Rest Yourself

Introducing our respite, our refreshment, our haven.... Our outdoor living room. This screened porch was in the top 5 for what we loved about the house.

This is when the previous homeowners were showing the house. My 70% left brain is extremely active and alive when it comes to vision to create a tailor made space for our style. Please note the chocolate brown door in the back right, and the lattice on the back screen.

The first 4 weeks we lived here it was May. Ah-MAY-zing weather. *chuckle* We spent 90% of our waking hours on the porch or grilling patio off the porch (while kids and dog ran around the fenced, almost acre yard, that's basically an arboretum. 

There's some serious back porch living that happens in this house. This room isn't 100% done, but what ever is?! To design the space to fit us, we started with all of our furniture. And a heck lot of turquoise/Aqua/teal paint. 2 of the 3 doors were black. The 3rd was richly chocolate brown (for fun, see photo above again)  Funny thing is at our last house, I painted the doors black. Not this time! I need more calm, cheer, airiness now. Less suburban traditional, more coastal breezy. (I'm well aware of our distance from all forms of water, but seriously, never again. I'd rather live in a decor inspired home!) 

Anyways, all 3 doors got painted some beachy blue mix 😂 We love the string lights at night. Adds a soft ambience or a loud party time, your pick!  

The next thing I did was lay a fresh coat of stain.

Up close showing the progress and difference. 

And now the 90% finished project ☺️ The footprints are custom motif. They remind me that people live a full life here, and that this porch is well used and loved! 

We also removed the lattice in the back. (Remember, OPEN). And I had a significant amount of very notable white paint drips all over the brick from the last person to paint trim white, that I had to paint over with the color of brick. Maybe not the most fun painting I've ever done. There were white drops and spots everywhere. But not now! 

 2 things I still want to do are paint all the trim, and hang flowy white curtains with tie backs. 

And I'd be lying if I said the massage cushion on the antigravity chair under the cieling fan didn't get some use. 

And again, for a before and after sake. So y'all come over, we'll grill out, and relax on the porch with some ... Tea? 😀