Taking it Outside - Covered Porch Reveal

Hey friends,

First of all, thank you for all of the great comments and feedback on my questions about hardwood floors.  You all have definitely given me a lot to think about!  I have heard and read about how dark hardwoods can be a maintenance nightmare, so I'm definitely taking that to heart. 

I was all ready to talk to the "Flooring Guy" who was scheduled to come to measure on Wednesday night, but alas, I was stood up.  Can you believe it?  Not happy about that, given that our schedules are only getting even more hectic now that baseball season is kicking into high gear.  But, I'll reschedule.

So, I figured I would take it outside and refocus on some of the happenings in our outdoor spaces.  We have people scheduled to start work on the yard this week (rain, rain, go away!), and I'm really excited to get things moving.  I swear, our only saving grace is that our house sits pretty far back from the road, so people driving by can't actually see what a mess it all really is.

But there is progress to report on the covered porch in the back of the house!   It's not done, but it's a big improvement and is a space that we're actually using now. 

I gave you a sneak peek at the furniture last week, but here it is - all assembled and arranged.   We scored a great deal, buying this furniture from Joss & Main - the furniture brand is Crosley.  

(I feel like this is a 'Where's Waldo' picture, as my dog seems to be a bit of a diva, sneaking in to my photos.  Maybe a divo, since he's a boy.  Can you see his paws peeking out from the sofa?)

I also want to add some outdoor drapes, and am working on those.  And yes, that is the potting bench you see back there.  The layers of paint seem to be very happy where they are, so I'm planning on embracing it's chippy goodness.  But it's still not done.  Pretend you don't see it.

I couldn't resist these throw pillows from the Frontgate Outlet.  I tried.  I really did.  I even picked up some other pillows in an effort to talk myself out of them.   They were marked down more than 50%, and were still too much for outdoor throw pillows, but I bought them because I really love the look, (and I knew I would regret not getting them).

They're just pretty, you know?

We still need to get some more side tables or something along those lines.  I'm thinking maybe a couple of garden stools would be perfect between the two sets of chairs.

It feels like a tree house in this space, and I love sitting out here on weekend mornings with a magazine (or my iPad, catching up on my blog reading) with a cup of coffee. 

One more - a before and after shot for you (before we moved in):

 And as it stands now:

Are you feeling the urge to work on your outdoor spaces now that Spring is here?

UPDATE:  Here is the porch all ready to go for a summer party.  You gotta love summer.

And what's not to love with the mason jars - perfect for drinks and decorating.

Just a reminder, the next Room Evolution Party is on Monday, April 30th!  I will be sharing some features from last month's link up, and look forward to seeing what you have to share!

Linking up to:

Remodelaholic - Porches, Patios and Entryways
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday's Treasures
Thrifty Decor Chick - May Before and After Party
Centsational Girl - Garden Link Party