Front Porch Makeover
Hey guys! I am so excited to finally be able to reveal a winter front porch makeover that I did for my customer, Jenn. She and her family live in Westport, CT in a charming, closely knit neighborhood that is brimming with activity. When Jenn reached out to me, she told me that she felt like her home lacked curb appeal. And, because she was hosting Thanksgiving, she really wanted their front entrance to make an impact when her guests arrived.
| This is Jenn’s Front Porch before the makeover |
When Jenn and I spoke on the phone, she told me that she wanted her front entrance to be decorated for the holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving, but it needed to be “wintery.” Her family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas and I needed to find a way to make it look festive but not lean towards traditional holiday colors. We agreed on a budget and I got to work!
Front Porch Makeover
One of the very first things that I do before I begin a project is visit the space to take photos and measurements. I’m a visual person, and I’ve found that I can’t make design decisions based only from photos a customer sends me. I need to physically be in the space to check out the surroundings.
When it comes to any installation, I first consider my customer’s design style (modern, classic, tradition, etc.) and how to translate that into furnishing their space. It’s one thing to purchase an item that represents a style, it is another thing to decorate an entire area. The challenge is to pull together multiple elements so that the entire composition looks cohesive.
After contemplating the color of her home, her porch and front door, I went with a black, white and green color palette. This would make her home look dressed for the holidays, but not “Christmasey.” Jenn also leans towards a slightly Farmhouse style, so I made sure to incorporate elements that would speak to this. Things like black and white check ribbon, black lanterns, wire baskets and burlap pot liners are Farmhouse Style.
Below are before and after photos, including some of my shopping haul from Home Goods, Joann Fabrics and some other local home stores. At the end is a video of the entire porch!
I love this photo of my haul from Home Goods, Joann Fabrics and other places. The plants were purchased locally from Outdoor Design and Living, located in Fairfield, CT. They are a full service outdoor living center and offer expert advice on plants, gardening, landscape design, outdoor furniture and kitchens – you name it!
| As you can see, I started with a clean slate! Jenn gave me complete liberty to decorate it |
The first thing I did was to add an evergreen wreath with a black and white check bow to the front door. It sets the stage for everything else. Next, a ladder sign that reads “WELCOME” was placed immediately to the right of the door. It helps to fill up the space and sends a sweet message to her visitors! Taking my inspiration from her front door hardware, I found a beautiful black lantern with a brass handle. I used battery operated candles on timers so the lanterns will illuminate their front porch in the evenings. A wooden crate in grey ties into the porch floor and a faux evergreen bush wrapped in burlap adds a pop of green.
A simple evergreen swag with the same black and white check ribbon was hung at the entrance of her porch. On the porch are three plants in wire baskets with burlap inserts. Four black lanterns in different sizes line the steps to make the area bright from the street and add an extra layer of safety as people traverse the steps. Finally, an evergreen bush was placed on the bottom step and decorated with a burlap bow. I just love how it turned out!
Video Below!
