Lawn Seats

While helping last week to stack a ton of wood in a shed across the street, I came across an old see-saw I remember being in the yard when I was just a wee thing. It occured to me how great it would be to get that see-saw back on the lawn in time for

Better Farm's 40th Reunion Party in May

.

Thinking about that reminded me of just how many people we're expecting that weekend; and how we're going to have to organize some sort of seating on the property that extends beyond our picnic table and campfire folding chairs.

There are a million ways to offer seating; from

outdoor patio furniture

to floor chairs to hammocks to benches. And with a little ingenuity, you too can have a festival (or lawn party)-ready property in no time.

You can find very basic

DIY bench

and seat plans online (complicated ones, too, if you're partricularly handy). I've always been a huge fan of DIY floor chairs in which you literally take a chair with a back and saw the legs off (see photo at top of this post, circa 1970 at Better Farm). Voila!

Patio dining sets

are a little trickier to set up on your own, but the good news is that investing in a dependable one this year will guarantee you years of excellent outdoor wining and dining. If you're on a tight budget, consider scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales for mismatched wrought-iron pieces. Get a table, a a few chairs, and a can or two of black spray paint. Sand down your furniture, lay it outside on some newspaper, and spray it until all the pieces match. The differences in their design will only add to their appeal.

Lots of outdoor furniture stores are also selling what they call "

conversation sets

"—or, outdoor furniture designed to be comfortable enough for you to spend an afternoon holding high court in. From Adirondack chairs to cushioned seats for maxing poolside, this umbrella of outdoor furniture is set up for luxurious afternoons spent with good company. Count us in.  We'd also like to suggest that a conversation set should inspire conversation; as in, you explaining how you made it yourself, or having a story to go with the unusual design of the set you purchased.

In other words, make your outdoor seating arrangements sing with personality. Make your own weatherproof cushions; do your own spray painting to tie different pieces together; or come up with a lovely flower arrangement or centerpiece that will have your guests ooh-ing and aah-ing. Please share your ideas with us! And stay tuned to see our seating solutions for the May 30th bash; see-saw and all.

Hang in There

If you live in a place like Better Farm, you likely find yourself saddled with a bunch of wonderful guests on very short notice who need places to lay their heads. Extra rooms and fold-out couches are sweet, but sometimes you have more bodies than beds and need a real quick fix.

That's where hammocks come in. They're multi-functional (lazing around outside on a beautiful spring or summer day, sleeping, cuddling, even sitting upright in hammock chairs

to read books); they fold up and can be stored extremely easily; and they're lightweight (so you can hang them outside, then bring them inside at night to sleep).

They also won't leave you broke:

  can be achieved quickly and for less than $10. If you're not planning to bring your hammock inside, then you can spring for outdoor hammocks; which are durable, weatherproof, and will last for years. (Just remember to bring them in at the end of the season!)

If you've got the time—and a lot of patience—you can weave your own spectacular rope hammock or net hammock. You can use thin or thick rope, come up with your own color pallette, and have a portable bed the next time you're camping in Florida, romping along South America's coastline, or stopping in for an impromptu overnight at Better Farm.

If you're planning to hang a hammock or two inside when your home is at full capacity, please please please be sure to locate studs in your wall against which to affix hooks for the hammock's ends. This will avoid nasty damage to your living space, and potentially catastrophic injuries if you're floating in the air above anything that might hurt you on impact should you suddenly drop earthward. The hooks can stay in the wall all the time to take out future guess work, and will hardly be noticeable if you place them in clever spots. Happy hanging!