salvaged fan becomes a backyard table!

this big old orange thing might just look a bit familiar to you...
it's the industrial fan housing that i grabbed right outta' my neighbors' trash can
and turned into a pumpkin in a previous post.

honestly? the pumpkin project was an afterthought.
THIS was the reason i grabbed it before the trash truck arrived...
to make an accent table for our backyard fire pit area!
it was a simple assembly, using things i had on hand already
and it makes a world of difference in this area of our yard.

continue reading to see how just three simple elements created this table...

the table sits between two of our adirondack-style chairs around the fire pit,

providing a perfect place to rest a tray of snacks within easy reach.

previously, i put the same piece of glass over the top of our fire pit, turning it into a table.

there are three elements to this table: 

the orange metal fan housing,
a round glass top, 

and two heavy concrete plant pots that serve as the base.

the two plant pots are stacked together, providing more strength as a base/pedestal.

the fan's wire cage sits on the top rim of the pots, 

and the glass sits on top of the fan's wire cage

note: i did move the gravel out from under the pots, 

to provide a flat, even surface for them to sit on.

with this being an area that we use at dusk and after dark, i wanted the table to be sturdy.

i also put a scoop of the pea gravel INSIDE the pots,

so that when you look into them you see the same gravel that is on the ground...

 a much better look than an empty pot . yes, i could have put a faux succulent in there!

this was a truly useful way to re-purpose that free 'found in the trash' fan housing,

and it took no time at all to transform it.

(i'm thinking it might make a great base for our Christmas tree this year, too!)

so, just to recap... this fan housing has been used FOUR different ways. so far.
i'm sure it will have several other incarnations before i'm done with it!

i have one more 'fire pit' tip to share with you before you go...
we live in a high fire zone - a dry canyon in So Cal wine country.
we are usually on a 'fire ban' in the summer & fall here,
so we honestly don't use the fire pit much.

however, we found a way to do so SAFELY:
we use a candle. oh, but not just any candle!

we bought some LED 'flame' candles (which re-charge via a USB port, no batteries!)
and when we want a 'fire', we just pop one of them into the fire pit...
as the yellow-orange light flickers onto the stack of wood

bouncing off of the chairs and people surrounding it,
it feels for all the world like a 'real' fire!

another one sits in a perforated plant pot on the side table,
casting even more flickering light around the yard.
we love these things!!!!

links to previous posts mentioned above:

funky junky pumpkin

repurposed fire pit table  

shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #550

thank you for featuring my project, Donna!

fall, outdoor decor, outdoor fall decor, salvaged, upcycled, repurposed, junk makeover,
industrial style, trash to treasure, orange accent color, firepit area decor, backyard decor, 
use what you have decorating, farmhouse style, DIY, DIY decorating, DIY project,
salvaged metal industrial fan becomes outdoor table