On March 29 I’m going to be hosting The Phoenix Garden Party, brought to you by The Home Depot Garden Club. There’s going to be all sorts of fun happening at the event – a personal chef and a professional gardener both teaching great classes and offering Q&A. And I’ll be there to take some of the classes, too. Come hang out and eat and learn and get your hands dirty!
In preparation for the garden party, I’ve been doing some updates to the little side porch area that I started decorating last summer and never finished. I LOVE how just a few small changes to this space made with paint and a few new plants have made a huge impact on the overall look! Here’s what we did:
You might remember how before, the porch swing was this bright blue color. I liked the color, but it was looking a little circus-y out front with the red door and the bit of blue from the music room popping out behind the windows. Since my goal in life is to not be the crazy neighbor, the blue had to go.
Plus the tannins from the knots were starting to peek through the latex paint the seller had painted it before I bought it. Nothing a little oil-based painted can’t tackle!
We used a quart of low-lustre oil-based paint in BM’s Chelsea Gray and I LOVE the finish. It’s not glossy at all, but it has a really beautiful furniture-like finish. Similar to what the Advance line produces, but oil-based is about as hard-wearing as it gets. It’s a great option for painting floors if you don’t want a glossy look.
After the first coat of paint, we caulked the gaps in the planks and the look is much cleaner on the seat now.
It makes me so, so excited to get our house painted. Brown be gone! :)
Do you spy my little pride and joy kumquat trees here? I bought two at Home Depot and potted them in my chalky black planters (the same ones we had on our back balcony in Brooklyn) and flanked the porch with them.
They’re so pretty. :) I think I probably laid it on too thick when I told the girls not to pick the fruit. I heard Evie telling the neighbor kids that “my mom will cry if you pick her baby, baby oranges.”
I planted the most delicious-smelling honeysuckle at the tree bases as ground cover. I’m obsessed with the idea. Honeysuckle > dirt.
Also, I couldn’t stand the green vinyl stake ties so I used a little nylon cording left over from the cleaning buckets project to replace the ugly with pretty.
I’ve been able to keep these alive and happy for a couple weeks now (!) and I feel like some of that has to do with putting rocks in the bottom of the planters to help with drainage. I always either overwater or underwater. whoops.
Is there a prettier color combo than gray and bright, clear orange?
I took off the nasty old hose roller thing that was hanging on the brick before and picked up this cool bowl that’s made to be a hose-keeper. It has a hole in the back of the bowl for feeding the last bit of the hose through, so you have just enough to reach the spigot. I love it and it makes it super simple to pull out and to corral the hose.
My vintage Homecrest chairs that I picked up at Junk in Williamsburg finally got a makeover! GOLD!!!
Before they were sort of just rusty ivory?
My beloved Design Masters spray paint came to my rescue again and I wasn’t disappointed :)
The finish isn’t perfect, but that’s more about the condition of the chairs than anything else. I like that they show their age though, I don’t want them to look brand new. The white chairs were refinished and powder coated by a craigslist seller and they look almost too perfect :) I guess the combination of the chair pairs works though.
I did buy new outdoor pillows for the white chairs, but rather than buying new cushions for the gold chairs, we spruced up the old ones with some little hot pink tassels I made from nylon cording and a little bit of wire. Cute right?
I also taped off the edges and sprayed the center third with just regular old white spray paint. I thought the paint would sit on top of the cushion a little more thickly, but it sort of just absorbed in a cool way.
I loved the subtle color difference.
Between the pairs of chairs I put the little antique faux bois table base I found in the backyard of the brownstone that the landlord gave me. I love it and I love her (Hi, Sally!). I found a little table at a thrift store for just a couple bucks and the marble top works perfectly on the faux bois base.
I got a new bowl planter for the brick wall and planted pretty morning glories.
I also brought a pair of ficus trees I had in the back yard out to the front porch. I am so crazy about the drippy planters!
I planted some Mexican sage in there too. The little blooms are such a pretty pop of cobalt!
Anyway, lots of fun changes to the side porch! I’m ready to tackle more of our yard, but I think I want to wait until after the garden party. :) I feel like a bit of a novice in this area, so a little know-how and confidence will go far! If you’re interested in coming on the 29th, feel free to RSVP here. I’d really love to meet you!
Hi AK! I was thinking about doing a bright white on my trim if we don't end up painting the body of the house. I think that would be pretty with a beige house. Maybe something a little more on the linen side of white?
Good luck!
Hi Crystal! It's called a chiminea. And we still love it! :)
Love the new changes and feeling inspired to spruce up my back porch. Only wish that event was closer to the east valley.
Somewhat off the topic of the post, but I'd be really interested in how you go about choosing paint colors for the exterior of your house (which you mentioned is on the horizon). I too have an unfortunate colored beige house with brown trim and I'm trying to decide if there is a trim color I could do without totally repainting everything, that would spruce things up. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Hi AK! I was thinking about doing a bright white on my trim if we don't end up painting the body of the house. I think that would be pretty with a beige house. Maybe something a little more on the linen side of white?
Good luck!
Love it – especially the kumquats! – can anyone remind what the container for the firepit is called?
Hi Crystal! It's called a chiminea. And we still love it! :)
Love how you jazzed everything up…and good luck! ;)
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So cute, love how it all is coming together! Great pieces and updates! The little oranges are just too cute!
xo
Christa
http://www.gardeniasandmint.wordpress.com
LOVING those chairs!! Yay for spring being just around the corner! :)
It's beautiful and I love you and everything you touch looks amazing. Just a quick fact check, though. I believe that the ground cover in your kumquat plants is Alyssum. Honeysuckle is a large-leafed vine with waxy flowers. Alyssum is a tiny ground cover that smells like Honeysuckle, however, which is where the confusion may have occurred.
Again. Love. In my dream world I'd pay you to come to fix my sad house. I love that you always pay attention to your outdoor spaces as well. So many decorator blogs ignore the outside or farm it out to landscapers. Kudos.
I would love to know what's considered a fair price for vintage Homecrest patio furniture. There's a set available near me with similar chairs, and I'm interested, but not sure how to gauge the asking price. Anyone have any thoughts?
Hi Jenny, Your porch looks amazing. I wish it would warm up here in NYC so I could plant something outside too. Anyhoo, looking GOOD!
i just looked at the calendar to see if we would be in town for the "garden party" and then decided we just need to CRASH your place before then. We are coming down tonight and feel so bad that you have been back in town for so long and we have yet to get together during one of our many visits. Mike ran into Pam at the store and Nate is supposed to get a hold of him so hopefully we see you within the next week. We have Tara's wedding on Saturday but it is not busy after that!
i just looked at the calendar to see if we would be in town for the "garden party" and then decided we just need to CRASH your place before then. We are coming down tonight and feel so bad that you have been back in town for so long and we have yet to get together during one of our many visits. Mike ran into Pam at the store and Nate is supposed to get a hold of him so hopefully we see you within the next week. We have Tara's wedding on Saturday but it is not busy after that!
Hi Jenny I love your kumquat trees! I feel obliged to warn you though that gardeners generally agree that adding rocks or similar materials at the base of planters actually decreases drainage! Good drainage is all about selecting the right soil mix. Best of luck!
Hi Jenny. Happily, I just found your blog and have been feasting on it recently, as our winter has been so long here in Vermont. We have three feet of snow in our yard, higher where it has been moved, and it has been snowing, again, for the last three hours! Anyway, I am an avid re-doer, and am anxious to tackle my many painting, scraping, sanding, not to mention gardening projects outdoors, when I can. I just wanted to say thanks, as a winter like this can start to wear on a girl! Also, I had to comment that your porch looks much perkier after the updates!
Ps. I wonder if you might consider a black hose? It would look great in your hose pot!
LOve the changes and ugh our patio still looks like crap in this horrible East Coast weather.
Its all lovely and inviting! If I was closer, I'd be there with bells on…really cool bells with neon pink tassels. ;) (…loved that touch and the stripe on your chairs)
looks great and so perfectly ready for spring!!
If I lived in the phoenix area, I would so come to your garden party! And possibly somehow sneak inside for a look around too. :)
Love all of the pots and the pop of hot pink in the tassels!
Everything looks lovely…I am a bit concerned about putting the hose in a container…snakes!…Be careful when pulling the hose out and check for snakes…I live in Texas and I know folks who have found snakes in those containers. I guess it seems like a good hidey hole out of the heat.
Agreed on the perfect combination in grey & tangerine. The kumquat trees are darling & provide just enough of a "living hint" of that freshness against the neutral. I love how the Chelsea Grey looks so much I will plan to use it in my next grey project. And the gold refinish on the vintage chairs – very warm. Great side porch. If I was in Phoenix on the 29th I'd definitely come to your garden party, too!
trisha
Hi Jenny! Thanks for sharing. I have a lemon tree that I(actually my husband) have managed to keep alive for a few years now. We love it but the dirt in the pot isn't the prettiest. I have never heard of using honeysuckle as a ground cover, I always thought it was a plant. Did you get that adivce from a gardener or garden specialist? And do you have to adjust your watering schedule/amount at all if you add these to your pot? Thanks for sharing!
What a great little spot you have there! I love all of the plants that you chose. I never would have thought of using honeysuckle as a ground-cover for potted plants. It's Spring, baby! I'm ready to get out and start planting. Except I'm in Virginia and it's supposed to snow again next week. Blah!
I think the little flowers are actually sweet alyssum at the base o the kumquat. I have had the idea of one in a pot in the living room for ages and haven't gotten around to it, but yours look so sweet, it seals the deal!
Hi Jenny. I love all your updates, especially your herringbone floors! I'm really interested in how you store your hose. I've only ever seen those big hose wheels which are ugly! I have a very long garden so our hose is roughly 80 metres long which means it ends up in a tangled mess! Could you explain in more detail how your bucket works?
Hi Jenny. I love all your updates, especially your herringbone floors! I'm really interested in how you store your hose. I've only ever seen those big hose wheels which are ugly! I have a very long garden so our hose is roughly 80 metres long which means it ends up in a tangled mess! Could you explain in more detail how your bucket works?
Looks amazing! Your genius never fails to disappoint.
xo Lily
http://whilemyboyfriendsaway.blogspot.com
This is such a sweet little area! Love the changes!
xx Lexi, Glitter, Inc.
So, I'm a reader of yours and was interested in attending the Garden Party. I could definitely use some insight on all things garden in AZ! When I follow the link you provide it goes to the Garden Party in Glendale on FB. Are you not hosting anymore? Did I miss something?
Hi Alyson! The facebook page is the correct link – the party's in Glendale, AZ at a Home Depot there. Hope that helps and I hope you can make it! xo
Hi Alyson! The facebook page is the correct link – the party's in Glendale, AZ at a Home Depot there. Hope that helps and I hope you can make it! xo
porch swings are the best! I agree with the other commentors that the little white flowers are alyssum. They are thirsty though so don't forget to water! They also self seed so you may find some growing in other areas of your garden. The flowers below the ficus are, I believe, lobelia which can either clump or cascade and come in lovely shades from white to deep purple. Keep up the great work!
Well done to the author. A useful post.
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