I've been wanting to re-do our front porch for, well, basically forever. Or at least since we moved in (three years ago almost). Until last week, we have had white wicker furniture on our front porch which a friend gave us for free, it had pink cushions with strawberries on them, and every single piece was falling apart, mostly a result of all the kiddos who sat in them, climbed on them, jumped from them, and picked at them. I was forever cleaning up pieces of wicker furniture. Until I rose up and declared no more. Or until Adam told me that for my mother's day present this year, he was finally going to make me that swing I had been begging for. Swoon. 
He made it himself (of course he did), using these plans. Then he screwed some things into the attic with the help of some boys, and now all-of-the-teenagers can safely sit on it at once without fear of crashing to the ground. And then I said: now paint it bright yellow. So he got some special paint, which is actually a stain (see below for more details). 
It's a perfect place for chatting, just ask Ashton and Caden.
Yesterday, we finished off our front porch make-over by painting our front door bright blue. The boys all hate it, they said it clashes with the bright yellow swing. Look, I told them, it's cheerful and you WILL like it and tell me continually what great taste I have. Or I wont give you any more Fiber One bars.
He also (of course he did) made this coffee table from pallets. It took him approximately twenty minutes I believe. Then he sanded it lightly on the edges and put some polyurethane on it to prevent the children from getting splinters. Thoughtful AND handy!
I painted the sign as a much-needed front-porch reminder. Because when I come out to sit and relax and discover hot cheetos wrappers and empty cups and also many empty freeze-pop wrappers, I whisper grace abounds until I am less irritated and can swing on my bright yellow bench in peaceful harmony again. 
Adam also made some window boxes, which he insisted needed more finishing and more paint and more perfection, but my girl Shannan just sent me this book
; so I reminded him it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful, and he hung them anyways. 
; so I reminded him it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful, and he hung them anyways.
The two chippy-paint vintage chairs we found on the side of the road for a song about a year ago, and they are probably my most favorite find/thing ever. Perfection in the form of chippy turquoise chairs, right? The tray is from Target (obviously). 
I painted the sign free-hand, which only took me about 700 hours or so. I work nearly as quickly as Adam.
But I'm pretty happy with the finished product. 
As a matter of fact, this is a much better depiction of how our front porch usually looks.
So that's our new front porch! Thanks for visiting, be sure to stop by any-time for some diet coke or coffee, or perhaps some of the fancy infused-with-fruit water Adam has been making lately. Also, if you are hungry while you swing, please feel free to eat some of our garlic, we've been pulling it from the garden in droves. Adam tried to hang it inside to dry. Y'all, I cant even. 
sources: 
Paint for front door and bench: Benjamin Moore (we had them match the blue to the tray, and the yellow is called, aptly, bench yellow).
Throw Pillows and Tray: Target
Chippy chairs: side of the road
Planters and Pots: Accent Decor
*linked up with the Liz Marie Blog