Porch dreams

I've been thinking of redoing my front porch.  Tonight, Maura over at Lilac Lane Cottage, really inspired me with many, many pictures of gorgeous porches.  Some like mine, are enclosed, some are true porches open to the weather.  This photo has the feeling that I'm looking for... at least the colors... with a little bit of vintage, shabby, salvaged feel.

source unknown

Our porch here at Red Gate Farm started out as an open porch.  Sometime over the years it was enclosed.  Here in Washington, that makes for a more practical space.  When we moved in it looked like this...

Please notice the salvaged screen door we installed, on the inside, not the outside.  It opens IN and the front door actually opens OUT.  Since this was an outside porch, the floor was built with a slant for water run off...of course, now a door cannot open IN.  Kind of strange and the front door does need to be replaced but will need to be a custom build because of the odd size.

After a few months of living here, I scrubbed, sanded, primed and painted...

but kept the colors pretty much the same.  I do love this jadeite green color...

but I'm thinking it's time for a change.  I'm thinking of keeping the floors the same color, painting the "walls" white and the original beaded board ceiling the same aquaish color I used over at the Peach Palace.  It's a pale aqua that seems to have a lot of grey in it, so it's a very soft color.  I've heard that ceilings in porches were traditionally painted a soft blue.  It would be calm and relaxing.

I've collected some vintage pottery... some Bauer, some McCoy.  In pretty shades of green, aqua, pink and white.  Those colors are what has inspired my plans for the porch.  I'll be hunting for a vintage or salvaged cabinet piece to hold my bits and pieces.

I'm also thinking of doing something different than the wicker chairs from Pier One.  They are not very comfortable, the cushions are kind of hard.  I always pictured this sunny, south facing space as a wonderful reading area since we don't have a den or family room.  With those hard chairs, it hasn't been used much except by the dogs!

So.... I've been thinking about one of these...

doesn't this just make you want to snuggle up and read a book?  However, since my dogs love the porch too...

perhaps the chaise will require a little custom cushion cover for the doggie dirt! 

Here's to looking forward to warm, breezy days on the porch,