In this post: Our old front porch had potential. We made a little progress but then stalled for months. But the final after of the porch makeover – and the ensuing summer porch makeover ideas – really made a difference!
One of the features I fell in love with when we first looked at our last house was the long front porch. It was badly in need of aesthetic work. But the potential for great curb appeal was there.
Finally decorate your own home – with confidence!
You’re so much closer to a beautifully-decorated home than you think. You just need a little help to get there!
Here’s how we used just three summer porch makeover ideas to increase the curb appeal and enjoy our old house a lot more while we lived there!
Table of Contents
Before the Porch Makeover
In the realtor photo above, before we bought our last house, you can see that the porch was a wee bit confused.
There were both wrought iron and wooden trellises, a wrought iron railing and green wooden pillars. (The sage green wooden pillars had been touched up with a different shade of green paint to boot.)
From the street one could see the brown bamboo shade on the door and the brown faux-wood blinds on the front windows – all smushed together with white trim and green doors.
There was a whole lot going on…and none of it was pretty!
Initial Progress on the Porch Makeover
We ripped out the wrought iron railing and the shrub overgrowth shortly after we moved in in 2012. But that’s where we stopped while we focused on the inside of the house.
It says progress up there, but in reality it still makes for a pretty bad before photo. I’m actually rather embarrassed at how long it stayed so ugly!
After the Porch Makeover
Then in the spring and summer of 2015, we set out to improve our little house’s curb appeal, to turn something rather chaotic into something peaceful and beautiful.
Oh how the after is so much more peaceful and beautiful…
Summer Porch Makeover Idea 1 – Paint
The first thing we did was to remove the remaining wrought iron trellises. Gonzo went the faded, chipping and mismatched green paint. (It took me an entire day and three coats of white paint to cover all that green trim!)
Hello crisp white painted trim and warm grey doors!
To really up the curb appeal and cozy factor I of course wanted to add some personal decor touches too – like wreaths and string lights.
However since these things are likely to be changed out with the seasons (just like our interior decor), I didn’t want to just hammer a nail in randomly somewhere or put staples all over the porch ceiling.
So, we decided to use a few handy Command™ Outdoor Products specifically because they’re designed to hold strongly outdoors. They are water resistant, UV resistant, and can handle temperature extremes from -29 degrees C to 39 degrees C (-20 degrees F to 125 degrees F)! And like all Command™ Products, they remove cleanly – with no holes, marks, stains or sticky residue – so you can use them over and over again, while avoiding damage!
Summer Porch Makeover Idea 2 – Wreath(s)
To hang my favorite door wreath we used the Command™ Large Clear Window Hook (which would also be great for seasonal welcome signs).
I love that you can hardly even see the hook – leaving the wreath to be the star of the show!
I’ll also use three additional window hooks in the winter to hang our three evergreen wreaths on the living room windows. I’ve nailed them up previously – but again that has made for a lot of holes in the window trim each year! Thankfully not any more!
Summer Porch Makeover Idea 3 – String Lights
For the gorgeous Edison string lights I picked up for summer, we used the Command™ Clear Light Clips – on the porch ceiling!
Just look how cozy and welcoming the porch is at twilight…
(At Christmas time I think we’ll use the Command™ Clear Light Clips to hang lights around each window too, avoiding more nail holes but adding plenty of charm!)
We also chose the Command™ Large Graphite Designer Hook for hanging seasonal decorations and an outdoor thermometer. But alas I couldn’t find a thermometer I like just yet, so the Graphite Designer Hooks will be here waiting for me to make a decision.
Here’s the Before, Progress and After for you again…
I think these three summer porch makeover ideas drastically improved this house’s curb appeal, don’t you? Perhaps it’s time to do the same to our current house’s porch too?!
More Curb Appeal
For more of our current house’s curb appeal projects, visit these posts:
- Working on the Curb Appeal Part 1 – Upgrading the Garage Doors
- Working on the Curb Appeal Part 2 – Painting the Front Doors Black (+ Plants)
- Upgrading the Front Door Hardware
- An Easy Solution to Peeling Outdoor Paint
- Curb Appeal 101 – 14 Ideas for Spring Landscaping
To see our previous house’s curb appeal projects, visit these posts:
- Introducing the Curb Appeal Series
- Curb Appeal Series: The Garden
- Curb Appeal Series: The Flagstone Walkway
- Foundation Refacing – How to Cover a Cinder Block Foundation
- Curb Appeal the Big Reveal (at the Bungalow)
Curb Appeal Projects and Ideas:
- Curb Appeal 101 – 14 Ideas for Spring Landscaping
- DIY Vintage Window Flower Box
- 3 Benefits to Replacing Windows and Doors
- Curb Appeal: Pairing Exterior Doors with Lighting and Accessories
This post and our front porch makeover were sponsored by 3M. All the work and our opinions are our own. As always, we wouldn’t use it or share it if we didn’t like it!
