To Sit or Not to Sit? That is the Question (June 5, 2012)

The chair. One of the most basic, essential items in existence. Chairs have been around a long time. I'm sure that the need to sit occurred to our earliest cave-dwelling ancestors—although I’m guessing they used rocks for sitting. Sometimes we don’t notice items that are so much a part of our daily lives. They are functional and familiar, and while we use them daily, we don’t give them much thought. Which is why it’s so fun to give them makeovers. Sometimes they just need a new look in order for the world to take notice.

About a month ago I came upon a broken chair while I was out wandering. Immediately I knew it had potential. As it was placed at the curb, I took this as a sign that I was meant to adopt it, give it a new look and a new life, and turn it into a plant holder. I knew she’d become an outdoor art-and-garden piece, but I didn’t know which colors she wanted. After a little thought I realized she needed to be purply-magenta, a color full of life and pizzazz. I’m not sure exactly how I arrived at the idea to do stripes (which are more fun than just a solid color).

After starting her paint job I realized that she reminded me of the Cheshire Cat, from Alice in Wonderland (which I haven’t seen in decades but is quite memorable):

This morning while wandering a street I hadn’t been on in years I came across another chair-turned-planter and since I had my camera with me I can show you how it looked:

How fun that this gardening enthusiast saw potential in an older chair, and gave it a new calling in the front yard! On today’s walk, I also came across something that was not originally a chair but became one. What a clever upcycle of a palm tree stump! I love how these two homeowners both had unique ways of looking at chairs and nature.

My paint job won’t last forever but that’s not my point in doing this. I can always give the chair another makeover if inspiration strikes or if the sun fades its current look. My point in doing this is to have fun with plants, to use everyday items in unexpected ways, and to do things that give me a little boost and my yard another shot of color.

So in reply to my own question “to sit or not to sit?,” I don’t have one answer that fits all. Sometimes a chair is just a chair. But sometimes it’s a nest, just waiting for plants to give it life.