Homemaker's Journal: Grateful Living: Front Porches

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Grateful Living: Front Porches

When you live in the country (in a mobile home), you have to give serious consideration to a porch. In our case, we have a closed-in front porch and a "back deck." Since the front door is the easiest to enter from our attached carport, we needed some way to take shoes off before entering the house. This is because there is a lot of dirt in the country. We have a gravel drive which is very dusty when it hasn't rained in a while. Our cars need constant spraying down due to the amount of travel they go through, (we're 30 minutes from the nearest Walmart). Also, front porches are really important in the South for welcoming people. When you live in a mobile home where you walk through the door and HELLO there's your living room, kitchen, dining room, etc., it's kinda nice to greet people on the porch and chat awhile while the family straightens up. My goal was to make my front porch so cozy (as well as a way to trap dirt) that we might just visit there instead. The decor has to be simple but homey so that it doesn't become one more place that requires constant attention. It has to be okay if there are leaves and grass on the floor. They are easily swept away and pretty much expected on a porch. I added what I call Parlor Touches like the knick knacks, pillows, houseplants. A double rocking chair with cushions and corner bench with storage are easy to wipe clean. The porch ceiling is painted a coastal green and the nooks are filled with little treasures. (Ceiling painted Valspar Signature Colors - Southern Breeze SR901)