We were just getting ready to head to the department store for yet another patio furniture set when I had an epiphany. We never actually like anything we buy from the store. Without exception, either the furniture we buy isn’t comfortable, or it doesn’t hold up well to the weather. There never seems to be an exception. So why not build something ourselves instead this time around? My husband and I have plenty of experience with backyard and patio projects—everything from building a stone fire pi