You know the saying about not waiting for your house to be perfect to invite people over? Well, I realized that even though my porch is not 100% complete, I shouldn’t wait to invite y’all over.
I have wanted to spruce up our screened porch for 3 years now. Screen porches like Between Naps on the Porch have beckoned me from afar. I always knew I wanted to do something similar to Susan’s porch.
So, after living here for 4 years, I finally got around to giving the screen porch a much needed makeover.
This is basically a representative “before” picture taken the month before we bought the house.
After we moved in, it stayed the same except we had a white square table and chairs for meals on the porch. Slowly I have been furnishing and decorating the porch with fixtures and accessories like: Ladder Display Shelves, Beachy Coffee Table, Minnow Trap Lights, Bamboo Painted Rug, Dream Big Butterfly Window, and my Garden Bench. My budget for this makeover was next to nothing, which presented a little bit of a challenge.
So, are you ready? Here is a tall glass of sweet tea with lemonade. Please come join me on my porch:
The two side chairs are actually from the table and chairs set. I just dressed them up with IKEA throw pillows. Someday I want to buy some wicker rockers to put in their place.
Remember the disgusting moldy coffee table I saved from the trash? There she is!
My favorite spot on the weekend. My Dad gave me this hammock for my 30th birthday and it is still in good shape after 10 years! Thanks Dad!
My semi-famous ladder display shelves I built from a $15 rickety old ladder.
The minnow trap pendant lights add the perfect amount of light after dark.
Were you wondering where I hung my Dream Big Butterfly window? Here she is:
That chippy little cabinet is the most expensive piece of furniture on the porch! I paid $85 for it at the flea market. It used to be a table, but someone cut off the legs and nailed boards to the sides and added a door to the front.
Such a great spot for catching up on my favorite magazines: Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Flea Market Style (the issue Layla and Kevin were recently in.)
Can you believe a neighbor was trying to get rid of this little decorator table? I gladly sprinted over to her house to pick it up. Then I draped a clearance shower curtain from Target over it. Yup,that is a shower curtain!
{Sigh} My favorite flower, blue hydrangeas.
Remember that purple garden bench? Well, she wasn’t weathering the constantly changing weather conditions, so I brought her in the porch and gave her some TLC and a few coats of paint. I just need to sew a cushion for her.
Congratulations on your new sponsors! You deserve it. All your hard work has paid off.
I love the porch! It looks so inviting and comfortable. All the shades of blue look so refreshing.
Thanks Sallie! I appreciate your comment.
Your porch is beautiful and cozy…I LOVE IT! My favorite colors too.
I love cobalt blue! I’m glad I could incorporate it into a room in (or outside) of our home.
Its official. I need a screened porch just like yours. 🙂 You have done an amazing job! What a wonderful space to relax.
Oh Jody, I know how you feel. I wanted a screen porch for years and hoped we could add one on at some point. Then we pushed the “Easy” button and moved across the street into a house that had everything on our wish list!
Hi, Brittany, that is one gorgeous porch now! Outdoor spaces are a fave of mine & you’ve done a great job with it all. Love the blue & white colors, very refreshing & summery.
Rhoda, thanks for taking the time to comment. Your kind words mean a lot to me. And thank you for RTing on Twitter.
Have a great weekend!
Can I come hang out there? It is absolutely beautiful! I’d never want to leave if I were you!
Susan
Susan, thank you for your kind comment. If the heat and humidity weren’t so bad this week in NC, I would be out there all the time ;-).
I love your space!!
Comeca, Thank you for your kind comment on my screen porch.
Your porch is lovely. It’s great fun to see so many projects you have shared come together in one place. Beautiful!
Korrie, I was actually surprised how many projects ended up out there. I guess I’m running out of room in my house. LOL!
Absolutely beautiful! I am a little green after seeing this…jk…it does look great 🙂
Oh I’d be green too. And I used to be until we moved into this house that has a fabulous screen porch. I’m ashamed it took me this long to make over the room.
Your porch is so gorgeous, I’d love to stop by and have a glass of sweet tea! Exciting news: my cousin is giving me one of the old windows from the family homestead where she now lives – you are my inspiration for making it into something beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
Mary, Woohoo! That is great news about the window. Can’t wait to see what you make with it.
That looks like something right out of a decorator magazine! It is cool and crisp and very eco-friendly!
Thanks Sharon, that is a very nice thing to say. You made my night.
I am just in awe! What a beautiful, peaceful looking space- I can almost feel the cool breeze. Such a nice job!
Thanks for adding your thoughts on sponsors- I hope to go in that direction and I share your thoughts about it- it helps to hear other bloggers perspectives.
Michelle, your comment means a lot to me. I was hoping you (my readers) didn’t think I was using or abusing their attention. I really don’t want to distract from my main focus (DIY tutorials.) Thanks for commenting.
I LOVE your porch! I want one! LOL
Thanks Jessica. I know how you feel. We didn’t have one in our old house. Thank goodness this house has one ;-).
Your porch is great! I would definitely come over and have a glass of tea with you.
Also, congrats on the new sponsors. You are doing a fabulous job and such an inspiration!
Thank you Cherie. Your comment and words of encouragment mean a lot to me.
Your porch is beautiful and has such a welcomming feel to it. WOW! Im’m sure we’ll see it in a magazine in the future. I would certainly enjoy a glass of iced tea on your porch any time. I’m also happy for you having sponsors. Your generosity and hard work is appreciated by all who read your blog. Thank you for making our life easier with your tutorials.
Alice, Thank you for your kind comments. I’m trying my hardest to make life easier (or at least more rewarding) for y’all. Have a fantastic weekend!
Wow – your porch is beautiful! Fresh and lovely, restful and clean! I love it!
Thanks Becki!
Very pretty. I use shower curtains on my porch also. That cant get hurt during a rain storm!!! You did a beautiful job, everything is peaceful and inviting:)
Thanks. Exactly my thoughts about the shower curtain! I actually bought another one to use for the cushion.
Love your porch! I love the beachy touches. So inviting and relaxing.
Thanks Lissa!
Lovely porch. Gives me some ideas for our sunroom.
Until I read on another blog just how much it costs to keep their site up and running, I simply didn’t have any idea what bloggers like you shell out from their own pockets. And that doesn’t include time spent creating posts. I wish you much success. You’ve certainly earned it in more ways than one.
Monique, thanks for your comment. Wow, do you know who wrote that post about how much it costs to blog? I’d love to read that. And it is true, it may be free to start a blog, but there are costs to taking that blog to the next level. Thanks for your understanding and best wishes.
Thank You so much for your wonderful blog! I’m inspired by the way you tackle home improvement and repairs. It makes me itch to get working on something handy after I read your blog posts. I just wish that I had the upper arm strength to lift heavy things so I could take on all the unfinished projects we have going in my house. Why does God give men the upper arm strength but not the ability to multi-task? It’s a cruel cruel world! JK.
Angela, well, we may not have as much upper arm strength, but we women possess much stronger legs then men. So, try to use that to your advantage. I also keep this mantra in my head for the times when I really need it, “If there is a will, there is a way!” Good luck with your DIY projects and don’t let your shortcomings stop you. Go kick some DIY butt!
I’m soooo there with you. Just gorgeous! Love the blue. Cool, refreshing . . . perfect. Gives me lots of ideas – as always 😀
Thanks for your comment Colleen! Can’t wait to see some more of your ideas.
PERFECTION! That is one lovely porch!!!
Thank you. I’m lovin’ it!
What a wonderful and glorious space. Wishing you many warm summer nights on that ones (and some mornings with a latte too).
Thanks Marianne. Mmm, a latte sounds good right about now.
That porch is so stickin’ cute. It looks like a perfect place to relax! I love your blog!
Thanks Camille. I appreciate your sweet comments.
Love your screened porch! I’m in the process of slowly adding to ours too, it’s definitely taking some time!
Best wishes for a quick porch make over. (But not too quick that it doesn’t look good ;-).
Your outdoor room is gorgeous. I love love the colours (they are favs of mine) and the way it adds a pop to the soothing white. Hydrangeas are my favourite too.
Thanks for your nice comment Elizabeth. I am in total heaven this year with all the hydrangeas that are blooming in my yard!
You are NOT Pretty Handy Girl—you are absolutely AMAZING Handy Girl. I just love the projects you share on your blog. I wonder if this old G’Ma can learn a few new woodworking tricks??
Judy, I bet you can tackle several woodworking projects. Don’t they say, the older the wiser? Thanks for you nice comment.
So pretty! I love the colors and the rug and the hammock and everything else!
Thank you so much Suzy. I appreciate your comment.
Brittany…your porch looks beautiful. You did an amazing job and the colors you chose are very light and airy! You’ve inspired me to give my back deck a facelift!! Lesa
Thanks Lesa. Good luck on your back deck project. I promise it will be so rewarding!
How beautiful!! I love it! I’ve wanted a hammock for years — so jealous! 🙂 Every year I say I’m going to get one and I never do it. Great job!!
Thanks for your comment. We love our hammock. Put it on your wish list. It is so much fun for the kids (as long as they don’t flip their brother. And we like to lounge in it Sunday mornings or after dark. Definitely invest in a good one. This one has lasted 10 years.
Brittany, your porch is completely wonderful! I love the soft soothing colors and fabrics you’ve chosen. Truly Beautiful! The hammock has to be my favorite thing! Love that! 🙂
Thanks Susan. What a compliment coming from the Queen of all Screen Porches! 😉
I had already planned today’s post about porches before I knew it was your blogiversary today. But consider my little post a Happy Happy anyway. Thanks for all the inspiration you offer!
WOW. I dream of having porch like yours someday. Excellent job, you have fabulous taste and talent! 🙂
I am really glad to see those designs here. I will express “extraordinary”. What a great job has done here. Must admire your work. Thanks a lot.
LOVE THE PORCH. Those are all my favorite colors, and the colors I’m using to decorate my new house. I have an awesome hammock that I’ve never used. Our new house has a covered deck, but not screened in. Do you leave it out year round? Take it in for rain storms? Put it up in the winter only? I actually have 2 hammocks. One that is from Brazil and is solid weaving and one from Guatemala that is more like yours. We lived in Atlanta until recently where it is so humid I worried about mildew. We moved to a pretty dry climate, so maybe I can hang mine out this spring? Our Brazil one is actually a double, so my hubby and I can canoodle together (with our 5 kids piled on top, I’m sure). Also, how did you hang it? Thanks! I have porch envy.
April, we live in humid North Carolina and the only time I take it down is when the pollen bombs hit us in late March/April. Then I cover everything up on the porch or store it away.
I have a Smith & Hawkin hammock and it is really great quality. There is a slight bit of discoloration from mold or something after over 10 years. I could spray some bleach on it, but I haven’t bothered, it really isn’t noticeable.
The hammock is hung by two giant eye hooks screwed into the porch support posts.
Brittany, I grew up and Tennessee, and my husband and I lived in Atlanta for 8 years. I know the pollen bomb well. I miss the South, but I don’t miss the yellow paint job in the spring. 🙂 Come on warm weather! I want to hang my hammocks!
LOVEEEE this!!! Using it in my “dream house” post on my blog tomorrow.
Your porch is so lovely! I have this same hammock on my tropical back porch! My screen porch is VERY slowly coming along as well. I love how yours has that country look with a touch of coastal. This is how I want mine to look since it faces the wooded side of our house. Thanks so much for sharing! Blessings, Tammy
Where did you get the rug? Maybe I missed that tidbit…it is beautiful.
Hi! I just found your blog and LOVE it!! Can you elaborate on your painted floor covering?
Thanks!
I have searched your posts, before asking this…( bcuz I really hate when I see comment questions that are totally answered in the post – IF you read the post, LOL! ) but I didn’t find it anywhere, so I am going to ask: WHERE did you find the oh so gorgeous pillows on your fabulous porch bench? I saw you hand made the cushion , which is brilliant – but did you make the pillows too? and if so – where did you find that beautiful fabric? i really NEED to know – so I hope you will reply… my email is julieaspear AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful craftiness… your porch is beautiful and YES, I will take a glass of tea, and a little nap on that hammock, thank you very much, lol!!!
Julie, the medallion style pillows are from Target a few years ago. the Trellis pattern pillows are covers purchased from IKEA. Again from a few years ago, so I don’t know if they are still available.