Freshening Up the Porch

Okay.  I'll be honest.  My front porch was looking mighty rough.  The spring pansies had seen their day, there were leaves gathering in piles in all of the nooks and crannies and there was a dusty film on everything.  Ugh.  Talk about un-loved and under-used!!

(Even my youngest son looks unhappy there!)

I knew the porch needed a makeover but I didn't want to spend ANY $$$$ - and I wanted it done fast! That meant shopping the house for decor and using fabrics that I already had.  

And the colour scheme? Taken directly from our front door colour.  I had painted it this lovely Midnight Blue colour at the end of last summer and I knew I had lots of items that could go easily with it.  

First, the doormat got a sweeping and rinsing.  Clean and fresh again.  

I pulled this blue, green and turquoise fabric out of my stash and whipped-up a couple of pillows in no time.  

Ah yes! The colour-story grows...

 One pillow went on the Muskoka chair, along with a lime green-patterned one I had lying around....

.....and the other landed on the cute little rocker I bought last summer at a yard sale for  next-to-nothing.

To add a bit more colourful zing to each chair I used some turquoise napkins as seat covers.  A little stick-tack holds them in place!!

Now on the tray table in the middle?  A blue serving tray and a divided wooden box that has been in every room in our home but makes its first appearance on the porch!

In it went a tall glass jar full of daisies. 

Well -FAKE daisies, but they are just as pretty and last MUCH longer!

In the other corner of the box went a large canning jar full of my daughter's sidewalk chalk.  It has to be close at hand at all times.  You never know when inspiration may hit and "Craftin' Afton" will be on  the pavement and creating a masterpiece!!

I debated a long time about using white votives or these pink  ones.  The white would have blended in more but I decided these pink ones reflected the colour of all of the flowers in the hanging baskets that flank the front of the porch.  

TA-DA!

I am so pleased with how this turned out.  Even the electrician that came to work on our house the other day commented on how lovely it looked.  Hubby has spent a ton of time out here reading and playing his guitar.  I guess it was well worth the time and effort!

It's the perfect place for  a icy chai latte and my favourite magazine.  In fact I think I'll head out there now......