Monday, June 24, 2013

The Front Porch


 I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  Over the weekend we finished our front porch remodel.  Yesterday afternoon I went outside with Rosetta, propped my feet on the coffee table and as we swung back and forth listening to the birds chirping, the feelings that came over me were exactly what I had hoped to accomplish with our project.  More than anything, I just wanted to create a space to enjoy the outdoors that was comfortable, relaxing and peaceful. 

BEFORE


This was a "before" picture I found buried.  It was taken about 6 months after we moved into our house.  My style has changed a bit over the past few years and we've done some yard work, but the elements (round aluminum columns, vinyl shutters, light fixtures, etc.) have all stayed the same until recently. 

AFTER


 The biggest transformation was building square columns on the porch.  Justus and I have wanted to do this since the day we moved in, but as it always go, we've had to prioritize.  The columns completely transformed the look of our house... it was so exciting to see the exterior come together.  Justus actually just framed around the existing columns and then it was time to use wood filler, caulk and paint.  (The UPS man probably thinks I'm crazy as he drove by three days in a row last week while I was still puttying and sanding.)   I mentioned in an earlier post that we also removed the shutters and it instantly gave the front porch such an open feeling. 



 Our front porch is huge, so I really wanted to focus on creating a couple different seating areas that would invite somebody to sit down and relax. 


 Justus gave me the swing a couple years ago as a birthday gift but I've always thought how nice it would be to have a place to prop feet.  So I came up with a basic design and asked (okay, begged) Justus if he would build us a couple pieces of matching furniture for the porch. 


 I love what he came up with.  Once he finished building, I stained the pine and sealed it.  I wanted something that was simple, yet had that farmhouse plank appeal.  

The coffee table also doubles as a bench if we ever need extra seating.  


 The "tray" on the coffee table is an old box (from the 1950s) that my father-in-law had... he gave me a few of them and on this one I removed the lid to convert it into a tray we could use outdoors.  The rope handles are just perfect.

To complete this seating area, I added a natural seagrass rug and some outdoor pillows from Lamps Plus


 

 We still have the same four flower planters we built last summer and right now they're packed with Vinca (my favorite annual for shade).  

In the background you can see our chicken house. 



 On the opposite side of the porch, I created another seating area, but this one had to allow for a walkway as the driveway is to the right of the porch (you can vaguely see the gravel in this picture) and we come up on this side of the porch. 

Justus also built this side table and it has the same design as the coffee table.  I really wanted a little table here so there was a space to set down drinks, etc. 


And of course there had to be room for accessories, like a lantern (smile)! 


This is the Mini Penny hydrangea I recently planted... I love its pale pink blooms. 



 I also gave the front porch a fresh coat of paint.  It's just a shade darker than what it had been.


 These light fixtures are really what inspired the entire look of the porch and prompted me to go with soft grays... I love how the nickel color gives such a light, fresh feeling. 


If you missed the post about our front door makeover, you can catch up here


Thanks for reading... I hope I haven't bombarded you with pictures!  If you have any questions, feel free to ask (smile)! 


P.S.  You may have noticed that somebody had a lot of fun running back and forth sampling the lemonade while I was taking pictures!  

Porch Posts:
Porch Planning here
The Front Door here 

Source List:

Door Paint: Benjamin Moore Essex Green Semi-Gloss
Porch Paint: Valspar Satin Porch & Floor Paint Light Gray 
Column Paint: Martin Senour Great Life Exterior Bright White Semi-Gloss
Furniture Stain: Rust-Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain Sunbleached
Furniture Sealer: Satin Polyurethane
Door Hardware: Rust-Oleum Universal Titanium Spray Paint
Porch Rockers: Cracker Barrel and Wal-Mart
Porch Swing: Purchased locally and made by a craftsman in Nashville

A huge thank you to Lamps Plus for providing me with all their fabulous outdoor decor items!

62 comments:

  1. Your porch is just beautiful and has all the perfect accessories.

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  2. Andrea, your porch is beyond lovely!! I love all of your wonderful touches. I am sure you will have hours and hours of enjoyment on the porch with your family. Thank you also for listing your paint colors. I love your taste!

    ~Julia

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  3. I love everything of your porch! I love the color, the tables and the plants! Not to talk about the columns!! :)
    Love,
    Manuela

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  4. Great job! Looks like the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a drink!

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  5. This is a dream! Such beauty and simplicity. Love EVERYTHING! I don't think I'd be in my house all summer!
    Thanks for sharing....beautiful!

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  6. You did a fantastic job! I love the classic, and uncluttered, look. Enjoy!

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  7. Beautiful. Okay, I'm looking to redo my master bedroom. I've got a very simple style and for this, I've got NOTHING! My little girls' bedroom is easy, but the big-girl bedroom is posing some inspiration problems. LOL. I've got to say, I'd love to see yours for some ideas!

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    1. Thank you! How fun that you're getting ready to redo your bedroom. :-) I have a feeling that our master bedroom will probably be the last room we get around to working on... I don't care for the paint color and we have some ceiling work to do, which I suppose is the reason I have never shared any pictures of it. :-) I definitely want to focus on bedrooms this winter though! Thanks for reading!

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  8. Andrea, I'm so happy you had a moment of bliss relaxing on your porch. I am on mine at least 3 times a day. I can't live without sitting on my porch swing and breathing in the deep smells of my garden. So happy for you. It is stunning.
    Love it. May it bring you peace and joy.
    xoxo
    Lisa
    Leeshideaway

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  9. Your porch turned out great. It is just beautiful and I love each and every change you made. However, the CUTEST piece out there is that sweet little smiling face- xo Diana

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  10. Oh Andrea - what a beautiful and serene front porch! I love your porch swing. Your flowers are looking great. Everything you did is just perfect. Especially that last picture - how precious!

    Judy

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  11. Roseetta is getting so big! Your porch (that I envy/lust after) is so lovely. Has your touch for sure!
    Brenda

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  12. Your porch definitely has a welcoming and comfortable feel going on!
    Mary Alice

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  13. Outstanding, Andrea!!! Every detail is perfect! I love everything you have done, and especially the tables that Justus made. They are incredible, and the color choice is a pleasant surprise. I know your family will enjoy cozy summer evenings on your gorgeous porch.

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  14. Love your porch. Just love it! So inviting. You have such a good sense of what works well for you, your family, and the house.

    Blessings ~ Brenda

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  15. Oh, it's perfect!! I love the square columns... Worth all the hard work you all put in! Your hydrangea is gorgeous, too. Love them. I would love to have a deep front porch like that one day to lounge and relax with loved ones, and read and pray on! Thanks for sharing:)
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  16. Your porch turned out to be just beautiful! Your and your family will enjoy many memories there.

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  17. Just lovely. All the changes and the accents brought it together with that simplicity that your home always exudes. Justus did a great job from the columns to the sweet accent tables. You make a great team.

    Debra

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  18. Andrea , it looks great ! Hope you have a great week !!

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  19. The porch, the furniture, the details and decor are just lovely! How sweet to have this space to enjoy with your family!

    Jeanette @ Creating a Life

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  20. I love everything that you've done! It's a perfect country farmhouse porch!

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  21. Very pretty. Your spouse did a great job building the tables.

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  22. Wonderful transformation! Your porch looks so inviting and fresh! I love the swing, the tables your husband made (he's very talented) and the tray. Now all you need is to hang a hummingbird feeder so you can sit and watch them whiz by. That's one of our favorite things to do on our front porch.
    Claudia

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  23. Well done and I like the visual appeal of the square columns. Good choice.

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  24. It looks great! Those columns made a HUGE difference!

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  25. Love all you have done !!!! Beautiful ! I bought a Galvanized Steel Round Tub for my hydrangea and was wondering did you fill it all with sailor use something in the bottom for drainage ?

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    1. Thank you so much! I filled mine with potting soil and planted the hydrangea directly in the tub... hydrangeas do like well drained soil though, so I will probably need to drill some holes in the bottom of the tub, but I haven't done so yet. :-)

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    2. Wow I just realized it said sailor ( soil ) . Thank you : )

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  26. Beautiful, cozy porch....just love the lighting and the square columns that go so well with the architecture of the house...the hydrangeas add the perfect color to the porch...such a great area to sit on a beautiful summer day or evening!!...

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  27. It's just beautiful, Andrea! What a great porch ... and your daughter is adorable!

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  28. Another thing..... I love the crate for your lemonade !!!! Your daughter is so sweet !

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  29. Your porch is beautiful....the colors are so soft and restful, you did a wonderful job! You and Justus are a great team, working on a home project together makes it even more special. I look forward to all your posts!

    Esther

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  30. OOHHH this is so cool! It's like adding a whole gigantic room on to your house. All the choices you made are just perfect. What Justus has done is amazing too. You two make quite a team!

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  31. What a beautiful front porch. What a wonderful place to enjoy raising your family. I've always had a front porch. It's a great place to start your day and end your day. Many blessings to you and your family.

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  32. Thank you for listing your sources since I was going to ask about the paint color for the small table your husband built! Oh how I wish I lived by your and your mom and could sit on both of your porches! So comfortable, charming and inviting. I bet you two have fun together sharing ideas. :)

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    1. Me again - I just googled what I thought was used on the coffee table and other table but Sunbleached RustOleum comes in many stains, non of which look like your tables. In your photos they look soft gray.

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    2. Hi Barbara... thank you for your sweet comment! Here is a link to the stain I used: https://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=532&sid=260368. Even though it's a one coat stain, I applied two with a soft cloth, wiping good in between. It definitely is a soft gray color on the pine. This is actually the only brand of stain I will use... I love it!

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    3. Thank you SO much for the information!

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  33. Your porch is just gorgeous. I love the finished product. The columns turned out great and that swing is beautiful. Your daughter walking on the porch with her little bare feet is precious. She is adorable with that big smile. The flowers look great too.

    Cynthia

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  35. Your porch does look relaxing!!! My favorite part is all the flowers. Love simple furniture with flowers around. Causal but romantic, too.
    Oh and I love that you and your mom posted about your porches in the same week. :D

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    1. Lol trying to correct my spelling error. *casual*

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  36. Oh your front porch just looks so pretty!! You have decorated it beautifully.

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  37. Looks wonderful, Andrea. Now, if you can just share a way to keep porches clean. I have 2 and the dust, pollen, spiderwebs, etc. drive me crazy!

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    1. I know exactly what you mean... spiders love our porch too!

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  38. Andrea ~ Your front porch looks so inviting and cozy! It's simply beautiful. How do you get your hydrangea bushes so full? They're beautiful. I want to plant hydrangeas so badly! Anyway, I love the white furniture, the painted porch and the furniture that your husband built.The shutters gone does look great too. Hop on over to my blog if you ever get the chance. I had my baby girl Olivia Grace last week and I finally have a post up with lots of pictures. I know you're busy though! Have a wonderful week. ~ Jamie

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    1. Thank you for sharing about your precious baby girl... she is beautiful, Jamie! The large hydrangea bush you see pictured was actually planted by the previous owners, but hydrangeas seem to thrive in that particular spot. The two smaller bushes I transplanted there this year and they have come back to life! I think the secret is well-drained soil, a little morning sun with lots of afternoon shade and good moisture.

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  39. Just gorgeous! Your porch really does look like a stylish farmhouse porch. It looks like it would be perfect for some lemondade and fun coversation. Then let's snap some green beans to prepare for dinner tonight. Love the new items you used, such as the pillows, rug and light fixtures. Your hydrangeas are gorgeous and compliment your pillows perfectly!

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  40. Hello there

    just wondering if there was any chance of getting a cutting list/instructions for the bigger of your tables as it would be perfect for our deck

    Thanks
    Caroline, Calgary

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  41. You are amazing. You always inspire me to keep things cleaner and simpler. Beautiful work on the porch!

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  42. Hi girl, fresh clean and lovely...I love you farmhouse and porch. I would love hydrangea bushes, across the front of my porch..but my porch is in all day sun...I'll just enjoy yours (Smile)

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  43. Big old front porches are the hallmark of Southern-style homes. A swing is the signature furniture, and no other plant says home to me like a beautiful blue hydrangea. Justus did a super job on the two tables.

    I can just feel sitting and swinging on your porch.

    judith

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  44. I love your porch! It is exactly what I was picturing in my mind for a house I am wanting to buy with a big concrete porch. I was wondering how to replace the columns which are just unfinished logs, without doing a major overhaul, and your square columns is perfect! What is the name of the flowering bush behind your swing?

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    1. Thank you so much! The bush behind the swing is a hydrangea. My absolute favorite! :-)

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  45. Oh my goodness... I long for a porch this big! You did such an amazing job pulling it all together. This looks absolutely beautiful.

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  46. Oh my goodness... I long for a porch this big! You did such an amazing job pulling it all together. This looks absolutely beautiful.

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  47. Just beautiful! I can't get over the similarity to my front porch-would love to see it attached to the house. Ours was built in 1913 and we have the same brick and wood columns. It is in dire need of a makeover so thanks for sharing your ideas!

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  48. Just beautiful! It looks very similar to ours-brick and wood columns except ours is in dire need of a makeover (smile)! Thanks for sharing your ideas!

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