To those of you who emailed ... Is it done? To those of you who asked ... Did it work? To those of you who commented ... Will we ever see it?
The answer is yes. I got butt implants, they totally worked and maybe a lucky few of you. Also I finished my hack of the Restoration Hardware Aspen Collection. Just in time to pack it away for winter!
I'm not going to interrupt your scrolling with too many words in this post.
Because the clumsiness of my words will only detract from the beauty of my hack.
Although I should mention I haven't actually finished the coffee table yet. I still need to chamfer the edges (I'm holding out until someone decides to give me a router and chamfering bit).
It is not a lightweight collection. Knowing I'd have to move it around eventually I decided to put it on casters. The only casters even remotely strong enough to support it were appliance casters. I wouldn't say it makes the sectional exactly slip across the backyard like a letter carrier on ice, but ... it can be done.
That chair there? I have relaxed in that chair. Not for long, but long enough to be able to claim I've relaxed in that chair.
There were more than a few hiccups along the way. Which could have been due to the wine now that I'm getting a good look at the whole picture.
The chair's seat and back are at what is considered the perfect sitting angle, 100 degrees. So the seat of the chair slopes towards the back a bit and the back is at a similar angle, making you feel cradled.
I wanted to have the same angles for the couch and built it that way until I realized that you can't have a sectional couch built like that because once you get to the corner your angles are going all sorts of different directions.
DAMN YOU MATH.
So I built the seat straight on the sectional and fiddled around with it by adding extra bits of lumber here and there to sort of fake an angle. More on that in a later post where I focus on how I actually built this thing.
Bread, olives and wine. The PERFECT snack ( if you replace the wine with Diet Coke).
The next step is to make or buy some sort of cover for the whole thing. A pergola is out of the question because that'll be just a bit too much going on in this little backyard of mine. My choices are either a couple of those sail cloths or one of those massive cantilevered umbrellas.
I might get a few weeks of sitting out here if the weather cooperates. And the butt implants.
Jason King
Is there any chance you could show pics of the back of your sectional? Always wondered how it went together. Just bought the beams and lumber for my chairs and couch!
Chris
Hey Jason , I wondering the same exact thing, did she ever replied to you on how she connected the corner of the sectional? If so can you send me the pics please!
Cussot
My butt barely grazes my outdoor furniture. I'm as jumpy as a meat-starved feline next to a bird feeder. But your set is absolutely wonderful.
Here it is days and days later, and I'm still pondering the sectional-seat-angle problem.
Stephbo
I was going to say something to remind you that just because this is summer furniture doesn't mean you can't enjoy it in the winter as well. Then I remembered that I live in Atlanta. You don't. At least you have something beautiful to look forward to for next spring!
Kris
What can I say that hasn't already been said - wow! gorgeous! you are one smart and talented woman! good for you! please come over, now!
Lavues
That looks really calming, I love that.
Karen
Thanks! We'll see if I can actually sit and be calm in it. There is ALWAYS something to do. ~ karen!
Lin N
Stunning hack!!!! Sit down and finish that wine and bread, you deserve it for a job well done. Looking forward to the butt implant pictures.....NOT. Hahahahaha
Suzanne Moore
Holy Cow!! You must be strong to be able to move those beams around! You are quite an inspiration to us all, and you are getting things done.
Darla
Love Love Love
Ian
Er Mer Gersh I Lerve Ert. So much more comfy, inviting, and luxurious than the other chairs. Boom.
Phylicia M
This is really phenomenal!!! Good job!
bill keiser
The casters are a good idea, assuming you have a reasonably flat floor. For a stationary piece(the table?), I would put sacrificial feet that can be easily replaced under the corners. (I live in Florida. Anything in contact with the wet ground will decay, corrode or otherwise deteriorate within a few years. sometimes months.)
Mindy
Wait, where's the wall mount TV? ;)
Eddie Cummings
Your backyard looks like a million bucks. Enjoy!!!!!!
Angela Stephens
L O V E !!!!
Arlene
Well...you said it was really good...and it's "fantabulous"!
Beautifully done! You make us DYI wannabe's jealous!
Thanks for giving us hope!!
Barbie
It's really beautiful Karen! Great idea/smart idea to put the casters on the bottom! We are having wonderful weather here in the Northwest that seems to prolonging our "outside" sitting, hopefully you are going to have some great weather as well to enjoy it a while! Nice job!
Jody
Wow. Well done. And nice rack!
Courtney T.
Hi Karen,
You probably already know this if you keep your Lee Valley catalogs stacked by the toilet like we do (for reading, not wiping! This isn't 1895...), but they also sells sail cloths: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=70744&cat=1,71685
Thought I'd mention it since I think I remember you have a relationship with them already.
Melissa
You totally kicked butt on this (implants or otherwise)! It's beautiful. Definitely a sail to finish it off. You're amazing!
Ryan
Looks fantastic. Congrats.