very dark. We currently have a dark red focal wall and we’re tired of the look. I’m keen to paint this wall a soft green, which will make the room much lighter, but which shade will work with our furniture (we have dark brown leather sofas and we love wood) – and what should I do with the rest of the walls? • Another small roof was installed over the area to the right of the stoep. The grass in that space has died and we need ideas for the floor; we have too few stone tiles left to cover the 2 x 6m surface.
1
Furniture Look for simple outdoor furniture and loose comfy cushions. If you’re keen on chairs that you can curl up in, look for a pair of small two-seater couches instead of single armchairs; add a slipcover in a weatherresistant outdoor fabric to make it more practical for everyday use. A coffee table will be a welcome addition (it can even be an old trunk) and scour second-hand stores for a big steel or old wooden daybed.
2
Paint colours A soft green will complement the dark tones of your existing furniture. Combined with a warm, neutral off-white, it will lighten the room. If you want to make a bigger change, paint the rear wall with the built-in braai green and the rest of the walls a neutral shade. To create a little more light, consider painting the pine ceiling beams a solid white or whitewash them to keep the wood grain visible.
3
Workbench Paint thinners should dissolve the oil stains; otherwise, a clay-based material such as Fuller’s Earth should do the trick. If neither of these options work and even sanding the timber has no impact, you could paint the bottom shelf. Position the workbench to the side of the patio against the wall, making sure it doesn’t interfere with the stacking doors. Or place it on the right-hand side of the patio between the window and the pillar to visually close off the small roofed area.
4
A cosy nook A low-maintenance solution for the grass dilemma is gravel or pebbles. Edge these with your leftover stoep tiles for a neat and cohesive finish. Create a nook with two durable Adirondack chairs and add some shade-loving greenery in fixed or loose planter boxes to liven up the space.