Outside

The Front Porch as it is Now

I don’t know if it’s finished, but I’m done working on it for the year. I would still like to paint the wooden stools and add a long window box behind each bench, but those little projects can wait.

Our Front Porch

We really like spending time out here. Eleanor and I start out most mornings by sitting on this side of the porch, watching neighbors and cars go by.

Our Front Porch

Some of the ferns are a little out of control…

Our Front Porch

But it makes the porch feel lush and green.

Our Front Porch

Tomorrow, I’ll post a design board with sources listed for everything.

Sources & Paint ColorsNeed design help? Let's work together.

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  • Christine
    August 12, 2010 at 11:32 am

    It looks so comfy and lush!! And that little monkey man is the cutest! Great transformation :)

  • Angie
    August 12, 2010 at 11:43 am

    It really looks lovely! So inviting! I love the ferns just as they are!! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Tracy
    August 12, 2010 at 11:56 am

    Where do your store the plants during the winter? If inside, do they overwhelm your interior space?

    • Making it Lovely
      August 12, 2010 at 11:58 am

      I don’t, I let them die. :( I don’t have a super green thumb, so I get new plants for the front porch each year.

    • Nicole P.
      August 12, 2010 at 4:38 pm

      I was going to ask the same thing! I can’t bring myself to let my plants die so they end up over taking the house all winter :( It’s kind of nice having something alive and green through the winter though.

  • Valentina
    August 12, 2010 at 12:20 pm

    I love the monkey! Looks so funny.

  • Suzie
    August 12, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    Oh my gosh!! I love every detail! That monkey is killing me!!!

  • Holyoke Home
    August 12, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    Adore.

    What is it about ferns on a front porch? They don’t look NEARLY so lovely elsewhere. The Victorians were really onto something there.

    Congratulations on an AWESOME project!

    • Making it Lovely
      August 12, 2010 at 12:31 pm

      I know. Ferns aren’t among my favorite plants, but I have to admit they’re really thriving on the porch. We get so much shade there, my options are pretty limited.

  • Tonia
    August 12, 2010 at 12:37 pm

    I’d love to seat out, and just read a few of my decor mags, and drink ice tea. I love the ferns and the monkey too.

  • Danielle
    August 12, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    How is your painted rug holding up? I thought of doing something like this on our porch.

    • Making it Lovely
      August 12, 2010 at 12:41 pm

      It’s holding up really well! It looks dirty in these photos because it is… there’s a construction project on our street and we’re getting a ton of dust and dirt all over everything from it.

      • Rose Campion
        August 12, 2010 at 5:50 pm

        That construction project is really miserable, isn’t it? I had to ride in your neighborhood the other day and just about died coughing from all the dust I inhaled while going past.

  • Courtney
    August 12, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    i really love all the greenery makes a huge difference!

  • emanddee
    August 12, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    It looks lovely. The plants were an excellent choice – so lush!

  • Angela
    August 12, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    I love the green ball. What is it made of and where did you get it?

  • mary
    August 12, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    There’s a devil on your porch. Run!

  • Redlilocks {Swoon Worthy}
    August 12, 2010 at 1:44 pm

    So lovely… makes me wish I had a front porch! In the UK, it’s not so common as it is in the States to have one so when I see them on blogs it just makes me sigh…

    I really love the ‘monkey man’ too, so unexpected – I love a bit of humour in decorating! And that plant pot – it looks like a deep cerise with flowers on it – is just GORGEOUS. Fabulous job as always.

  • Andrea
    August 12, 2010 at 2:59 pm

    Gorgeous! Looks so lush and cool. Like a perfect spot for a late-afternoon cocktail or lemonade. Love the striped pillow. Great job.

  • Stevie
    August 12, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    I love it! It’s exactly how I would want my porch to be – lush, comfortable, beautiful…love the ferns/other plants and the pots in which they’re planted!

  • April Johnson
    August 12, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    I can’t wait to see where you got the watering can. It looks great!

  • Rose Campion
    August 12, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    I love the Liberty pot. I was really disappointed when all of those were sold out at the Targets I went to.

  • Pencils
    August 12, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    Very nice porch! You have the same Target Liberty watering can I do, I bought it for myself as a Mother’s Day gift. Also the matching gardening gloves. ;)

  • Momnivore's Dilemma
    August 13, 2010 at 5:25 am

    For all ya’ll not from Chicago, as I am sure Nicole will attest, there are two seasons here: winter and construction.

    Nicole, your front porch is a dream. I hope to move to a Victorian in Old Norwood Park (like many of the homes in your area)…with a porch like that.

    For now, I have a porch, but seeing your porch made me want to work on a vision board STAT.

    White for the side tables???

  • Jakki
    August 13, 2010 at 8:11 am

    I love the ferns ‘out of control’ for the very same reason…the lushness and the vibrant summer greens.

  • Sylvia
    August 13, 2010 at 10:07 am

    I wish my (teeny townhouse) yard looked half as great as your front porch! And I can’t wait til my ferns are as out of control as yours :)

  • Kari
    August 13, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    I was going to say that the rug seem sto be holding up well, too. I wondered if it was just dirt, or if it is starting to wear a little? I’m almost hoping that it’s a little roughed up–when you first painted it, I imagined it being all worn down and (unintentionally) sanded on the board edges and I was eager to see it age. Looks fabulous.

  • lisa
    August 16, 2010 at 1:05 am

    I really like this look! The plants make it nice and lush which I find calming and cozy. The dark colors seem to go better with your house colors. Or maybe it’s just the light? Whatever it is, I really like this look!

  • Nicole in Seattle
    August 16, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    Just discovered your website through another blog. You have such a wonderful eye for design and coordination of colors. It’s good inspiration for those of us who don’t know where to start. Your studio is my favorite! Keep up the great work.

  • emily
    April 9, 2011 at 4:14 pm

    Hi Nicole! I was just looking through your blog for inspiration, always my first stop. We are redoing our small outdoor space and I am considering the Ammero from Ikea. Wondering if you were happy with your purchase and if it is holding up. Hope you are well!

    • Making it Lovely
      April 10, 2011 at 8:28 am

      I’ve been very happy with the seating. The cushions clean up well in the wash, and they’re pretty comfortable. Go for it!

      • emily
        April 10, 2011 at 10:31 am

        Thanks Nicole, I think I will get some!

  • A Sandbox / Fort for the Kids – Making it Lovely
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