Front Porch Budget Makeover

Oh you guys, I am SOOOO flipping excited about today’s makeover.  Last Friday I shared with you all of the budget finds I had scored for our little porch, and this weekend we got to work transforming it into the space we wanted. (I really should say the space I wanted because I am sure Chris would not have picked pink for the door.  Actually, he picked a blue, but mama gets what mama wants.  Or maybe Chris just chooses his battles wisely. Smart man.) We’ve painted, potted plants, changed out the light fixture, added a new door, layered mats, and now our front porch is cheerful and inviting!  Today I am going to share with you all of the details of our small front porch budget makeover. (Thank you to Sherwin Williams for providing me with the paint for this makeover.  I was not otherwise compensated.  Affiliate links are also used in this post.)

When we bought this house, the front door was old, worn, a little wonky, had layers of paint, and just needed to go.  The lantern was not anchored properly into the wall, the numbers were peeling a bit, and the painted paneling around the door was gray and dingy.  Overall, it created a sort of drab welcoming which was not at all the feeling we wanted upon entering our new home. To refresh your memory, here’s a photo of the exterior from the listing.

It wasn’t terrible to look at, but it was not my style, and  not functioning as well as it should have been.  Also, by the time we moved in, the plant was dead in its ugly plastic planter on the porch.  While I normally love gray and don’t mind pale gray walls, in the case of this entry, it just felt sort of sad.

To freshen up the porch, I used Sherwin Williams Pure White exterior paint in satin on the paneling and Pure White semigloss exterior enamel on the trim.  Pure White has become my go-to white in this house and we’ve used it in our entry & hallway as well as Wilder’s room.  The new door (a bargain from Lowes) I painted in Sherwin Williams Comical Coral.  After taking home every single pale pink swatch they offered, I settled on this color which is a nice blush with a warm hint of coral, will work well with the color we are planning to paint the brick, but also works well with the brick as is.  I know it will be some time before we’re ready to paint the exterior, so I wanted to choose a color that worked with it in its current state.  Comical Coral was the perfect choice!

As you can see from the photo above, the Pure White paneling had the effect of making the porch appear a little larger.  The white trim around the door and edges of the paneling now flows into it making the space look more open and bright, and less broken up.

Aside from paint, I modernized the look by adding new budget lighting and modern numbers that are a little taller than the ones the house came with.  While I would really love a new mail box as well, I could not find one that I loved with a great price tag, so I opted to reuse the one we had and just removed the newspaper hooks it had since we don’t really need those.

You can also see our new doorknob and deadbolt above.  I am loving the keyless entry dead bolt!  In the mornings when I head out early to walk the dogs or run, I can lock it and return home and let myself back in without needing to bring a key with me.  Life changing.

For the planters, I found a large gray concrete colored planter and a smaller black and white modern graphic planter at my local At Home store.  I couldn’t find those on their website, so I’ve linked some similar planters for you at the bottom of this post.  I wanted to keep the planters neutral and modern and these were the perfect choice.  I also want to mention that piece of unpainted wood under the door.  When the door was installed, the paneling under it needed to be replaced and we opted for pressure treated lumber which has to sit for a couple months before it can be painted.  It will eventually be painted pure white as well.

Also, I should add that these planters serve another purpose besides just decorating the porch and welcoming our guests.  Emmy loves to use sidewalk chalk and we all love to blow bubbles for Wilder.  With no storage on this porch, we hide them behind the planters.  They’re actually there in this photo, but you can’t see them. 😉

Let’s talk about the door mats, too  We already had the “Home Sweet Home” one which we purchased from Target when we were staging our last home to sell.  It’s simple and sweet, and super affordable.  I love to layer it over other mats that can add a little personality.  I got this black and white striped mat from Chilewich.  Their mats are mold, mildew, and chlorine resistant, and can be hosed off for cleaning.  I know this mat will outlast any other, so a classic timeless bold black and white stripe is perfect. We’ve had it in place for a couple weeks now, and I really like how easy it is to clean.

Here’s a picture with just the black and white mat as well.  I know the layered look is not for everyone, so I wanted to share this photo, too.

With all of these details that have changed, I think the real MVP of this porch makeover (besides the fun door color) is the new ridiculously inexpensive modern lantern.  I shared it in my stories on instagram this past weekend and people thought I was so innovative for turning it upside down… truth be told, the Amazon listing showed it that way.  I think there is another brand that makes a similar one that is intended to go the other way.  Just wanted to let you know I am not as innovative as you might have thought.  Sorry to disappoint, but I like to set the bar low as far as your expectations of me go.  That way I can continue to surprise and amaze instead of disappoint.  😉 Now, let’s give that budget lighting its moment in the sun, shall we.  Isn’t it a beauty?!

Thanks to all of these relatively inexpensive and easy changes, this house is starting to have a much fresher look and shows off a bit of out personality.  I am excited to continue the exterior facelift, but for now I am enjoying the view each time I pull into my driveway.  It looks like a home I would want to live in now!

Source list:

• Paint– Pure White and Comical Coral
• Front Door
• Porch Light
• Modern House Numbers
• Home Sweet Home Door Mat
• Striped Door Mat
• Deadbolt
• Door Knob
• Similar Planters Here & Here