Total Transformation of the Back Porch Revisited

Another one of our favorite projects from 2012 was one that we did together during Mom’s visit to Syracuse.  This is a perfect example of how a little paint and some elbow grease can transform a space.  We spent under $100, and the final product was just what our 1928 bungalow needed.

 

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This is a good one.  It’s why I love to DIY.  This project reminds me of the Grimm’s fairy tale about kissing a frog, and it turns into a prince.

 

This is the frog in question.  It is our back porch, and it had a lot of warts.

 

It had warts and more warts.

 

The previous owner left a table and chairs on it when he moved, and we just piled it high with junk belongings.

 

It was wasted space that we only used as a pass-thru to get to and from our revamped backyard and new patio.  There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, though ’cause this fairy tale has a happy ending.

 

When my blog partner/mom was here last week, we decided to kiss that frog and make it the most handsome prince we could.  That became our number one priority.  First, we decluttered and then primed the entire space.  Then I applied a light blue to the ceiling while she tackled the walls.  Since the room is right off of our kitchen, I chose the same blue that is on the kitchen walls to make a good transition.

 

We painted the walls the same gray as the exterior of our house.  Here it is after the first coat.  When we were all finished, we started adding pops of color.

First, we brought in the light blue bistro set that had been in our guest bedroom.  The blue in the table matches the blue in the ceiling perfectly.  Under it, we added a jute rug trimmed in green.

Then we hung a paper lantern over the table.  It even has a little battery-operated light so that it is useful at night.

 

We used the colors in the lantern for our inspiration.  We hung a big yellow pail that we used to hold dancing shoes at our wedding, on a wall.

 

I painted a used bookcase the same bright red as our front door.  It will come in handy for holding our shoes this winter.  The top is a great place for Gracie’s supplies.  (I’ll tell you about the recycle bin you see on the right in another post).

 

We painted an existing shelf white and then just put some colorful items from around the house on top of it.  I plan to put hooks in it for hanging some extra coats this winter.  The mounted art poster on the right had all of the colors in it we needed.

 

It was in the vacation condo my parents owned in Toronto, Ontario a few years back.

 

I’m thinking this prince is pretty good looking.  How about you?

 

Since I was able to use some things we already had, the total makeover, including paint, the book shelf, rug, plant stand, and lantern came in under $100.

 

I think it is now the perfect place for the prince in my life and me to enjoy our morning coffee.

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Cheers!