Friday, August 17, 2012

Mom and Dad's Porch

I want to share some pictures of my parents' screened porch with you.  Every time I visit them, I find my eyes straying in that direction, because the porch just beckons you to come out and sit...for a few minutes or a few hours.  Of course, during the very hottest part of summer, it doesn't get used as often.  Most of us gravitate towards the air-conditioned house when it's so hot and humid outside.  But in the spring, fall, and early summer, there's no better place to be.

My parents had their home built about eight years ago, with a screened porch opening off the great room.  But after living there for five or six years, my mom and dad realized they just weren't thrilled with the look and feel of their porch.  It felt too dark, and didn't really flow with the warm whites and cream colors in the adjacent great room.


When the house was built, my parents chose to leave all the wood on the screen porch a natural color, and furnished it with light brown wicker furniture.  After living with it for a while, they decided that it would be much more cheerful to replace all the brown with white.  Unfortunately, I don't have any before pictures to share (my mom couldn't find any), so you'll have to use your imagination.  Here's the way it looks today.


Originally, all the woodwork on the porch was the same color/finish as the floor.  They chose to leave the floor with this natural finish when they painted everything else, and I think that was a good decision.  I like the floor, and you need a bit of contrast in every room.  My mom replaced the light brown wicker furniture with cheerful white, and we all love it!


In addition, they replaced the wood siding or paneling beneath the screens with bead board paneling, and had it painted white, along with the wood posts between the screens, the exterior screen door, and the ceiling.  Such an improvement!  They had the shades added to the screens last summer to help keep the porch cooler on hot days and to protect the furniture from sun damage.

These are the coolest shades; I'd never seen this kind before.  They have chain pulls so they can be raised and lowered.  They're made of a fine mesh (which is also available in white), but the contractor suggested a charcoal color.  As you can probably see, the shades don't block the outside view, but they do block the bright sun rays from the afternoon sun that used to make the porch so uncomfortably hot.


The table below is an antique wicker piece.


My sister and I gave her the "Welcome" sculpture with the cute birds last year for Mother's Day.  My mom has so many pretty vintage linens; this tablecloth was made by my great-aunt many years ago.  She did all the embroidery and crocheted the lace around the edges.  I love all the pretty pinks and blues she used.  My great-aunt, Lena, who died about 20 years ago, was an absolute whiz with a needle and thread.   She made her daughter's wedding gown, and my mom says it was just amazing.  I'll have to see if my mom has a picture of the gown that I can share online.


Here's another pretty vintage tablecloth.


This wicker table came from a bedroom in my parents' previous house (the house I grew up in from age 10).  I love this unique little lantern; it's such a pretty color.  My mom purchased the candlesticks at Kirkland's a few years ago.  They were originally painted silver with gold touches; she repainted them, and I think the color is perfect for the porch.


The white french doors on the left of the picture lead back into the great room and kitchen.  The chair was part of my parents' deck furniture at the other house; the rest of the set is downstairs on their patio.  Love the curvy legs on this little vintage plant stand.


This flower basket hangs above the chair...


When my parents moved to this area, my mom fell in love with the architectural stars, or barn stars, that she saw on so many of the houses.  I think this looks just right on the porch, as does the print by a local artist.


This is one of the salmon pink geraniums we gave my mom for Mother's Day this year.  The wicker stool also came from our previous home.  Do you see the darling white table next to this chair?  My mom found it at a local antique/thrift shop; those bumblebee cutouts are too cute.  I'm going to start tagging along with her on these shopping trips; she always finds the neatest things.  :)


Speaking of cute tables, there's a little green table between the love seat and chair -- I meant to get a close-up pic of that.  Mom spray-painted it, and the plant stand behind it, the same pretty shade of green.


The last few shots of the porch...


I think the painted metal bunny on the floor at the left adds a touch of whimsy to this spot.  :)


The light coming through the screen gave this picture a soft, whitewashed look.


When the wonderful days of fall arrive, this porch will be the perfect place to be.  Mom, you're the decorating queen in our family; I LOVE the porch re-do.  Thanks for letting me share it with everyone.

I'm linking to:

Home Sweet Home Friday at The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Inspiration Friday -- At The Picket Fence
Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground
Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound
Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
Sunny Simple Sundays at Sunny Simple Life
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Thanks for visiting me at House at Forest Manor.  I can't wait to see what you've shared this week!


Denise

28 comments:

  1. You are so right- she DOES have the best porch!

    We don't have a screened porch but I have had architectural plans professsionally drawn up - just a matter of time/energy/money now.....

    This was quite inspirational, thank you!

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  2. I love your mom's porch, Denise! I can easily see why you are drawn to it. I love the beautiful vintage linens. xo

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  3. What a delightful porch....very homey and sweet!!!

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  4. What a fabulous screened porch! Your mom did a great job decorating. Love the two vintage tablecloths, just beautiful. Thanks to your mom for letting you share her porch. Happy Pink Saturday.

    ~Emily
    The French Hutch

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  5. What a charming place, perfect for summer afternoon,s and Indeed, it is a beautiful porch.

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  6. What a fabulous porch!!! Oh My what a dream it would be to have one like your Moms. What beautiful parties you can have on them... I LOVE,LOVE,LOVE that tablecloth and the welcoming birdies are just Darling!
    Thank you for stopping by for a visit, I LOVED your company!
    Have a wonderful fun weekend,
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  7. thats such a pretty and welcoming porch.. I have no doubt its lots better with the white furniture versus the brown.

    love that little table.. so not you can write and let me know which thrift store she shops at so I can go take a peek too..:)

    wow- your aunt did beautiful needle work. My Nana was good with that sort of thing too and did lots of Tatting. I never learned how and now I wish I had..

    xoxo
    Sonny

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  8. The whole room is lovely to me, and I would want to sit out there too. The first thing I honed in on when scrolling through pictures was the barn star for some reason. Then, I noticed the table with the vintage linen and loved that. We only have a deck in the back and a front porch which isn't private. I would love a screened porch or sun room.

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  9. Wow! What a fresh and pretty update to a very relaxing spot in your mother's home! Everything looks so cool and comfortable! I also think it's neat that you've got A Year In Provence in your header---I just finished that and loved it!

    Have a lovely weekend!
    HaPpY pInK sAtUrDaY!
    Mrs. Sarah Coller

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  10. I love porches. My parents would sleep outside on those really hot summer nights, so of late I've been thinking about a sleeping porch. Your parents' porch is just perfect for early morning coffee or late afternoon tea, a great spot to enjoy Jane Austin or one of the Bronte sisters. Don't you wish you could move back home some days? You are lucky to still have your parents. And thank you, Denise, for the lovely comment you left for me. Enjoy your week end.

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  11. The porch looks so inviting and comfortable!

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  12. That is a great porch. I really like the special tablecloth, everything is so inviting. I certainly could set a while there !! Visiting from Pink Saturday..

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  13. Stopped by from Sunny Simple! I love the porch, especially the colors and the furniture.

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  14. Just lovely. The change of color was just what it needed. Wonderful to have you with us at Seasonal Sundays.

    - The Tablescaper

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  15. Your parents porch would beckon me too. I especially LOVE that white table with bees. I agree, I want to tag along with her shopping too! Dianne

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  16. It's both Cheery AND restful...the mix of colors is so inviting...love it

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  17. Their porch is beautiful. We had a screened porch growing up and it was the best. As kids we loved sleeping out there. I don't have one in the house we live in now but I love looking and dreaming of having another one someday.

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  18. Such a lovely spot! How pleasant it must be to spend time there.

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  19. What a lovely spot. The perfect place to spend restful and fun times.

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  20. Beautiful porch, so warm and inviting, I can see why your eyes direct themselves towards it! Porches are the best places fr resting, reaing and just hanging in. Thanks for sharing AND FOR YOUR LOVELY VISIT. Enjoy your week.
    FABBY

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  21. The porch is lovely and so inviting! Thank you for sharing this lovely spot at Potpourri Friday!

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  22. Happy Pink Saturday, Denise. And, thank you for featuring and sharing your mother's porch. It is so charming, and looks comfy and inviting. I love all of the wonderful things she has gathered that add personality.

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  23. Such a lovely outdoor space. I could just imagine relaxing out there with a tall glass of lemonade.

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  24. Congratulations to your Mom Denise, you're quite right it looks the perfect place to sit a-while :o)
    Such lovely things, and the vintage cloth is beautiful - a real treasure.
    Have a great week!
    Rose H
    x

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  25. Hi Denise
    Just a quick thank you for your lovely comments :o)
    We went back down the lane the next day but the chooks were gone - I hope the owner found them and not the fox!
    Rose H
    x
    P.S.
    You are marked 'no reply' on comments, if you could alter it, it would enable us to contact you privately :o)

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  26. Me again! The only way I can figure out how to do it is to 'revert to old dashboard'
    then 1.Go to Dashboard
    2.Go to Edit Profile
    3.Look in Privacy section
    4.Check the box that says "show my email address"
    5.Go to Identity section, and enter an email address
    6.Click Save Profile
    Then go back to upgraded dashboard.

    Hope that helps!
    Rose H
    x

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  27. Denise - this is a dream screen porch! I have always wanted one and haven't had one since I left my parent's home when I got married. We practically lived on our porch as kids! My husband and I talk about it but finances make a refit of our deck impossible at this time. So, I shall live vicariously through your parents lovely screened respite. The shades are perfect - too much sun just doesn't do it for me - I prefer outside in the shade.

    Thanks for the butterfly plant suggestion on my mystery plat. Alas - not so. But, I did see one growing wild between the roadside and a neighbors corner property so I expect it is not very rare - but a bit of a bully when one is looking for wildflower color rather than just the wild.

    joy!
    Kathy

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  28. Very pretty! Thank you for joining me at Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND COMMENTS. I ENJOY READING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.

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