The last days of summer have us thinking about the ideal ad-hoc dining space. This set-up in Sweden, with a mix of inexpensive DIY tables and benches and a spare palette, has lots of good ideas to steal.
The deck is part of the Vidar House, designed by Leva Husfabrik—a team that includes an interior designer, an architect and developer, and a gardener. The structure is meant to adapt to a variety of situations; it can function as a home, a hotel, or a schoolhouse. Get the look of Helena Bloom's design and styling with our sources below.
Above: The deck of the Vidar House, via Leva Husfabrik (also see our post on their kitchen project, Design Sleuth: Towel Bars as Drawer Pulls).
Above: Do like Husfabrik and set 2-by-4 studs on small sawhorses to create an instant bench. Premium Kiln-Dried Whitewood Studs are $3.13 each from Home Depot.
Above: Create a table base with two Folding Wood Sawhorse Kits, made of solid spruce and easy to assemble; $29.99 each from Home Depot. For the table top, source a large board from Home Depot or a local hardware store.
Above: For holding branches, the square ceramic Burlap Pressed Pot mimics the texture of burlap; on sale for $9.95 from Terrain.
Above: Huset Gotland Sheepskins from the Swedish island of Gotland are $410 each.
Above: The Anderson Teak Andrew Folding Dining Side Chair is designed for outdoor use; $620 for two from All Modern.
Above: The New Pot 50 is a large-scale planter designed by Paolo Rizzatto for Serralunga. This one, the smallest of three sizes, measures 19.5 inches high by 16.5 inches in diameter and holds 10.5 gallons. Made of recyclable polyethylene, it is water- and UV-resistant; $290 from Design Within Reach.
Above: The concrete and wood Rohbau Birdhouse is €89 at Das Rote Paket; see our post on Prefab Houses for the Birds.
For more outdoor dining patios, see Steal This Look: Cinderblock Chic in Toronto and Starry Night Outdoor Dining in LA.
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