With all my heart, I LOVE THIS PORCH. It’s been life changing to have an outdoor space. Our kiddos love it, we love it, even our dogs love it! It’s far and away the space we love most in our new home!!!
Today, I want to share a little tour with you now that we can finally call this porch “complete.” First of all, if you missed it, I already shared a post about how we painted the deck, redid the rails, etc.—you can see it here.
I have gotten a ton of questions about the chairs and loveseat, specifically how they hold up in rain and if we bring the cushions inside. So, first of all, it rains A LOT this time of year in Nashville … like is this Nashville or is this Seattle? It rains SO much. The first few years it really got to me. This year since we’re not driving as much—it’s actually kind of nice!
Anyway, we do not bring the cushions inside. They do great in the rain. When we first got them, I actually wanted them to get a LITTLE bit of wear so they didn’t look too perfect and intimidating, you know? Eventually when they get a stain or something (hasn’t happened yet), the covers are removable and I will take them off and wash them.
I personally would not buy outdoor furniture that needed to be brought in every night or every time it rains. It’s just not practical for our lifestyle and I think if we had to do that we’d use the furniture way less.
I will, however, move it into storage during the winter. Not every home has a place that can store a ton of outdoor furniture, so if we didn’t have that option I would use covers in the winter.
We did a whole podcast episode about buying furniture for outdoor spaces.
Currently, the only thing we keep covered is our fire table.
Sources: Lucara Sofa Set, Boden Bar Cart, Dining Table, Pink Dining Chairs, Sheepskin seat pads (we keep these indoors, they are not waterproof, but our kids love them for dinners outside).
For the fire table, we went with this table. You will also need an extra 10-pound bag of lava rocks to cover the burner completely (it looked very bare before I added more). We also swapped the black lanterns out for these and these. *Article furniture was gifted (c/o).
OK so funny story. We rescheduled this shoot THREE times due to rain and about 10 minutes before we were starting to shoot this space … guess what, it started to rain! (I wasn’t joking that it rains a lot in Nashville).
I was screaming to Jeremy to help us sweep up the leaves (hahaha, poor Jeremy) and we scrambled really fast, got the best photos we could, and then put the cover right back on the fire table because it was full on pouring. If you look at the photo above you can kind of see the rain drops. Hahahaha. Oh well. :))
I got a lot of questions about these plants. They are called “Bismarkia Palm” and they will have to come indoors with us during the winter (actually all the plants on this deck will and that’s the ONLY reason I didn’t get twice as many, haha). Isn’t she gorgeous??! These two plants make me happy every single day!
Well, thank you for coming along for a tour! We’re so excited to use this deck to make s’mores with our little girls. :)) xx- Elsie
Do you know the color your porch is painted?
Thanks for sharing! Do you recommend your fire pit cover? Which one do you have?
Hi! On an uncovered porch like ours it is essential. We are using one that came with our fire pit. I tried to find a “cuter” one, but struck out.
Hi Elsie. This looks great, thanks for sharing. Do you have any input on where I can find inexpensive planters for medium to large sized house plants? Im looking for pretty;, but cost wise because I have to buy many. thanks!
Hi! The best spots to buy less expensive planters are the hardware stores and local gardening stores. I have also found good deals on CB2. XX!
This is so cute!! I absolutely love all of your pieces!
Thanks for sharing. Such a great post.
-Kate
https://daysofkate.com/
This is the prettiest deck I have ever seen!!! It’s been fun watching a different type of “room” renovation, but one that’s just as important as the space within!
Elsie, where is your boilersuit from? I love it! X
I love the look of painted brick but my husband who is a Mason would kill me (not literally). It is extremely bad for the structural integrity of the house. Also reduces home value. Just something to consider before you go ahead.
Wait…how does painting affect the structural integrity?
Surely you can paint the brick with a paint that doesn’t seal in moisture, so how can it be extremely bad? Please ask your husband and report back! Inquiring minds need to know.
He’s busy right now working but found this online if it helps. Not the most detailed but general info. My husband is an accomplished heritage mason who works specifically with heritage buildings and their maintenance. Presently working on Canada’s Parliament.
“Weather Resistance. Another advantage to just leaving your house exterior alone is the fact that bricks are made from a kiln-fired mixture of clay and shale, which is naturally porous. This quality allows brick walls to breathe, expelling moisture as your home goes through rainstorms or freeze-thaw cycles. Painting, unless meticulously done with high quality, vapor-permeable masonry paint, tends to trap dampness and cause your bricks to crumble, often in as short a period as 5-10 years. The deterioration will be hidden beneath the paint, making it difficult to spot — and treat — in the early stages.
Difficulty of Paint Removal. If you do go ahead and paint your home’s outside brickwork, remember that you will be making a serious commitment. Should you change your mind, paint removal is costly and time-consuming. The necessary chemical treatments or sandblasting are very likely to damage the brick in the process.”
https://www.networx.com/article/the-problem-with-painting-a-brick-house
Very good timeless choices !
In France there aren’t enough removable outdoor armchairs, and they’re expansive.
I’ve loved the lounge chairs and have stalked the Article site for so long looking at them. Would you say the chair frame looks really “outdoor” or could I get away with putting them in my living room?
I think they would look good inside- just as good as any wicker set. 🙂
It looks soooo good!
??? looks amazing!