NewlyWoodwards

an unconventional home

Our simple summer patio tour (with a view)

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Screened porch season has arrived.

Turn on the ceiling fan, grab a glass of iced tea, and let your worries melt away.

For real. If you need me, I’m on our DIY screened porch.

I’m happy to be joining The Happy Housie again for her Summer Simplicity Porch and Patio tours. There are so many welcoming outdoor spaces on this tour – make sure to check them out at the bottom of the post.

But first – I’ll be sharing our screened porch. I made just a few tweaks this year to make the space even more comfortable and practical for our family. (Last year’s porch tour.)

One of the biggest must-haves for any porch – COMFORTABLE SEATING. We found the pair of chairs and sofa on Craigslist a few years ago for a great deal. They had been mostly in storage so the red cushions were in great shape. Since the porch is covered, they have remained in good shape.

I moved the sofa to the other side of the porch this year, and it feels less cramped in here now. (Related: Patriotic wreath and RELAX decor.)

We have been raising monarchs from caterpillars we found a few weeks ago – you can see the small aquarium to the left of the sofa. Three came out of their chrysalis (chrysali?) and cwere released this week to much fanfare. But they were fun to check out on the porch during the process. Now we are on the hunt for our next caterpillars.

The views from our back patio are the real showstoppers. But I tried to make the space feel comfortable and pretty, too.

I moved the living room coffee table outside – because A PLACE FOR DRINKS IS ALSO A PATIO MUST-HAVE. And I prefer the look of this one over the basic coffee table that came with the seating set. (I always get so many questions about this coffee table – Ryan made it for me 5 years ago as a Christmas gift.)

We also added this cute buffalo check rug from Target (affiliate link). I love the look of outdoor rugs, but I have had a history of issues caring for them. I find large outdoor rugs challenging to keep clean – and they have a tendency to trap moisture under them, which can be bad for wood porch floors.

All that to say – the jury is still out on the longevity of the rug. It’s polypropylene and has held up to moisture well so far. I’ve just been running a vacuum over it every so often (read: twice). But it’s so cute and perfect for the space. And I grabbed it for less than $40 on sale (with a birthday gift card).

I also pulled out the red metal chairs for extra seating when we were entertaining, but they fit well, too. 

A PLACE FOR KIDS – also a patio must-have for our family. And our new chalkboard kids table has become Henry’s new favorite spot. We also have a few bowls of small toys on the patio and a water table we fill up for hot days.

The views from the porch are incredible. Just another reason we love spending time out here. 

Thanks so much for stopping by for our porch tour.

The Seasonal Simplicity Summer series is back today; and this time we’re all about simple summer decor in our outdoor spaces! Patios, decks, backyards… bring them on!

The Happy Housie / Inspiration for Moms / Rooms for Rent / Bless’er House

Shabbyfufu / Summer Adams / Making it in the Moutains / TIDBITS

Confessions of a Serial DIYer / Clean and Scentsible / Just a Girl and Her Blog / Stacy Risenmay

Zevy Joy / Finding Silver Pennies / Deeply Southern Home / A Pretty Life

Southern State of Mind / Amber Tysl / Newly Woodwards

 

 

Comments

  1. Looks so relaxing and peaceful. What are you currently using for a coffee table inside while the Ryan one is outside?

    • We are going sans coffee table – the kids have lots more space without it in there. And when Lucy learns to crawl, I don’t have to worry about the sharp corners. 😉

  3. You really went Patriotic on your porch. I love the view. Perfect as you described with a cold glass to drink and have the moment of your life. The rug is beautiful too.

  10. Hello- what type is sun shade do you recommend for the screened in porch? We just DIYed a screen patio and love it but it gets really hot in one corner plus we have neighbors close by. We also are wanting something that can give privacy at night when we bring the TV outside and not be too distracting/noisy for the neighbors as well.

    thanks- Jenny

    • We got this solar shade at Sams Club two years ago and highly recommend it! It cranks down with a pole – which takes a little effort but it’s held up well and blocks a lot of the harsh afternoon rays. It was also a great value – around $60 in store. I basically just bought it in the store because of the price, but my aunt and brother both have one, too. We all like them.

      I don’t see it online anymore, but the brand is Gale Pacific Inc. I think it’s 8×10 feet.

  12. Don’t know if I commented a while back on the house tour post, but all these years of seeing the porch and kitchen, I had no idea they were so close together! Must make them so convenient. Enjoy your midwest summer!

    P.S.S. you should so send in an audio clip to young house love for podcast #99 about building a house and your guys choice to forgo a master bathroom.

    • Super convenient to have the porch so close. Probably part of the reason we use it so much!

      I did listen to that episode – there were some good tips.