Lights, Little Touches, and a Little Ways to Go

A while back I told you about some plans I was dreaming up for a few different areas in our home.  One of those areas was the lanai.  It needed help... desperately.

Well, I started attempting to spiff it up a little just the other day.

Thanks to a tool cabinet Kent built for our carport before he left, I was able to find a home for the clutter that was paint cans, tools, and scraps from some of our projects.  With all of that moved out, it made a huge difference without costing a dime.  However, I still felt it needed some color.

While I was out and about, I found some Chinese paper lanterns with fun blues, greens, and purples, so I bought a couple.  Then, I decided that I needed some more and found a strand of blue ones on eBay.  It still wasn't quite enough, and when I found another strand and some "garden lights" at Home Depot, I snatched them up.

I really love how the lights make it look in the evenings.  What do you think?

Even the citronella candle looks kind of magical in the evenings with all the other twinkly lights...

In the daytime, however, the lanai is still not quite "there."

I need something for the wall opposite the table.  It's pretty bare.

(The boys think it's a place to sit and look cool...)

I'm thinking of a potting table, which someone suggested in my first "making plans" post, and I'm also considering making a wooden table/cabinet thingy... I just haven't done enough research to find out what is the most cost efficient yet.  Whatever it is, I think it should be painted a color.  These cream walls are so boring. (Technically, I could paint them, but we would have to paint them back before we leave, so I'm not sure it's worth it.)  I am thinking of creating a few fun paintings to go out here, but since geckos get in sometimes and pretend the window sills are their potty, I don't want to put a lot of time into anything that will be ruined.  

I also want to do something about the cushions in my chairs.  They are boring burgandy. (No, I don't have anything against burgandy.  I'm just not using it in my house, and it doesn't match anything.  These are just the cushions that came with the table and chars.)  I went to Home Depot and Lowe's looking for new cushions but the cheapest ones-- that weren't even cute-- were $25 and up!  I'm a little too cheap for that, so I'm planning on pulling out my trusty sewing machine soon and making some covers for these cushions.  Hopefully they will turn out okay. 

Any ideas or suggestions for things I haven't thought of?  It's always nice to "see" things through someone else's eyes.  :)