It wasn’t easy, but we’ve finished the front porch for the Better Homes & Gardens 48-Hour Challenge! The whole project was completed for $500, using materials exclusively from The Home Depot.
Painting the porch rug freehand while very pregnant was a little harder than I expected, but I’m beyond thrilled with the way it turned out! That and the hanging divider that we made really personalize the front porch.
Brandon spray painted the table and chair set that we bought pink. The set was nice enough on its own (it was a dark brown/gray color), but you know I just had to bring some pink in somewhere. And again, it helped to personalize the design a bit more.
Such a cheery spot for lunch…
The extra two chairs from the set are over by the front door. And I love that lilac between them, but I’m planning to put it in the side garden at some point because it’s supposed to grow to 10′ tall.
So there you have it — the finished front porch! At times I wondered how we would get it done, especially as the baby’s due date came and went, but we did it. Soon you’ll be able to vote for your favorite project (and I can only hope that it’s ours!). In the meantime, be sure to check out everyone’s finished projects and read more about our experience working on the front porch at BHG.com.
Beautiful! Love it completely! Especially the hand painted rug, what a great personal touch. Well done, and kudos for doing it while 9mo pregnant!
THAT IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!! I AM IN LOVE WITH THOSE PINK CHAIRS!!!!! AND TABLE!!! AND THE FLOOR!!! AND THE WHOLE THING. :)
No idea how you did this 9 months pregnant, but it looks fantastic!
Talk about making it lovely! This is wonderful
It looks fabulous!
I love the floor! And it’s so great that you have an outdoor living space that reflects your indoor living space.
(Isn’t that a hydrangea by the door?)
i just love everything you did…so far, yours is my absolute favorite of the challenge :)
This turned out fabulous! I can’t believe it’s all stuff from Home Depot. I never thought to paint the furniture.. Such a good & easy idea.
Bravo! This looks amazing!!
I still cannot believe that you did all of this while past your due date. You are my idol. It all came together beautifully! My favorite part is the rug – great job!
Great job, Nicole. The floor is fabulous, of course, and I like how you created smaller, more intimate areas. Your porch is so inviting!
The pink chairs are so cute! I love that you manage to use pink while not making it look too “frilly,” I guess. The little pink plant on the table is adorable too. Nice work!
the divider is genius! would you mind sharing how you made it?
That ‘rug’ is stunning – was that just done on concrete or wood or what? What did you use? I’d love to do something similar – you’ve inspired me!
Gorgeous! The hand-painted floor covering makes it. Love the pink and greens…
Absolutely beautiful! Like the rest of your home. I really like the painted rug idea. Our porch needs revamp, so I just might steal it. ;)
It’s adorable!
The rug is painted directly on the wooden porch floor. The porch looked like this before starting:
Courtney, I wish I took some ‘in progress’ shots of the divider! Um, I kind of had other things on my mind. ;) Maybe I can still put together some sort of how-to… it was pretty easy.
And yes, that’s a hydrangea by the front door.
Awesome! What type of spray paint did he use. Any trick to keeping the spray paint from “spraying and landing” on everything else in sight?
What is the divider made out of? I love the idea and it seems it would work great in my daughters’ bedroom to divide the sleep space from the play area. Plus, I need something that a toddler can’t tear down!!
Jennifer, he sprayed everything in the garage over drop cloths. We used Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Multi-Purpose Satin Spray Paint in “Sweet Pea” (pink).
Lori, the divider is made out of hardboard. You can find it near the plywood and it’s really inexpensive ($4 for a 2′x4′ board).
I love it! I am planning on buying my first home and love your ideas. Where and when can we vote?
Thanks! Voting actually starts May 1, and you’ll be able to vote once each day for your favorite project (hopefully it’s mine!).
This is awesome! I am a big fan of your designs! I hope your baby comes soon. I love reading your blog!
OMG, do you not sit still? Not even for a minute? I adore the divider. I really think this is fantastic. You’ll love having a place to sit and relax outside when the baby comes. I could totally see your pink puff out front with your feet on it too with you and the baby on that couch!
ive been watching all the others and yours hands down beats EVERYONE! aaaannddd the fact that you are OVERDUE! lol is even more of a win!
congrats..really wonderful work!
AWESOME!!! love the floor + the divider!
It came out amazing!!! I can’t believe you have the energy still…
Good Job!!
Absolutely gorgeous! You are seriously super woman doing all of that work while SO pregnant!!
this is so great! i love it.
That floor is completely amazing. You did a stellar job.
i love this, the colors are fabulous! :D
i haven’t seen any of the other entries but you have my vote. just that you can even BE this creative while pregnant (and DUE) is amazing in and of itself.
it’s beautiful!
No contest Nicole! Your project is by far the best. I love the pink table and I just bought the same paint to redo an old brass lamp. I know that you will win!
adorable! what a great way to channel that end-of-pregnancy nesting energy!
I’m absolutely in love with the finished product! I can’t believe you were out there painting at 40 weeks pregnant, haha… I was having a little pity party for myself on the couch around that time. You go!
Hardboard and…what did you use to hook each piece together? Every time you don’t post for a while, I think, “well, she had to have had that baby!” But still no! I’m so amazed at the fact that she’s not here yet! I think she’s cooked enough – are they going to induce you or just let you keep cookin’? :-)
Hardboard and s-hooks.
I’m scheduled to be induced if I don’t have the baby by Tuesday morning, since that will officially be 42 weeks and they won’t let me go any longer.
I can’t really say anything that hasn’t already been said. Beautiful.
I checked out the other contestants! You blow them out of the water! Great use of color, space, and materials. Very impressive. All while 9 months pregnant, I don’t know how you do it?
Your porch is fantastic! I particularly love the hanging screen – what a great idea that could be used in so many places.
soooooooo pretty! love the pink and green combo. And I must get some of that beverage for this weekend!
Yours is BY FAR the best of the bunch! The hand-painted rug alone steals the thunder of all other competitors. Nice job!
That’s is so beautiful and Spring-y! You’ll have fun eating and watching your neighbors walk by.
The only thing I would have done differently is put the divider on the other side of the dining area to block out the view from the neighbors window.
You totally lived up to your name. You made that porch so lovely it took our breath away! We were anxiously awaiting your big reveal, and now that we’ve seen your fabulous porch we can go back to anxiously awaiting your other big reveal… that cute little baby who’s taking her sweet time!
xoxo,
Sherry (& John)
Nicole, you are like superhuman! That turned out so beautiful. I love the color scheme. The pink table and chairs are wonderful. And I adore the painted rug. The hanging divider is wonderful as well. How did you make that?
Good luck to you and Brandon. Still looking forward to the post regarding the new angel that is coming soon.
Thanks Sherry (& John)! And yes, she’s totally taking her sweet time. ;)
I’ve admired your site for months now and this project has brought me out of ‘lurkdom’. It is absolutely stunning! You make me want to pinkify my home :) I wish I had your creative genes to even put a planter together! You have my vote! Can’t wait to see baby pics…
You make me want to move back to Chi. I think I also saw your home on Apartment Therapy a while back? {I think I bookmarked it} porch looks beautiful! Have a great weekend!
wow! could not be more gorgeous! i am head over heels for the pink