Bookworm Cottage Style

I’m popping in today with another micro-update. We purchased a patio umbrella and umbrella stand from Ocean State Job Lot last summer which provided much-needed shade on our deck. However, greater Boston is SO windy that we had to add 50 pounds of sandbags to the top of the umbrella stand to weigh it down, and still the umbrella was prone to tipping if it was in a tilted position. Plus, the sandbag-covered base was unsightly and took up valuable real estate on the deck.

I got a targeted Instagram reel featuring a railing-mounted umbrella holder like this and immediately sent it to my husband. What a clever design! It’s a little on the pricey side, but once we saved up what we needed, we promptly hit purchase. So far, we’re loving it! Now that we know we like the design, we plan to get a second one and install it further along the railing, so that we’ll be covered in both morning and afternoon sunlight.