March 30, 2015

Back Porch Overhaul 4.0

In December of 2012, we closed on our “dream home”.  I use the term dream home loosely because although the property was picturesque and the location perfection, the home left a little to be desired in my overly visual design mind.  I couldn’t help but see past the dreary fifty shades of brown and  semi-abandoned interior.  Instead I saw a a blank canvas with design and decorating options for days.  From the inside to the outside, every square inch was about to see some “Operation Brittany”.   We decided year one would be a focus on the inside since it needed it most and year two we would start working on the outside.

Living in the South means blistering summers and an encyclopedia of swarming creatures.  For us, a screened porch was an absolute MUST HAVE.  When we first saw the home, I had visions of our girls running through the backyard while Mark and I sipped wine from the back porch.  Although those days may be a distant, keep on dreaming mommy moment, at least I have a vision to keep me motivated.  For now, it’s more like chasing Winter around the yard while she gets into anything and everything while Addie is trapping creatures in glass jars and sneaking them inside the house.

Step ONE in our outdoor overhaul was turning the small back deck into a larger screened porch.  Meet “Operation Back Porch Overhaul 4.0″…

BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

SELECTIONS

Once the porch was complete, the next step was selecting flooring and lighting.  I love creating an outdoor space that feels clean, comfortable and inviting.  One thing that makes such a huge difference is flooring.  In our previous home, we chose an outdoor carpet for our screened porch and that turned disastrous very quickly.  Between pets, stains and pollen, it got ruined faster than I thought humanly possible.  This time around, I chose a porcelain tile that resembles a natural slate.  This gives the beautiful look of a natural stone without the maintenance and sealing requirements.  In addition, ceiling fans are also a must for our blistering Georgia summers so I found simple and chic ceiling fans for both sides of the porch.

Next, we tackled painting the entire outside of our home including the interior of the porch.  I will share more of the exterior soon but for now, here’s my exterior paint choices that extended into the porch…

(NOTE: our home is three sides brick so the siding color was only for the back of the home)

Siding & Porch Ceiling: Gray Husky by Benjamin Moore

Trim: White Dove by Benjamin Moore

Shutters & Window Sashes: Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore

The next selections were the fun part!  My favorite piece and the most stunning part of our back porch is the custom granite table.  The base and top were custom made from Tiger White granite by our company APF, Inc.  It is super durable, easy to clean and has such a beautiful white marble look.  We had a patio set from our previous home that simply needed some cushion replacements.  I also wanted a more clean, neutral look than the blue ones that came with the furniture.  I found replacement cushions that fit perfectly (link below) and really gave the set a clean, fresh look!  I am going to be sharing THE BEST way to clean your outdoor cushions on the blog next week!  Its’ the best kept secret EVER!  From there, I made a trip to my local HomeGoods store and found a huge assortment of bright and fun pieces to complete my design including the beautiful turquoise rug and pillow.  Here’s my furniture/accessory choices…

Melbourne Hampton Bay Patio Set– Home Depot

Replacement Cushions– Ballard Designs

White Console Table– Joss & Main

Table Accessories, Lantern, Teal Rug and Teal Pillow- HomeGoods

“H” Monogram– The Woodshop of Alabama

Outdoor Grommet Drapes– Pottery Barn

Outdoor Dining Chairs– Target

Navy Outdoor Pillows– Target

Pink Pillows- Custom Made

Custom Tiger White Granite Dining Table- APF, Inc.

White/Black/Gold Vase- Target

AFTER

XOXO, Brittany Hayes