Porch Project: Part 4

Well, after a couple weeks of hard work, the porch renovation is completed! FINALLY! And while this took a little more elbow grease than we originally anticipated, the payoff was well worth all the effort. We now have a space that can enjoy 3/4 of the year (and maybe in the winter if we get a space heater), and this enclosed porch adds additional "living space" to our home...letting us enjoy the outdoors without the bugs.

So, without further adieu, let me introduce you to our new back porch (minus the "decor").

But first, let's go waaaay back to the beginning to see the before pictures. Note the following: original brick, unfinished beadboard on the ceiling and walls, green paint, old fashioned light fixtures, stained berber carpet, bamboo blinds that were falling apart, and junk everywhere...

Joey's thinking, "hmmm... this space has a ton of potential!"

And here is the dramatic transformation! We started by ripping out the carpeting and painting the brick gray. We also painted the shelf that is attached to the brick the same gray - I wanted the shelf to blend in with the brick rather then stand out. The built-in bench was painted gray also. The interior door (leading into the Kitchen) and interior window (where you can see into the 1st floor bedroom/office) were painted white.

The ceiling then got painted a bright white as well. The walls were painted a blue-gray. White 2X4 boards were added as crown molding around the ceiling and baseboards. 2 new light fixtures were added. And lastly, the tile floor was installed. This picture below shows the area that will be used for sitting (hence, the free couch from my Aunt and Uncle) and eating (we're moving a dinette set in here as well).

The opposite side of the porch is the entrance area and is going to be used as a mudroom. This will be the main entrance into the house, and so I want it to be an area for hanging coats, storing gloves/scarves/hats and other outdoor items (inside the bench), dumping shoes etc...
The 2 light fixtures we bought for the room were very inexpensive. The ceiling fan/light for over the sitting and eating area cost $60 but came with a $15 rebate - making it only $45! And the flush-mount light to illuminate the entrance from the porch to the kitchen was $25. Both were bought at Mendards, and while they don't match perfectly, they coordinate well. Both have a brushed nickle finish on the metal parts and are roughly the same shape.


The tile on the floor was also bought from Menards. It was actually very inexpensive as well. The color is a fabulous shade of blue and gray combined. In some lighting it looks more blue and in other lighting it looks more gray. It grounds the space so well. Joey installed it in a staggered pattern, which not only adds interest, but also mimics the pattern of the brick.

Here is close-up of the 2X4 boards that Joey bought for only $3 per 8 feet of board. He painted it white and it adds a great finishing touch to the room around both the ceiling and the floor.

The primary color scheme for the room: Lowe's Eddie Bauer Collection - Vintage Gray for the brick, Shale for the walls, and white for ceiling/trim. This picture shows the color swatches against the tile.

Pretty sweet transformation, no?

Now that the work is over, we can usher in the fun part! DECORATING! We'll be setting up the furniture this weekend, and then I can add hooks and baskets and all kinds of accessories. But more on that later!