Street Side Front Porch | The BIG Reveal!

Holy cow! After nearly four months, it is finally time to share the big reveal of our Street Side Front Porch. This poor project was the spring One Room Challenge that wasn’t. Mother Nature wreaked havoc by sending snow and cold weather for the first three weeks of the challenge.  Then, just when it seemed that the project might be on track, we discovered more rot and decay than we ever expected. The six-week deadline passed while I was still pulling chunks of damp, spongy wood out of the porch. At the end of the six weeks, all we had was a giant mess and a sense of humor.

Side Note: One thing you might notice about the pictures from this post is that there are still some imperfections–specifically around the pillar bases. I underestimated the amount of time it would take epoxy to dry thoroughly. I will continue the finish work in the coming weeks. Also, it’s a long story, but there was a downspout flood on the end board of the porch, and it warped. I will be replacing that board and finishing the basement window at the same time. It is always two steps forward, one step back with an old house. 

My only goal for this project was to create a welcoming entryway. Many people give their ORC projects great names like Scandanavian Spa Bedroom Makeover or Urban Eclectic Bohemian Study.  The secret is that I have no idea what any of that means. I’m just over here breaking stuff, fixing it, and styling with flowers to disguise the fact that I didn’t budget for decor…again.

Something I do not talk about often is how much I want a house that truly feels like home, and that is what I kept in mind during these past four months, especially when the going got tough. I think that desire probably stems from the fact that I have never lived anywhere too long, and I am not sure I want to. My roots feel very shallow. I have also struggled with making BHH feel more like a sanctuary instead of a job site. But, I suppose all of that is a topic to share on a different day either on the blog or with a licensed therapist. I promised a photo extravaganza, so let’s get to it.

Remember when the front porch looked like this? Oh, my!

And now, (picture me flinging the outer door open) it looks like this:

On one side of the porch, there was a useless cabinet and a tired-looking mailbox.

Now, there is a boot cubby, and I painted the mailbox a cheery red.

We swapped out the old mid-century porch light for this period-appropriate cutie from House Of Antique Hardware. I’m a sucker for brass and seeded glass.

Speaking of brass, the minute I saw this unlacquered brass doorbell on Chris Loves Julia, I wanted it for BHH. Fortunately, the price was right. I bought it on sale for $15 + free shipping. However, the regular price is still only $19. Our previous doorbell was broken. Sometimes, I ring this one just for fun.

Rather than replace the exterior mail slot which was covered with paint, I tried to restore it. Unfortunately, when I stripped it, instead of uncovering brass or copper, I found a previously factory-painted piece of nothing special.

So, I painted it gold just for fun. I used the same paint that I put on the feet of the clawfoot tub in the guest bathroom.

Other notable mentions include:

These new mailbox hinges, also from House of Antique Hardware.

This cute swivel hook (affiliate link) for Andy’s semi-weekly dry cleaning delivery or wet jackets:

It folds all the way back when we are not using it.

I am also in love with this vintage hook that Audrey of Hepburn House (cute, huh?) on Etsy sent me entirely out of the kindness of her heart. She thought a vintage hook would look great in this space, and she was right on the money.

Audrey has such adorable one-of-a-kind items in her Etsy shop. Please take a look, but don’t buy this soap dish because I want it. Ha!

I put the flowers in a jar and tucked them into a FINTORP utensil holder from IKEA. I had leftovers from our kitchen remodel, and I hung this one using the same method I used in the Breakfast Nook for the 2017 Fall One Room Challenge. Fun fact: The breakfast nook was featured in the Budget Redo column of the July/August issue of This Old House magazine. (Life goal achievement unlocked!)

Now that you’ve seen the details, it’s time to pan out and view this whole project with a wider lens.

This is the view coming down the hall. The kitchen is on the left, and the butler’s pantry (sadly sans the butler) is on the right.

The glass window above the door was a last-minute addition (and it is not quite finished on the interior side). Initially, I waffled back and forth about whether that extra space above the door was there to accommodate a previously taller door or perhaps there was a transom or fixed pane of glass. A transom was what I hoped for in my heart of hearts, but it was a long shot. All I found was a thick insulating layer of old newspapers from 1962. Not only are they fun to look at, but they also solve a BHH mystery. Based on this find, it seems like the street side front porch and the breakfast nook nee delivery porch were likely enclosed around 1962.

I added two panes of glass, one interior and one exterior, in the empty space, and I kind of love it. It’s not historical, of course, but I’m over it. If we ever want a taller door, I can remove the glass, and the original screen door is still in the basement.

I can hardly believe this new porch is ours. Before I close, I have a few more shots to share. Please let me know what you think. If there is something you want to know more about, ask away in the comments. In a future post, I will talk more in-depth about the process of fixing the pillars and the rotten outer door. It is just too much for one post. Today is all about the pretty stuff.

Thank you for being patient as I missed the One Room Challenge by a mile. I appreciated every single encouraging word and show of support.

Read about this project from the Beginning:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / The ORC Continues / The Last 10% Takes Forever / Finally! A Floor / The Boot Cubby