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My idea of a perfect night is gathering with some friends on the back porch in the summer, listening to some music, talking, playing games, and enjoying ice cold beers or other beverages as we watch the sunset.

A must have for any gathering such as this is a cooler or ice chest for keeping all of the drinks cold.

Most people have one of those standard plastic coolers that you can buy fairly inexpensively at the supermarket — and why not? They’re convenient and durable.

But when you want to take the time and care to make your backyard, porch, or patio a personalized space, those hunks of plastic might seem…unsightly.

Brooke Norsworthy runs a blog called Killer B. Design where she creates different DIY, crafting, and home improvement projects and teaches readers how to do the same.

One project includes how to turn a plain, old ice chest into a gorgeous piece of rustic furniture. She was gracious enough to give us permission to share some of the photos so that you might become inspired to do something similar.

See how she does it in the photos below, and please SHARE if you love how household things can be transformed into stunning creations!

She had seen beautiful, rustic coolers at stores like Cabela’s, but they all retailed for over $100. She decided to put her old cooler to use rather than spend that money.