A few months back I had the pleasure of working with a friend on her Front Porch Makeover. She has a beautiful home, but she knew her front entry didn’t reflect what was inside. And we all know the saying about first impressions, right?! Whether it is the first impression of your home guests have, or you just want to smile when you are pulling into your driveway, I think your front porch can make a great statement.
Like this client, most people know what they like (or don’t like), but it can be overwhelming to scroll through hundreds of Pinterest photos, or go through dozens of stores trying pull out items that will all coordinate. How about this one? Finding the “perfect” piece to only find out that you just found a $1000 bench? Been there, done that. I want to be able to do the hard work for YOU by filtering through your dream look, and actually tracking down the items, finding ones that work together, and choosing pieces that fit into your budget.
So this is what she first wrote to me: “I want something to make a nice statement on my front porch. I currently have one lonely big porch pot and a decorative metal piece hanging on the wall. But it just lacks curb appeal. Can you help?” Her second request was that the entire project cost less than $300. That I can do.
Here is her “before”:
I had her send me a Pinterest board of images she liked, and I got some more feedback on what she wanted incorporated into the porch (for example: a bench). Then I went to work creating a custom Mood Board for her. I always create TWO versions of any space I work on. And I purposefully create them so they can be mixed and matched. (Hello, I’m a girl-I LOVE having options!). Plus I made her a mini “floor plan” that showed where to put everything.
Here was Version #1:
This one keeps her existing yellow planter, and adds in an outdoor bench with decorative pillows and an outdoor mirror. A boxwood wreath with ribbon on a soft blue door and woven floor mat complete the look. The bench can be left natural or be painted!
And here is Version #2:
This Version keeps all of the same elements. But this one has a simpler bench and a different selection of pillows. Black lanterns and outdoor grade woven planters give a different look. Several of her Pinterest photos showed a blackboard as decoration, so this Mood Board incorporates one. Instead of blue, this version shows a pop of yellow.
So which did she go with? In the end she mixed and matched her favorite elements, but also added in some of her own style. As that is exactly how Postbox Designs should work! I provide a Master Plan that gives you ideas and an exact plan to follow if that is what you need. But it also gives you the confidence to swap out an item here or there to add your own touch to it.
So here are some of her “Afters”
I love, love, love her final selections! She chose her favorite elements from both Mood Boards and created a simple, elegant, and welcoming front porch. I love how she chose key pieces to warm up her front porch, without cluttering it. Plus her landscaping is gorgeous (which I can take NO credit for!).
I’m so happy she went with the light blue door! This boxwood wreath is great because she can keep it up all year round. But, all she needs to do is swap out a new ribbon with the seasons and she gets an entirely new look for minimal work. Plus, I love that front door mat. My favorite is the front bench with mirror and pillow-it creates a great vingette. All of the items are rated for outdoor use, so maintenance is a minimum. (I always suggest getting outdoor rated items, even if you are working in a covered area. They are meant to hold up to moisture and temperature changes).
Want to see even more ideas? It’s not too late to give your front porch a fall makeover, or file some ideas away for Spring! I went back in the Postbox Designs files and found two other Front Porch Makeovers I created. The first one is a neutral makeover for just $150. The second project has some pop of colors that you can replicate, or make your own by choosing another color to incorporate.
This Spring I created a blog post called “If I had $150 to Spend…” and that month I created a Front Porch Makeover for around $150. Check out the whole article and find out where to buy it all HERE!
And at the beginning of the year I hosted a 30 Day Design Challenge where I shared a mini project, idea, or makeover challenge each day for an entire month. Day 20 was a Mini Front Porch Make-over. Check out this day’s Challenge (and the rest of the 29 days!) HERE!
Thanks so much to my friend for letting me pair up with you to create a new Front Porch, AND letting me share it with my readers! I hope it brings a smile to your face when you see it! To check out more Postbox Projects, find finished projects HERE and find more inspirational Mood Boards for clients HERE!
Whether your room needs a whole new look or you need help just pulling it all together, let’s chat! You can always email me at kristin@postboxdesigns.com and we can talk anything from throw pillows to new flooring and everything in between.
In the meantime, right now is the perfect time to hang close, because I’m currently in the middle of the six week One Room Challenge where I’m making over my hideous bathroom one week at a time til the big reveal! Speaking of which, duty calls….
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