Okay, truth time...our front porch is gross. Beginning when we moved in (three years ago), it's been a catch-all for broken or unwanted furniture, tag sale cast-offs, the bicycles we haven't used since last summer. It's the first thing I see when I get home from work, and it's starting to be a real drag. I'll let it speak for itself:
That green bin? That's still full of wedding stuff that hasn't been unpacked yet. For shame.
Well, a full front porch re-do has made it high on our list of summer projects, and we plan to challenge ourselves to spend as little on it as possible. Aside from that goal, we want a clean, bright, colorful sitting area conducive to conversation and relaxation. It's going to take some work: Whoever lived here before us painted the windows shut, so we need to get permission from our landlord to strip the paint off, open the windows, and install screens (otherwise, it gets hellishly hot) -- in addition to taking down those shades. We have to get rid of that massive white chair -- it's ripped and could be reupholstered by somebody with the right skills, but we have neither the time nor the space. The headboard? Trash. The lamp? We'll try to sell it on Craig's List, I guess. It's from the '60s and actually pretty cool. The bicycles will be relegated to the backyard for the summer.
Once all that happens, we'll start with a deep clean. Then Kristie's going to build a pallet couch, which we'll top with a futon mattress and a cover I plan to sew (yikes!). We're going to paint that side table under the green bin (I'm pulling for bright pink; Kristie for turqouise), find an outdoor rug, hang string lights, and add plenty of plants and candles. A couple made-over folding chairs will be tucked away beside the couch and brought out as necessary to accommodate extra guests.
I'm hoping we can do all of that for about $150. I think we'll be able to make it close by getting the big pieces from Freecycle, and the rest from thrift stores, tag sales, and flea markets. We'll see. But I can't wait to have our front porch be a liveable, attractive space for the very first time, and you can be sure there'll be an "after" picture. Hopefully it'll look something like this...
Rug // Fab Habitat
DIY Pallet Couch // Cuarto de Recha
String Lights // Home Depot
Lantern // Luna Bazaar
Crochet Hanging Plant Holder // Poppytalk Handmade
Turquoise Pot // Ikea
Pillow // Ikea
DIY Folding Chair Makeover // Whipperberry
DIY Succulent Garden // All Parenting