Fall Porch Decorations

I'm really happy with how my front porch turned out this fall. It's my favorite season, so this is the perfect way to celebrate! Mom's post about the fall decor in her house inspired me to finally get this done...better late than never, right?!

I bought two real pumpkins and two fake black pumpkins from Target.

 

I also purchased two orange mums from the garden center down the street. I replaced the pink geraniums that had been in those black planters all summer.

I LOVE the chalkboard panel. I'm happy with how my chalk art turned out. Who knows what it will be come Christmas?!

I simply painted a piece of shelving. You can buy a piece for about $1 from Home Depot if you don't have any scrapes.

These little lanterns came from Ikea. Eventually I'll load them up with pine cones for Christmas!

And the mums!! I love orange mums this time of year!

I hope you're enjoying the fall weather.
~Karli

Karli's Exterior Project Done...For Now

Ok, so here it is! The big reveal of our exterior project. By now you know all about the tree projects, the trim projects, paint choices and flower bed plans. It all came together in something I am really proud to call ours!

After all the old evergreen shrubs and bushes were removed (and the giant cottonwood stump was ground out), we started planting flowers. Finally, the flower beds are making all that effort worth it! The flowers are blooming and spreading and, hopefully, growing strong roots. I picked mostly perennials so those beds won't require a ton of work to look great year after year. Here are a couple of progress pictures of the beds.


After the sidewalk was poured we had an even larger space to fill next to the driveway.



 

Earlier in the summer, this pic was taken before we put in edging bricks to define the bed. We also planted a couple more things on the left part of the bed.

We picked Sherwin Williams Pewter Tankard for the body and it is exactly what I wanted. While we were painting my sister and brother in law kept calling it brown. I called it gray. PERFECT. I wanted a gray that didn't turn blue or pink. I wanted it to be almost brown.

This shows that side flower bed filled in. The plants are still growing.

We used Sherwin Williams Extra White for the trim for a really nice crisp pop. And then I ordered black shutters from Home Depot, so we didn't even have to paint those.

And I got my lime green door!

The bench mom made looks amazing on the front porch. As do the black chairs I picked up earlier this summer.

Love that bench! You can also see the door better here too.

I can't wait till the flowers fill out a bit more. (And it will be nice when we re-sod the lawn next year)

Here's the full "after" view with the before picture too. What a difference!

We still have all that empty space where the tree stump was. You'll probably see more posts about that next spring!

Just a reminder of where we started. It was all worth it!

Front Porch Bench from Headboard (Birthday Bench)

Karli actually started this project by finding an old wood headboard, just down the street from where she lives.  It was FREE.  But, before picking it up, she called me and asked whether we could use it.  The answer was, "of course, we can always make something out of it!" 

Well she decided she'd like a bench for her front porch, so Dwight and I hauled the headboard to our house and started to work.  Our plan for the bench consisted of reusing 4 spindle legs that had been Brent's, (they came off of a coffee table he longer wanted when they first got married.)  I had saved them.  Now we'll reuse them on this project and give them back.  Since Karli's birthday just happened, this bench will be the perfect gift.

Here is what we started with.....the FREE headboard and the 4 spindle legs.

                                     
We purchased 1 x 4 pine boards to build the framework and top of the bench seat.  We cut the boards to fit within the dimensions of the 54" headboard and also cut small corner pieces (with 45 degree angles on the ends) to join the frame to the legs.

You can see the angle pieces we cut. A bolt joins the framework to the legs.

The framework with all 4 legs attached.

The headboard then gets attached to the frame and braced.

         

Front view with headboard on.

                                  
We did not want screws showing on the top side of the seat where we attached the boards.  So, we cut square stock, attached them to the framework, then screwed the boards on from underneath.

This shows the underneath side.

Karli wants to add pillows.  Arms were needed on this bench to hold those pillows.  So, we had to get creative.  I drew out 4 different arm ideas.  Finally decided on this one...I cut them out.  Then when Dwight set them on for a trial run, he put them upside down!   We both decided that we liked them that way best.  (Go figure!!!)

Here is the arm creation...upside down.

The bench is ready for primer and paint.

I used Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch, Ultra Cover in Semi Gloss.  I really prefer spray painting, it goes so quickly and the bench will sit outside and I wanted it to be durable.

We nicknamed her BB (Birthday Bench)

Karli hasn't seen it yet since it is still at our place.

Happy Birthday Karli........with love from Mom and Dad.  We'll deliver it soon.  Until then, these pictures will have to do!

Kandy