Back Porch Makeover...Layer by Layer

I am writing this post in two segments.

The first is my project for today...a "spruce up" of my back porch. It was a fun thing to tackle, because it involved very little expenditure except for sweat equity.

I had almost everything on hand.

I know, I know.....my back porch will NEVER end up in a magazine spread!

We don't have the moola or the time to make it a show place...

however, we enjoy doing what we can with what we have.

I enjoy a cup of coffee or reading the paper in the early morning.

I love a little evening chat...

I understand the meaning of "a man's house is his castle"...

no castle have I,

but I love the trees, chirping birds, the sweeping pastures

and the view of our neighbors' horses and little donkey "out back".
My porch needed a good spring cleaning. So Saturday was the day!

1. The first thing I did was empty the porch and give it a good scrubbing. I had already spot painted the furniture a rusty brown last year...only a few touch ups were needed.

BTW: my porch furniture has been dark green, black, white and now rusty brown. I am not timid with changing colors on anything...except my hair.

2. After a thorough scrubbing, I repositioned the wrought iron furniture pieces.

3. Next I added a $9.99 rug from Trees and Trends...yes, you read correctly. It's some type of straw material and is banded in black. I think $9.99 for a 4'x6' rug is a pretty good deal. I purchase one every year and "toss" it the next summer for a new, clean one.

A rug adds warmth to an outside room and anchors the furniture.

4. At this point I brought back my wood pieces of furniture. I found this little white telephone table at the Flea Market, painted brown and black zebra stripes on the top, and finished it so that it could "live" outside.

The coffee table is an old window that I made into a table by attaching legs.


5. Next came accessories. Red geraniums in brown pots combine with other rusty elements.

A little green fire pot repositioned to the coffee table (a gift from a good friend) will add warmth on those chilly spring nights.

I add those little solar lights to my pot plants.

At night they look like lightning bugs in the foliage.

A rusty tray from Paul Michael's serves to protect my glass window panes. I found the green mercury glass pot at Hudson's and the iron frog was my mother in law's.

The green plant on the tray was a find at Trees and Trends for $5.

The ceramic bluebird "of happiness" lightens the mood peeping out from under a fern set on a concrete stepping stone turned table top.

I love my "candelier" that I found at the Flea Market for $12!!

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"What's going on here?!" is a silent question from under the hostas.

Our wild pet (that's an oxymoron, isn't it?) bunny, Bun T., joins the mayhem on the porch.
Everyone's a critic nowdays!

Bun T. looks on from afar...looks like he's doing a photoshoot

for the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

6. The pillows on my glider are a mixture: geometric fabric ones are from Target; zebra one came from Wal Mart (go Wally world!); stripes and florals are from Hudson's in Hattiesburg...love it when a plan comes together! (Two additional zebra ones are on their way from WM online...do I need them? Maybe not, but they will be used somewhere.)
Never can have too many brown zebra pillows, I say.

Cleaned up, fixed up and ready to welcome family and friends.

I will post the other end of the porch makeover later in the week.

I tablescaped an outdoor setting for breakfast and loved the way it all came together!

I'd like to add canvas drapes and a new brown ceiling fan

(our other one is 17 years old and showing her age).

But for now, all's well on the back porch at the McInnis home!

I am attending the Big Blog Party hosted by Kim@ Savvy Southern Style..click here to join us.

Hope your day is memorable,