Front Porch Makeover on a Budget

This porch on the front of our house is the first room guests see when they drop by.  It's small and was over cluttered so after an embarrassing visit from friends who could hardly get in the door, I knew it was time to roll up my sleeves and get this room not only organized but de-cluttered.  Only essential and in-season items are going to be stored here from now on. 

Here it is empty and not very inviting looking or offering a good first impression when you enter the house.

So, after scanning my Benjamin Moore paint color deck (these only cost around $10 and are an excellent investment)

I chose

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

But first, a cost-saving tip to help cover that deep red shade.  While I was at Benjamin Moore Paints, I took a look through the mis-tints (only a fraction of the price of primer) for a light shade with an egg-shell finish to act as a primer.  Another great tip when covering a dark color is to use some leftover ceiling paint as a primer at the top of the walls around the ceiling so you can save time by not  doing any tedious cutting in.

Here is the pale mis-tint used as a primer

While the "primer coat" was drying, I took all the crystals off the pretty vintage chandelier and cleaned them with soapy water and a quick dip in a white vinegar/water solution.

I also found all these beautiful vintage coat hooks out in our barn still attached to several old doors that have come out of the house over the years.  The three tallest were cream colored so I used a Black Satin spray paint to dress them up.  The other two still have their beautiful original patina.   I also found a piece of FREE scrap wood at a hardware store in their garbage.  I knew the measurement of the wall and a gentleman there cut it to the correct length at no charge.  You can't beat free and once it was secured to the wall, it provided a nice detail in the room and a solid surface to attach the hooks to.

These reproduction hooks match and were purchased at Winners for less than $20 total.  They were white so I sprayed them with the same Black Satin Paint.  The board they are attached to was already in the room but not as wide as the one I picked up at the hardware store.  To keep it looking balanced, I marked off the wall under the board to the same width and painted it white to make both boards appear the same size.

 This is how it looks now.  

As you can see, I also used some left-over semi-glass Cloud White paint to give the shelving unit a fresh look.  Again, I went to the mis-tints at Benjamin Moore Paints and found a small can of pale high-adhesion paint for only $5.  Worked like a charm to seal the wood and get it ready for the Semi-Gloss finish coat.

This front entry is clean, bright, decluttered and perfectly organized.

Now it's a pleasure to hear that front door bell ring!