Summer Porch Tour 2017

Welcome! So glad you’re here for a little summer front porch tour.

Question for you. Is your porch saying “welcome” or “I’m busy?” 😉 I’ve definitely been guilty of the latter over the years. When my kids were little, it was all I could do to sweep the cob webs off the porch once a year. But hey. I started thinking about our porch being the first impression people have of us…and figured it was worth a little time to make it an inviting spot. So what do you say? Shall we tackle this together?

The front door is our very first opportunity. Last year’s dried up wreath probably isn’t your best try. Am I right? Well, I’m a practical girl and I want something that can stay long-term. It has to hold up to the weather (this spot gets wind like CRAZY, the rain blows in with a vengeance, and the afternoon sun BLASTS it like nobody’s business!). Oh, and did I mention I don’t want to spend a fortune? Ya, that too.

The solution? Well, inspiration struck one evening. I remembered this basket I picked up at Goodwill for $1. It’s flat on the back and even had a handle for hanging…it was just a little “warm-toned” for my liking. Easy fix. I quickly dry-brushed a little gray acrylic craft paint over the basket (2 minute project), and let it dry for a bit (I have NO patience, so luckily it dried very quickly!). Next, I went digging through my old craft supplies to find some floral foam for the bottom of the basket, and wedged it in tight (high winds in this area, remember?). The flowers are faux (from Real Deals in Salem, Oregon), but SUPER realistic looking! They were a little spendy, but WORTH EVERY PENNY. I stuck the flowers into the floral foam, but it was looking a little incomplete, almost as if the flowers didn’t “fill” the basket enough. Once again, I went back to my messy craft closet and fished out some old scraps of burlap. Once those were tucked in, I started getting excited. *YES! This is looking just how I had hoped!* Some black & white ribbon for hanging and I thought I was done.

Using a stick-on hanger made for windows, I put my new basket on the front door. Wait. Still missing something.

One last trip to the craft closet, and I found this “welcome” sign that had been tucked away. I wired it onto the front of the basket (the sign is a little long, but that made me love it even more! I don’t like perfect.) aaaaaand then. Then it was done. 🙂 Soooo? What kinds of goodies do you have in YOUR messy closets, just waiting to get turned into front door decor? Oh wait. Maybe I’m the only one with messy closets. (Note to self: clean closets this summer.) 😉

Let’s get on to the rest of the porch. Shall we? Here she is “before.”

We usually have a couple black adirondack chairs out here, which I love. But once in awhile something comes along that steals your heart, and you have no choice but to MIX. THINGS. UP.

We found this white potting table from Noble Vintage at a junk show recently, and it was love at first sight. I had no idea where it was gonna go, but hey. That doesn’t stop a girl in love. 🙂

Since the table isn’t super stable, it’s not suitable for dining. But it’s PERFECT for our summer front porch! Wanna see?

Yep. It’s safe to say I A-D-O-R-E this unexpected look. It’s casual, rustic, and outside of the box. It’s us! Well, if WE were porch decor. 😉 The bench is straight out of a barn, which is why I LOVE it (thanks for letting me buy this from you, Kelly! @vintagelady2 on Instagram), the large wire basket on top of the table is from Homegoods (can you even? I like big baskets and I cannot lie!), and the outdoor rug is from Wayfair. See that cute little bistro chair on the far left? It’s from Ikea! So cute!

Let’s talk about this “Hello Summer” sign. It was made by my sweet friend Jill, and you can find it here. It was literally the finishing touch to the porch…pulling the whole look together!

The welcome mat is from Magnolia Market (find it here), and yes I know there’s a lot of “welcome” happening here, both on the rug and the sign…what can I say? I REALLY want to welcome you! 😉 The fun galvanized planters can be found here.

Fresh, clean, and ready for the season! And this bench is the perfect spot to sit and watch my husband pull weeds. Uhhh, I mean, the perfect spot to set my phone while I work in the yard. 😉

Well? What do you think of our unconventional porch look this year? Ohhh it’s so fun to decorate with what you LOVE, isn’t it?