May 2, 2009

Remodel: Back Porch


Ahh spring!  Time for us to start using our screened in porch again.  This year we decided it was time to pull out the power washer.  Again.
What a job.  With all of the trim being white, it shows the mildew so easily.  Not to mention the pine pollen (the bane of North Carolinians' existence in spring) and typical dust that comes with screens.  We decided to take the bull by the horn and paint the trim brown.
I was pleased with the color.  Even though the white had that cottage feel, we were tired of the grime.



We decided to make a few changes in the structure as well.  We removed the white pickets and added some Y beams to the existing support beams.  We even painted the wicker furniture in the same cocoa brown.


 Hubby also added an 8" shelf all the way around the porch for me to set things on.  I found these adorable little wooden chairs for 75% off at World Market.
I wanted to incorporate some sheers.  These came from Walmart at $5 a piece.  I love how they blow in the breeze.  This is what you see when you first step onto the porch:
One last thing on my "want" list was accent lighting.  I also found these cute straw string lights on clearance at World Market.
 The church bird house came from my front porch. Just a coat of spray paint to freshen it up.
We use our screened porch from March to November.  We eat most of our meals out there (I love breakfast on the porch), weather permitting.  Now we can enjoy it sans grime.

Check out some other amazing remodels at the Remodeling Guy.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the brown. It's very cozy, and the furniture looks nice painted the same too. Being from NC I totally feel ya on the pollen, lovin' those seasonal allergies :) Except now that we live in GA our pollen season starts in Jan...yippie!! We've been eating on our porch for a few weeks now, the weather has been so pleasant. Great update, thanks for sharing!!

-Hayley

Kellie said...

Wow... that is beautiful. As always you amaze me with your talent of making things look so nice and easy to do. If I tried that it would look like a mottled mess. lol I will just live vicariously through you!! lol Great job...

Amy said...

So glad you wrote this post, since I wanted to take a closer look at your porch (but didn't!). It looks great!!

Denise said...

We are getting ready to add on a screened in porch, so thanks for the ideas...well done!

Marie Reed said...

Wonderful job! The white must have been VERY difficult to maintain! Brown is warm and welcoming!

Christi @ A Southern Life said...

Nothing better than a porch. I even did a week long series on porches, I love them so much. Thanks for sharing the pics of your lovely porch. Looks like you will have some great times there.

Michelle said...

Wonderful porch! Perfect for a nap!!

Envoy-ette said...

You thought of everything and then some! I don't know if the lighting, the shelf or the sheers are my favorite thing! Guess they TIE in first place!

Sarah said...

Your porch is amazing. We need a screened in porch here to keep the mosquitos away. I love the curtains, the string lights, all of it!
Great job! Enjoy it!

Pinky said...

I have a dream to SOMEDAY have a screened in porch! I love yours and thre brown change is terrific! I think it is a tropical gorgeous color.... Enjoy your "new" space now all summer and fall! I eat breakfast out on my deck in the summer, and want to start if and when it EVER stops raining here:(:( Hugs, Pinky

Unknown said...

I'm a lurker, coming out.

Your porch is lovely!

Every Day Blessings said...

This is so beautiful! Would love to set out there and read a book. I love the color change. White is so fresh looking the first year then it gets dirty so easy. This is a great choice and I love brown.

Chloe's Couture said...

Great makeover! I love outdoor living spaces; I bet it makes eating a meal a whole new experience.

Remodeling Guy said...

Love your porch! It looks like it was always a nice place to hang out and you made it even better! Great work on everything! I thought that little chair was real and I was all like "I want to make one of those!"

Thanks for joining the Round-Up!

Tim

Remodeling Guy said...

Did I say "Sorry it took me a week to get here!" ? I am.

jason and jen said...

Hey Gretchen...the porch looks great. We also live on our screened porch and have been contemplating painting our white wicker furniture. I was wondering what kind of paint you used. Was it a special paint for wicker? Was it a spray paint, or did you just use a sprayer to apply the paint? I would love any advice you could give. Hope you are feeling better!! Have a great week.

Anonymous said...

I really like your redo! I like the "y"'s you put in and the curtains. The brown is very nice. I live in the desert, and I just cannot imagine living somewhere so green. But, we don't have many mosquitos - just heat!