Shutter turned Potting Bench

It just occurred to me that summer is almost over, and I haven’t shared my summer potting bench with you!  So here it is:

A while ago I saw this cute project on The Lettered Cottage for a shutter-topped console table.  Isn’t this a clever idea?

Their tutorial for the console table can be found here. 

While I loved the idea of using an old shutter for the table top, I thought it would be even cuter styled as a potting bench.  The slats in the shutter would allow water and potting soil to fall right through to keep the tabletop clean.  Plus it’s a fun way to incorporate a pre-made shutter, which are a dime a dozen at the Habitat Restore.  Okay, maybe not a dime a dozen, but only about $5-$10 each. 

First we selected our shutter which would dictate the finished size of the table.  Then I let my Papa work his woodworking magic for the rest of the table.  Thanks Papa!  He ended up piecing scrap wood for the sides (to save money) and used slats to build a lower shelf for additional storage.  Since I wanted to be able to store little things on the lower shelf, too, I added three pieces of tile over the slats.  Then we primed the whole thing with oil-based primer and painted it with exterior paint so it can stand up to the elements out on the deck.

Here it is in its new home on the lower deck, all ready for my gardening projects!

The lower shelf gives me plenty of room to store pots, tools, and potting soil.  That way everything is right here when I’m ready to plant!

The top shelf has space for my potting project du jour.  This thing is going to get a lot of use next Spring!  For all this time, I’ve been potting things while working on the steps, the ground, or the driveway.  Hooray for the potting bench!

I put the new bench in the corner of the lower deck under the cantilever.  Hopefully that will keep it looking like new longer, since it’s a bit more protected from rain and sun. 

The best part about my new table is that it’s so versatile.  Being simply styled with only one shelf, it doesn’t scream “I’m a Potting Bench!!”  So, we cleared it off and used it as a serving table for drinks at our Memorial Day party back in May… potting bench by day, beverage station by night!

What do YOU think of my super functional repurposed shutter table potting bench?

I think it’s really hard to keep it clean!  Perhaps I shall paint it black. :)