Monday, June 17, 2013

130 June Monthly Challenge: A Refreshing Porch Revamp!

Hello lovers!  How was your weekend?

I missed you folks on Friday, but it was worth it.  I took the day to revamp and refresh our sad and neglected front porch!  And boy oh boy does it feel amazing!  So amazing in fact, that it was where I spent my few minutes of down time throughout the remainder of the weekend!

As a reminder of where I left off, I took a risk and painted our front door in Behr's Harbor.


I was so gaga over the update that I couldn't stop there!

Our home is blessed with a little front porch.  However, as awesome as it is to have, I am kicking myself for not making better use of it sooner.  We have owned our home for almost 12 years now, and I think I used the space more this weekend, than the entire time we have lived here!  It has always been on "the list", but seemed to take a backseat to interior projects.  I wish I would have prioritized our home projects a bit differently from the start, and taken on the exterior projects first so that when we need a break from the interior ones, we would have a place to kick back, put our feet up and enjoy the great outdoors.  Oh well, live and learn I suppose.

So, back to this front porch of ours.  After our long winter, here is a true to life vision of the front porch.


Up to this point, I had done nothing but purchase a plant!  See that nice fern in the corner, it really made the space amazing right?  Ha!  Nice try Jen, but seriously, this space was going to take a lot more than a nice plant to make it warm and welcoming.

Speaking of, this is the first thing you see when you walk up to our home.  Did I mention that I wish I wouldn't have waited so long?  This front porch should reflect the interior!  It should reflect our family.  It should make an impression.  And an impression it may have been making, but it wasn't a good one....

So, I started this project as I would any project, and removed everything.


It was already a zillion times better.  A good sweeping and I was off to a great start.  But then I started thinking, how can I make this special and unique?  Two seconds of thinking and I knew exactly what I wanted to do; paint the porch ceiling!

So, I taped off the ceiling with green painters tape and got started!  Here is the photo I shared on Instagram as a teaser.


Y'all figured out what I was up to right away.  And you even taught me a little somethin' somethin'.  Apparently painting your porch ceiling a shade of blue is called a blue haint ceiling.  Never knew!  You can snag all of the interesting details here.

So, yes, I was creating my own blue haint porch ceiling, only mine was done with Behr's Ice Folly.


Here it is after the first coat, still in the drying phase.


When selecting the porch color, I wanted to do something uber subtle, so that the front of our house didn't turn into a circus tent, but a relaxing place to sit with a cup of coffee.  So, I took the paint swatch from the new front door color, and moved all the way up the swatch to the lightest shade of blue.  I painted the ceiling in a semi-gloss exterior paint & primer combo paint, and it ultimately covered in two coats.

Once the paint dried and I pulled the tape, the nice and pretty clean ceiling made me realize that the rest of the house needed a scrubbing!  So, I sprayed down the siding and scrubbed it with warm soapy water, along with the windows and trim.

The next step was to update the little white table.  It was beginning to show it's age, and with all the white and gray, it was time to bring in some color!  So, a few coats of Rustoleum's glossy warm yellow spray paint, and it was updated and looking oh-so-happy!


Although we have some planted flowers out front, I wanted to add a place to put fresh cut flowers, again, to make the outdoor space feel like an extension of our interior. 

  1. I began with a plain IKEA Socker vase.
  2. I cut out the word "five" with my Silhouette on the double sided adhesive paper.  Five because we are a family of five, so it is special to us.
  3. I decided to try my hand at gold leaf for the first time!  Since the double sided adhesive paper is sticky once the white layer is removed, I just stuck the gold foil to the top of the cut adhesive paper.
  4. Using a soft brush, I gently brushed away the remainder of the gold foil, only the word "five" remained on the front of the vase.
Boring vase no more!  It is now customized for us!  And in a super sassy way!


Speaking of gold.  Our teal planters flanking each side of the front door, were looking a little boring and I was contemplating ways to spruce them up a bit.  They originally came with a black medallion attached to the front, but I wasn't a fan so I turned the planters around and left the front empty while the medallion lived on the backside.  After seeing the gold leaf on the vase, I knew I wanted the medallions to be sprayed in a pretty gold spray paint.  So a little Rustoleum Pure Gold later, and they were beautiful!


We already had a couple of hosta plants out front along the sidewalk, but I wanted to add a little color, so I planted a few flowers too.




In the far corner, the fern was begging me for a little height.  Trying to be resourceful, I pulled the thrifted stool from our lower level bathroom, gave it a coat of the gold spray paint and had an instant plant stand.


A basket with a soft throw and magazines make for a cozy afternoon, and can easily be toted inside.

Ooooh!  And we hung a little white sunburst mirror too!  I stole it from our guest room, but I have a replacement mirror for that spot so it was time to swap it anyway.  It was a total front porch game changer.

Paint, spray paint, scrubbing, cleaning, more spray paint, some accessories and lots and lots of love and what do you get?


A colorful and welcoming space that now reflects us!

I have been hoarding our old seagrass dining room chairs for a chance to put them back to use.  Although they didn't make sense with our new dining room setup, I was so in love with them that I just couldn't part with them.  After some research, I found that they are suitable for covered porches since they have a protective coating {they just shouldn't be out in uncovered exteriors full time}.  I will just have to bring them in during the harsher winter months when we wouldn't be using them out front anyway.


How about some more up close and personal pretty porch eye candy?





 



And a view looking back...  I just adore how it all plays off of our stunning painted door!


Happy happy joy joy!  Wanna know why I am so goofy giddy about this update?  The before and after says it all!


The power of a little elbow grease, cleaning, drive and lots of paint is an amazing thing! 

Are you taking this monthly challenge as seriously as I am?  How do you give the exterior of your home the same personality as the interior?


130 comments:

  1. Your porch looks just beautiful now after it's transformation. Great job!

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  2. Wow this is an amazing space you made. You'll definitely get use out of your porch now.

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    1. Agree! I have already sat out there multiple times in the past few days. :) Happy dance!

      xo,
      Jen

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  3. Wow! What a difference! I absolutely love the color you painted your porch table. I could sit on your front porch and sip coffee all day!

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  4. OMG! I love what you did with your porch! I think you did a great job, Jen :)
    It seems a good place to have a drink with a friend now :D

    San Pellegrino limonata? I'm from Italy and I've never it! ahaha

    http://ginnyschoice.blogspot.it

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    1. Oooh, it's delicious! The hubby was mowing while I finished the porch and we sat and enjoyed when we were done. So refreshing! :)

      xo,
      Jen

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  5. I love it! It's such a fresh, crisp look! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  6. Great Job. The porch looks great. It motivates me to get out and wash porch off too. Thanks. Emily

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  7. What a beautiful transformation - it's looks so different! I could see myself spending all my time on my porch if it looked like that!

    Martina
    http://snapshotsandwhatnots.typepad.com

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  8. I'm so jealous of people who have porches, patios, and decks. All I have is shabby little stoop. There isn't even room for a small chair and table. Hoping to build a small deck on on the side in the future though! My siding is in desperate need of a powerwash!

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    1. You could do pretty potted plants stepping up to the front door. They are just as welcoming. Even better you could plant herbs so that your front step will not only smell good but aid in cooking.

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  9. So I love your front door, and I love even more you had the guts to go bold. I have the same colors on my house as you (light greyish/blue with the dark blue shutters)and I have wanted to paint my front door a bright color, like yellow, but was afraid it would look weird with my greyish-blue house. But your house looks great. I guess I am just being a chicken! Love the look.

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    1. Thanks Nicole!

      Maybe paint some samples onto large pieces of craft paper and drape it over the door to be sure you love it first? I think yellow would be so cheery and fun! And worst case you have to paint it back if it doesn't work.

      xo!
      Jen

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  10. I love this makeover! I started working on my front porch last year when I striped my door but it still needs some pretty-ness. I just need your energy! Love the gold accents.

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  11. This looks awesome! What are the dimensions of your porch Jen?

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    1. Hi Heather!

      It is 24 feet long by 4 feet wide. However, the railing takes away a good 6 inches from that. Very long and narrow. :)

      xo,
      Jen

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    2. Thanks Jen!! I am super inspired now to spruce up my porch!!! Yours reminded me a little of mine but we don't have railings. I don't think mine is as long as yours either. Thank you for all of the great ideas!!!

      -h

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  12. LOVE this! We just have front steps... but now I want to get out and clean mine up... where did you get the mirror?

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    1. Thank you! I found the mirror at HomeGoods last year, but I am guessing they stock similar pieces frequently. :)

      xo,
      Jen

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  13. This is nothing short of STUNNING!!! I absolutely love it!

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  14. This looks fantastic! I love the way you revived so many of the items you already had rather than just going out and buying new. Great job!!

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  15. Love the update and I love that you have kept it real by being honest and saying it has taken you 12 years to get the porch sorted. We have just moved and the house is totally livable just very bland (all cream because it was done up to sell). I have so many ideas but it can be overwhelming. For the first time we have outside space which is mind blowing. Loving your updates and ideas x

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    1. One project, one space at a time right? I try to tell myself that anyway. So many ideas always spinning and eager to do it all at once, but budget, time and sanity prevent that. :) Congrats on the new house!

      xo,
      Jen

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  16. I LOVE the transformation! Your front porch will definitely make a positive statement now!

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  17. This is LOVELY! And I have to know - where is the striped basket from?!

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  18. great job!!!! I have a big ol' wrap around porch on Lavender Hill and I decorate it just like the rest of the house - lots of purple, pink and lavender, soft squishy pillows on the swing and rockers and a few crocheted blankies scattered around!

    Enjoy your porch and thank you for sharing!
    gena

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  19. I would LOVE to see a front view when you get a chance. ? I'm inspired! I think I might tackle my own front porch.

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  20. You may have already answered this, but where did you find that front door mat? I love all the color!

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    1. Yikes, I found it last year. If I had to guess, Target or Pier 1. It faded a lot from sun and weather but I flipped it and the underside still looks like new! Hoping to milk it for at least another year or two. :D

      xo,
      Jen

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  21. My brother and I removed porch posts (rotted because idiot contractor installed caps upside down so water stood in them) - I painted the porch ceiling Benjamin Moore's Yarmouth Blue - the house is Sherman Williams Web Gray - all that painted - painted the porch itself. Waiting to cure so I can get those red geraniums back out there. It looks like crime scene tape across the front right now.

    I love a freshly painted porch. It says you care about your house.

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    1. Just googled that color and I love it! I bet it is beautiful with the gray! And red geraniums will be the most beautiful accent!

      xo,
      Jen

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  22. I love it! And I'm in love with the Ikea vases. I think I'm going to force my kids to go to Ikea today. I've been looking for something for our hall table for months, and that's exactly the thing. Plus the blue is my favorite color. It's like it was meant to be!

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    1. They really are great! I adore that I can bring it inside and it will work anywhere within our home as well. :D Have fun at IKEA!

      xo,
      Jen

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  23. Amazing before and after! I'm feeling inspired to revamp my neglected patio now! :)

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  24. Your updating really inspires me to put some work into my porch....I love all the special touches that you added like the basket of magazines, blanket and cut flowers. You did a wonderful job of making your porch bright and cheerful. The front of your house looks like a place that someone would feel welcome visiting.

    Jamie | andersonandgrant.blogspot.com

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  25. I love it. Is your porch ceiling wood siding or vinyl?
    thanks, Debbie

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    1. Hi Debbie!

      We have vinyl siding and the ceiling/soffit is actually an aluminum.

      xo,
      Jen

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    2. so if you don't mind me asking. what kind of paint did you use and do you know if there's any that can be used on vinyl. TIA Debbie

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  26. I love it, I am totally inspired! I'll be working on my porch for sure this week. I would have never thought to put a mirror outside but it totally works, what a stroke of genius! The porch looks fantastic, enjoy your new outdoor space!

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    1. Thank you! I was really surprised how much the mirror changed the feeling of the entire porch area! Love it! <3

      xo,
      Jen

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  27. It looks gorgeous!! Totally something you would see in a magazine. You are just chock full of creativity!

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  28. Wow! Well done, Jen Jones! You inspire me. Thanks!

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  29. I love the blue porch ceiling! ;-)
    Just last month, I was in Portland getting one of my rentals ready for re-rent...and one of the things I updated was painting the porch ceiling of the bungalow Benjamin Moore Gossamer Blue! I loved how this subtle change made such a dramatic different to the porch. From the dining room window, it appeared as the sky went on forever - even seeming to prolong the daylight hours. (and I guess it's supposed to help keep bugs & spiders off the porch too)

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    1. So so true! It does appear to continue onto the sky from inside. I love that you painted the ceiling of your porch to get it ready to rent. Such a sweet personal touch. And who knew it would keep away bugs and spiders?! You just made my day! :D

      xo,
      Jen

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  30. It's very pretty. You must live in a very civilised place. If I put such lovely things outside my house in London, they'd be gone by the next morning!

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  31. Wow what a difference! Great job! I think the front porch/door is so important because its the first thing people see when they come over. I love how this project turned out! You can invite me over anytime ;)

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  32. Love! What a transformation. We're working on on front porch and garden, and your post definitely motivated me.

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  33. My gosh -- that porch looks amazing!! That's like 5 posts worth of good stuff all in one!! When I spruced my porch, I diy'ed a monogram mat and washed the door...I'm thinking I need to step up my game! :)

    Love that painted door...perfect color. And your pics and styling are gorgeous!!

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  34. Love, love, love it!!! Where did you find those amazing teal planters and the planter for your fern? They are perfect!

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    1. Hi Michelle!

      I found the wooden planters on clearance last year from Home Depot. They were natural wood and I painted them. The planter for the fern is also from Home Depot, it is plastic and came in the teal color, but we have had it for a few years now.

      xo!
      Jen

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    2. Thanks so much Jen! You don't happen to remember the paint color for the planters do you? It is beautiful. Sorry for sending so many questions!

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  35. Love it!! I have been staring at our front porch trying to figure out what to do...you gave me some great ideas!! Love, love, love your door colour!!

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  36. Seriously, Jen - this is gorgeous! Perfectly layered and styled with out feeling staged. I can totally see how you would love being out here! The gold touches are fantastic and I really love how you repurposed the stool to give the fern some height. Such a beautiful summer porch! Hope you are enjoying every minute out there!

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  37. It looks fabulous and I love the color of the door.

    The basket with the throw is a great idea. I'm going to use this one for my porch as well. :)

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  38. Beautiful! I particularly liked the tip about the Silhouette and using double-sided adhesive with gold leaf.

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  39. I'm amazed at how much you can accomplish in a weekend. I hardly managed to get my pillows done and won't be posting 'til later today! Well done. I love the pop of yellow. So cute :)
    {lamourcheznous.wordpress.com}

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    1. Hi Lauren!

      Thank you! I actually put the first coat of the ceiling on last Tuesday. Finished that Friday along with all my spray painting projects and put it all back together Saturday morning. So, I guess it was really two days total but I was driven to get it done! The sun has finally been shining here in Wisconsin and this girl needs a place to sit out and enjoy it! <3

      xo,
      Jen

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    2. Leave it to you to be that organized! I'm trying... Practice makes perfect.

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  40. Awesome updates!!! Looks so fresh, what a happy place! Definitely a better reflection of your interior now! The before/after shots are great. High fives to you!

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  41. Wow!! I can't get over how amazing this turned out. The outside of your home looks amazing!
    I'm jealous!
    xo Kerri at HollyMuffin

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  42. Very nice and simple transformation!I am eager to get to my exterior as well. Cant wait to see what you do for the porch floor.I have seen people paint or stain the concrete or even try a painted outdoor rug in a fun color. Great job!

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    1. Agree the floor is a bit drab, my wheels have been spinning but whatever I decided has to be temporary for summer or super durable for harsh falls, winters and spring. Only time will tell... :)

      xo,
      Jen

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  43. LOVE! It.All! So cozy and fresh! Great inspiration! Thanks!

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  44. Quick question...where are the chairs from? Love the chairs, heck LOVE it ALL!!!

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    1. They are the Seagrass chairs from Pottery Barn {http://www.potterybarn.com/products/seagrass-chair/?pkey=e|seagrass|169|best|0|1|24||15&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Sku_Top_Marketing_Rule|Seagrass-_-}. I have had them for years and they have held up really great to daily use by the kids and fam.

      xo!
      Jen

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    2. Awesome, thanks! I have those exact ones but didn't know they were okay for outside use. I am moving one of them out to my porch now :)

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    3. Awesome, thanks! Those are the exact ones I have then, just didn't know they were okay for outdoor use. I am moving one out to my porch now :)!!

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    4. Awesome! I found care instructions on their site. They have a lot of outdoor/porch furniture made from seagrass but it isn't meant to be completely exposed to the elements. :)

      xo!
      Jen

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  45. So beautiful! And the gold leaf is a great idea and makes such an impact. Love it!

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  46. What an awesome beautiful job on the porch, Jen. You worked super hard and it definitely shows! what a difference. Love all the gold touches too! So pretty. Oh, and that door color! Love it. You have given me some inspiration. Everyone in my neighborhood has very boring and not so pretty front doors. The usual, beige, burgundy, hunter green,etc. I think I will take the plunge and be a bit different!

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  47. Very lovely, what a busy bee you have been! Wish we had a porch - don't tend to get them over here in England (probably as we don't have the best weather to sit outside and enjoy them!)

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  48. Love your transformation! I have always wanted to paint the siding on my porch ceiling but wasn't sure the paint would stick. Did you have to prepare the surface at all or just clean and use the paint/primer combo?

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    1. I just wiped it all down with a damp microfiber rag to remove dust and webs. Once it was dry, I went to town with my angled painted brush. :) Two coats later and it looked great!

      xo,
      Jen

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  49. Love it. Would you mind sharing your house and door colors?

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    1. Hi Sarah!

      I honestly have no clue what color/brand the siding is since it is 12 years old, however, it is a pretty basic gray. The door is Behr's Harbor.

      xo,
      Jen

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  50. It is lovely, I really like the colors (especially front door color). Our back porch needs a makeover. You have inspired me, LOL!

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  51. What a lovely front porch! I re-did our front porch this past weekend too! Lots of goodies from Target and Home Goods- my fav! Quick question~ where did you get the white tray with rope-like handles? Love it!

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    1. Love Target and HomeGoods! Two of my favs as well!

      The tray is from WestElm: http://www.westelm.com/products/outdoor-metal-entertaining-collection-rectangle-tray-d1074/?pkey=e|tray|33|best|0|1|24||14&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-Featured%20Tray-_-

      xo,
      Jen

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  52. Beautiful porch!! You did a great job!!

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  53. Ah, you have such an eye for details and color! Love the shade you painted the ceiling. And how did you do that?! It hurts my neck just thinking about it...Which line of Rustoleums did the warm yellow come from?

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    1. My neck hurt a smidge after the first coat, I just stood on a step stool and painted it all with a brush since it has small grooves. I would take little quick breaks to stretch. The second coat went a little quicker, but the process was essentially the same.

      xo!
      Jen

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  54. Wow, it's beautiful and so fresh-looking!
    Question for you - we painted our siding a similar color last year, but we have red brick on the front of our home, too - would a blue like your door be a good accent? I painted it a dark blue-grey as a quick-fix from the hunter green it was, but it's kinda boring looking. I need some oomph for the front of my home! Any suggestions? Thanks!

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  55. Absolutely beautiful color choices! The soft blue and bright fuschia tones just make my heart melt. Really nice.

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  56. The porch looks amazing! Enjoy your time out there this summer...but honestly with all you get done, I don't imagine you sitting anywhere for long!

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    1. Haha, thanks Sharon! Very true, I like to keep busy! <3

      xo,
      Jen

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  57. Woman on a mission...and mission accomplished, I'd say! Love every little detail of the new front porch area. Great job!

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  58. Beautiful choices...you make it all seem so easy to do.

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  59. wow that is absolutely amazing! I hope someday I can make my home (when I get one) look this nice and inviting. :)

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  60. I love the color choices. It makes everything pop!

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  61. I love it all! You did a great job. I'd love to end the day in such a pretty space.

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  62. It looks great! After seeing the post about your door I decided to go for it and paint my door yellow! I can't wait! I am waiting a few weeks though because my dad wants to help me (or rather I will be helping him ha!) And he's visiting in 2 weeks. Thanx for the inspiration!

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    1. Wahoooo! I am excited with you! Sounds awesome, yellow doors are really great. Have fun with your dad. :)

      xo,
      Jen

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  63. Love the transformation. I added a seating area to our front yard too and I am amazed by how much more inviting it makes the house feel…much more personal too. I repainted our front door too and between those two additions I feel like we have a brand new house;)

    Amelia

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    1. Agree! So much happier and more personal. Wish I wouldn't have waited so long!

      xo,
      Jen

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  64. Hi Jen! Looks lovely! I have a similar table I got from Ikea, can't wait to paint that thing-- I never thought to use it on my back patio-- but now I see it would be perfect-- good thing I didn't sell it at my garage sale I'm getting ready for this weekend. Thanks for the great inspiration!
    Lauren

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  65. So beautiful, I'm so jealous, my front porch has been a sore spot for years but I can't seem to get my hubby to do anything about it - and it's way out of my control :( I might just have to show this to him, maybe it will inspire him to help me do something about it!
    Lanell

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  66. What a beautiful way to decorate a small (and often forgotten!) space. It's chic, cozy, and useful. Love it!

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  67. Hi Jen!! I really love the transformation! Especially the pots! It is the first time I write you, and I do it from Spain, so excuse me if my English is not very correct! Congratulations for the success of the blog! I love all you do and I always read you!

    XOXO

    Patricia, www.fromsweetland.com

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  68. I just love this! I came across your website just a couple months ago after I started my own blog and you've been my daily inspiration every since. Seriously. I checked your blog at least once a day, and your taste, creativity, and positivity make me want to make my own living spaces more organized and more fun. Thank you for doing what you do!

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  69. Ooooooo that is so pretty! I love how the blue ceiling compliments the door and the yellow accent table is perfect. This is really inspiring! I'm going to take a page from your play book and throw some love toward my porch.

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  70. I love the door color! I have a very similar siding color with black shutters and had been thinking about painting my door blue. Could you post a picture a little further away, like street view? Thanks!!

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  71. Ooh so pretty! I love all of your unique and personal touches. I also LOVE that you were able to use mostly things you already had--that's my kind of project! Hope you're having a great week, Jen!

    ~Abby =)

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  72. Could u explain. more about. painting the medallions for us (cough) challenged by all things creative? Did u remove them prior to painting? And what is a Silhouette?? Love the space!

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    1. Sure!

      Yes, I just unscrewed the medallions from the planters, spray painted them on top of a piece of cardboard, let them cure and re-attached them.

      A Silhouette is an electronic craft cutting machine which can cut letters and shapes from various materials.

      xoxo!
      Jen

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  73. I don't have a green thumb, but I do have experience with ferns. A lot of people usually throw away their fern during the winter (ferns can't survive winters outside). Instead, I put my ferns in the garage and water them twice a week. They will look sad in the garage during the winter, but they will survive. Then, bring them out when Spring comes (all risk of frost is gone) and give them some fertilizer-booster and voila, your fern will be full and beautiful again! No need to buy a new fern every Spring. Just a thought =)

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    1. Thank you so much for the tip! This is my first fern so I am a newbie fern owner! All tips are welcomed and appreciated! :D

      xo,
      Jen

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  74. It's so gorgeous! you are more then welcome to redo mine :)

    love your blog!!

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  75. Thanks Jen...you always remind us to look for the little details. My porch is not large enough for a table, but your ideas on color and small changes are always helpful... Thanks!

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  76. Love, love, love this, Jen!
    I attempted a "spruce up" of my front porch last weekend by putting the chairs back out there and cleaning up the little table, but it's pretty much a feeble attempt. I really need to paint the front door, but I don't like my house's exterior colors (and not able to hire painters yet), so I don't want to pick a nice color since it wouldn't match the rest of the house (LOVE your door's color, by the way). I also tend to get lots of spiders and bugs, which is why I usually don't sit out there, but maybe if I take care of it more often that won't be the case. It's pretty much a hot mess out there right now. lol
    Your porch makes me want to give it another go, though. Maybe a couple of pillows on the chair and a flower plant will help. :) As always, thanks for the inspiration!

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  77. Love this! How did you hang up the mirror? I love the idea of adding a mirror but don't want to damage our siding....

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    1. Great question Anna!

      I searched high and low and even asked the home improvement store pro's and I couldn't find anything for hanging mirrors or heavy objects outside/into siding. So, my hubby decided to use two small screws. I was concerned about it ruining our siding, but he assured me we could find some caulk to fix the holes should we ever need to.

      xo,
      Jen

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  78. Hi Jen - I love the ceiling painting! Is the ceiling on your porch vinyl? I would love to paint mine but it is vinyl and I didn't know if you can paint vinyl or not...maybe a silly question.

    Thanks!
    Amanda

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    Replies
    1. Hi Amanda!

      We have vinyl siding and the ceiling/soffit is actually an aluminum.

      I believe you can paint vinyl but may need a specialty paint? I would check with your local home improvement paint specialist.

      xo,
      Jen

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    2. Thanks so much!! I am marching right over to Lowes after work!! :)

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  79. So incredibly inviting! Your sense of style is so impressive! Your lovely porch inspires me to paint my front door and spruce up my patio.

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  80. so awesome! Where is this porch lamp from? Adore!

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  81. Thank you Susie!
    Here is the source for the lights: http://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/outdoor-decor/outdoor-lights/wall-lights/wharf-1-light-10-5-oil-rubbed-bronze-outdoor-downlight/p-1807173-c-7545.htm

    xo,
    Jen

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  82. Love what you do. Your blog, your photos, your ideas...delicious. I yearn to be better organized, but I have profound phobias about cleaning and organizing in general. I still need to peruse your blog more in detail, and hopefully that will help me. I have sadly become a well seasoned plant killer,despite my love of plants.

    So, I am terrified of your blog as well. I want to read it, but I am stressed at the pit of my stomach when I think about organizing while reading.

    But seriously, I aspire to be as well organized as you one day.

    Cheers

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  83. Even though we're in the dead of winter, this post still inspires me. My back patio needs some love. I'll have to keep you post in mind when Spring rolls around. :)

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  84. Inspiring! I love reinventing and using what you already have. Great job with paint choices too!

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