July 9, 2024

Give Your Porch a Summer Refresh

A wide and welcoming front porch is a prominent feature of the American Foursquare style of home. So, when we were remodeling our 1923 Foursquare Farmhouse, I was so excited to give our porch some much needed TLC. Now that it is restored and redecorated, it is one of my favorite places to be in the spring, summer, and fall!

If you have an outdoor room that needs updated – whether it is a porch, deck, or sunroom – follow along for some great tips to refresh your space! And for those of you who want to simply add some great style to your favorite outdoor space, you can use these tips too!

Before we get to the fun stuff, here is my most important tip. You will want to start with any necessary repairs before you renovate, so make a quick list and start from the top down to avoid messing up any floor work while finishing the ceiling!

The Ceiling

Original beadboard covered the ceiling which was a perfect nod to a Foursquare farmhouse porch ceiling. But it had layers of peeling paint, so it needed scraped and repainted. I chose a pale blue paint, Sherwin Williams SW 6497 Blue Horizon, a Southern tradition for front porch ceiling.

Rhonda Staley IIDA Rhonda Staley Designs Give Your Porch a Summer Refresh porch

The Floor

Rhonda Staley IIDA Rhonda Staley Designs Give Your Porch a Summer Refresh paint porch For my porch, the pine wood floor had decayed in areas over time, so my contractor laid sheets of outdoor-grade wood over the pine boards. Keep in mind the functionality of your space when choosing what to do for flooring- the doors were still able to open over top of the new layer, which was an important consideration. The new wood floor was then given coats of outdoor primer, followed by new baseboard around the perimeter to keep nuisance pests out of the porch.

The Screens

The old screens were too dark and aged for my liking. So, installing new screens were a must! To be able to enjoy clearer views of our land, we chose a light gray and transparent screen material. Now we get all the benefits of screened in porch and get better lighting.

The Finishing Touch

This time last year I was creating a long-time design dream of mine! I have long been a fan of painted floors, and our porch was the perfect place to use this technique! I used Sherwin Williams 0036 Buckram Binding in latex outdoor paint as my base and white for the contrasting color!

Rhonda Staley IIDA Rhonda Staley Designs Give Your Porch a Summer Refresh porch tips

Rhonda Staley IIDA Rhonda Staley Designs Give Your Porch a Summer Refresh color paint

Decorating Tips for Porches and Decks

Choose outdoor fabrics for furniture, like Sunbrella, to resist fading and mildew.
Choose outdoor rug fibers such as polypropylene to resist mold and mildew.
Use out-door paints, stains and sealers for floors and paintable furniture.
Use only outdoor-rated electric lighting.
Rotate your plants from the porch to the outside to keep them healthy.
Use washable table linens and placemats.
Use sturdy furniture and accessories that will not blow over in windy conditions.