Our Front Porch Makeover
Matt and I desperately need to spruce up our front porch. When we first moved in, we bought a great little couch and ottoman from Target, and I made cushions for our porch swing.
Since then, however, half of our porch swing cushion has gone missing (I think it blew away when we were on vacation–I never did get around to making little ties for it), and the other half has completely faded, due to sun exposure. Also, the IKEA table is completely weathered (and not in a cool, antiquey sort of way).
It’s time for a change.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
- Make a new porch swing cushion (I hate making the same thing twice, but I need to suck it up and get it done!). This time, I need to use a fabric that is better designed to withstand the elements.
- I think we should hang some plants, like the folks did over at Young House Love or the woman at Making it Lovely did.
- We definitely need to get a new door mat.
- I need to refinish or remove the table. I’m thinking it might be cool to sew some floor cushions and store them in an IKEA basket on the front porch. I’ll have to play with that idea a little.
So many projects, so little time!
4 Comments
Cécy
Our front porch needs a makeover too (and it's a tiny porch). I want to add ferns on the two hooks. I also want to paint this old bench my husband found in some fun bright color: red? Yellow? green?
Maybe some pillows too.
Plants make such a difference in front of a house. We set up an herb garden to the left of our entrance and it makes a huge difference on our house.
Kelsey
We need to do something with our front porch too! I really want to have a place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine in the evenings and I think it helps be more connected to the neighborhood and what's going on.
I bet you could sand your ikea table and paint it with some type of outdoor paint in a fun color.
Beehive
If the table is solid wood, you can sand it down (electric sander will be much faster) and seal it with clear sealant. If after sanding it still looks a little patchy, you can stain and then seal it. Just make sure to use an exterior stain and sealant. I'm working on the same project with a weather – and not in a good way – bench that I "inherited" when S and I were married.
Anonymous
We can't keep up with watering our ferns and they're nearly dead. I would suggest something a little more hardy unless you're truly committed to daily watering. You might also want to line your hanging baskets with some plastic to keep the moisture in.