Take that, birds...

We had a decent sized back deck that extended the length of the house, but it was a little underutilized. I wanted a seating area that was separate from the dining area. We found a great conversation set (that's what they call them even if you are just talking to yourself) at Target.com that fit our small space and was WAY cheaper than similar looking sets at other retailers. Soon after we set it up my husband realized the seat cushions were prey to falling leaves and every bird with a digestion problem that flew over unless we added some protective cover. The answer was one of those cantilevered umbrellas.
The price for a new one varied widely from $200 to an astonishing $6000! But, for an item that YOU KNOW is going to get pooped on by a bunch of birds...the $85 craigslist find suited us just fine.

What I learned from this project:
1. Having the umbrella over the seating area really defines the space, in addition to protecting the cushions. It's become one of my favorite places to relax. 
2. Once again, my husband had a great idea and made it happen.