If you’re currently stuck in the middle of a dreary winter (hello, Northern Hemisphere), you might be focusing on projects you can do in your home to make it warm and cozy. But if you’re dreaming of outdoor projects to enjoy when the weather warms, count this welcoming patio makeover from Ndandu Khavhadi, the blogger behind Just a Mom With a Drill, among your inspirations.
Stay tuned for more content like this
In South Africa, where Ndandu and her family live, it is customary for them to gather for a regular family feast called braai — basically a big barbecue dinner. But Ndandu was less than happy with her outdoor hosting space.
“This space was boring and the floor and windows were badly damaged,” says Ndandu. Additionally, the dining room table was an old pine farm table from the 1990s that was on its last legs. “It would force us to prepare food and eat inside in the dining room,” says Ndandu, noting that this is less than ideal, as summer in South Africa is the best time to spend late afternoons and evenings outside as a family.
So Ndandu set out to make the yard the perfect gathering place, one step at a time. First: sub. “They offered me thousands for material to re-coat the floor,” says Ndandu. “That’s money we weren’t willing to spend, so I went back to the drawing board and developed my own method.”
To begin with, Ndandu repaired the cracks and holes with a mixture of cement and sand, then sealed the tile grout lines with the same mixture. Once that was dry, she gave the entire place a thorough clean, applied two coats of DIY compound, and sealed everything.
Next, Ndandu tackled the windows. She repaired pieces that were “almost falling apart,” as she says, then sanded, coated and painted with black enamel. The bold color pops on the walls, which Ndandu repainted in a creamy neutral tone.
Finally, it’s time to focus on the most important part of the area: the dining table. Instead of completely replacing the old one, Ndandu cut off the bevelled edges of the table to give it a more modern look. Then, to mask the old legs, she added corner pieces using scrap wood, which gives the appearance of huge beams. (This is a great trick to borrow if you want to change the table, but it’s not sold on permanent makeovers.) Finally, Ndandu painted the entire piece black with chalk paint. New benches made from reclaimed wood offer plenty of gathering space and cost next to nothing to create.
Finishing touches include pendant lights made by Ndandu using jute twine shaped around balloons and wall art made with masonite and acrylic paint. The total cost of this repair was about $200.
It wasn’t an easy project, but it was a true labor of love — and a process that Ndanda fully embraced. “With every step of this project there was some kind of setback, but finding a solution or a way out gave me such joy,” she says.
“You should see what this place looks like in the evening when the lights are on,” says Ndandu. “It feels like a completely different space. Now I feel like a part of the house. I’m definitely looking forward to the memories we make here.”
How’s that for some New Year’s inspiration?