The Delightful Home {Southern Screened Porch}

UPDATE: This post has been updated HERE!

After five years of enjoying our porch, I’ve been working on a few updates this spring and summer!  To refresh your memory, or if you’ve just recently joined us, we originally had a deck in this space.

April 2009 106

February 2012 512

We used most of the original footings, moved the stairs, and ended up with this space – our new favorite in the whole house!

The exterior of the porch hasn’t changed, but it was time to freshen up the inside.  I never brought anything inside, so the fabrics NOT intended for outdoor use (pillows, chairs, curtains) were starting to show some wear.  I have added new fabrics, a new painting over the mantle and two new arm chairs at the dining table.

Our goals for the porch were to have ample dining space, a sitting area with room for games, music, a fireplace for the winter, a fan for the summer and a buffet table for serving and storage.  None of that has changed!

French doors from the kitchen open up onto this part of the porch. Our contractor built the fireplace as an exact replica of our den fireplace – right down to the antique bricks – and I ADORE it! The new oyster painting is by my Mother and the plates are from Anthropologie. The sofa, chairs, baskets, curtain hardware and glass jars are from Target (I added chalkboard labels with leftover chalkboard vinyl from my kitchen project). The garden stool, coral and mercury glass demijohn are from Home Goods. The fan is Harbor Breeze from Lowes. The mapped out coffee table and pin board frame were both DIY projects.

I originally picked up one yard of this gorgeous floral print when shopping for my foyer refresh.  I didn’t end up using it in there but hated for it to sit unused in a cabinet for no telling how long.  It was just enough for Mother to make me new pillow covers in the chairs and on the sofa!

The other side of the porch serves as the dining area. I fell in love with the Avignon table on clearance at World Market because I could envision a whole gaggle of kids crammed on its benches. The rainbow trout fish painting on reclaimed wood is a gorgeous piece by Angie Reuter, and is hung with dock cleats and nautical rope. The oyster shell lantern and shell centerpiece were DIY projects.  The arm chairs are by Grandin Road.  After five years of the white slipcovered Ikea chairs, it was time for a change.  The urns are from Pottery Barn.

The DIY skirted table has smartly served as both a buffet for entertaining and for general storage underneath. Lanterns are from Home Goods, mercury glass shell from Pottery Barn and melamine tray is from Macy’s. The seeded glass lanterns are from Ballard Designs. A vintage refrigerator basket from Habersham Antiques serves as a magazine rack. The original upholstered chairs were just replaced with these from Grandin Road.  Mother made the new curtains for me!

Other sources:

  • Paint – Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (walls and brick fireplace), Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments (ceiling), Benjamin Moore Rhine River (doors) and Benjamin Moore White Dove (trim)
  • Rugs – Indoor/Outdoor Leopard in black by Ballard Designs (discontinued)
  • Contractor – Shawn Reuter / SLR Construction / 706-254-0231

We have used this porch more than any space in our home over the years for entertaining, relaxing and family time.  And we’ve never once looked back at the choice to do this over the master bathroom (that is still navy blue, ha!).

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The Delightful Home {Dixie Delights Home Tour}

AS SEEN IN:

BHG-April-2014-Cover

DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED

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25 thoughts on “The Delightful Home {Southern Screened Porch}

  1. How you have improved on perfection is remarkable! The new curtains are so fresh and coastal and I had never noticed how cleverly your trout was hung. It all makes me craaazy! “Mother”, your painting is exceptional! This is one of my favorite posts yet. I love your porch so much and am still waiting for the Dixie Delight convention/sleepover out there. ;-)

  2. The porch remains my favorite room! I love the new touches – so fresh! – but I especially adore Mother’s oyster painting! xo

  3. We recently moved to a home with nice screened porch. Yours is an inspiration.
    Love the whale piece hung in front of screen. Be a good solution to obscure neighbors.

    Wish I could find a lamp or two that felt outdoor safe. Trying to create cozy lighting for night reading.

    1. I know I have seen outdoor lamps, but I didn’t have a place for one where I thought it wouldn’t get knocked over out there.

  4. What a beautiful space! Quick question. I worry about big rain storms that blow water into our porch and pollen/dirt so I keep our porch very simple when it comes to decorating. Do you deal with those outdoor issues when it comes to your light decor and paintings? I feel like my porch gets so filthy so quickly but would like to do more! :)

    1. I have always wondered that too. While you have mentioned pollen season in the past, how do you manage everyday, pristine upkeep from the outdoors?

      1. Hi Jane, Pretty much every week I wipe down all the railings, table tops, chairs, everything. Then I sweep. It’s much easier when I stay on top of it. But, I never bring anything in or cover anything except during pollen season.

    2. Thank you!! We really don’t have a problem at all with rain water blowing in. Our key issue is with the pollen in the spring. As soon as it arrives we cover everything out there with tarps. On an every day basis, we had all of the light decor and art out there for 5 straight years before the fabrics were looking worn so that seems pretty good! I sweep it off and wipe it down once a week or so. So, it does require maintenance.

  5. I would love to know the dimensions of your porch. We are building a new house and the dining and living space is what I am envisioning.

  6. What a pretty porch perfect for sippin’!
    I can tell you that the best investments ever made was purchasing the outdoor cushions from Frontgate for our Atlanta backyard in 2005….. 12 years later they look brand new as the day they were purchased. They have not even faded and are easy to keep clean.

  7. We have a HUGE deck on our home on Lake Lanier. We are getting ready to screen in a section of the deck because I’ve always wanted a sleeping porch. But, your porch is so beautiful that I’m pinning this entire post. Lovely job, absolutely lovely!

  8. I love your porch. It is a great outdoor space. Quick question, what type of plate hangers do you use. I can’t tell from the pictures. (Which, I think is a good thing.) ; )

    Tracey

  9. Amanda, this is one of my favorite areas of your home. You always have it decorated so beautifully for both functionality and sheer beauty! Love all of the gorgeous details including the painting done by your mother! Have a most wonderful summer spending time with family and friends in this most wonderful space!

  10. Everytime I think your home couldn’t possibly be any lovelier you share something new and beautiful! Your mother is so very talented, too!

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