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If you’re obsessed with curb appeal like me, you strive to have lush landscaping, a green lawn and a welcoming front porch in the spring.  After the harsh winter and wet (early) spring we’ve had in Virginia, the front of my home was ready for a refresh. 

“Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you find light when all grows dark.” – Pierce Brown, Golden Son

My lawn was green and completely grown in from the aeration and heavy seeding I completed last fall; however my landscaping was overgrown and riddled with Japanese beetle infestation.  I knew I needed to tackle the overgrown landscaping as I am deathly afraid of snakes and other wildlife!  I didn’t want any critters greeting my UPS delivery driver or unexpectedly surprising my guests.  Thus the beginning of my front porch and landscaping refresh!

Landscape Clean-up

I had a lawn service company come in and perform a complete spring cleanup.  This included re-mulching my flower beds, trimming all of the shrubs and plants, removing all of the weeds, creating a deeper edge around the trees and flower beds, and putting in river rock under my gutters. 

The river rock path was necessary to prevent the water from the gutters from scattering the mulch directly under the downspout.

I opted not to remove the infamous Japanese beetle infested rose bushes since I wasn’t quite ready to invest in large blooming shrubs.  I do plan to do it in the near future!  They were neatly trimmed in order to tame their overgrown look and create a more pleasing aesthetic.

Incorporate Potted Plants

I knew I wanted to introduce some potted plants; however I didn’t want to commit to maintaining fully blooming annuals.  I went to my local Home Depot and Harris Teeter and picked out potted plants (to include the fern).  The use of potted plants really helps to bring life to your front porch and increase your curb appeal.  It’s a welcoming addition, and the potted plants I chose are very easy to maintain.  I water them roughly 2-3 times per week and occasionally mix in some plant food.

Clean and Inspect Outdoor Furniture

The furniture on my covered porch was purchased over a year ago, and it took a beating this past winter.  The dust from the mulch and blooms from the adjacent shrubs had left the pillows and furniture looking worn and weathered.  I typically bring the cushions in during the winter; however this winter I only brought in the throw and back pillows.

In order to spruce up the cushions and pillows, I found a DIY recipe from Pinterest that miraculously removed all of the grime from the pillows.  It did the job, and left the pillows and cushions looking brand new.  The cushion inserts are not removable, so a little warm water, Borax, Mrs. Meyers dish soap and little elbow grease was all it took!  Just make sure you have plenty of sunlight to dry out the cushions to avoid mildew.

I absolutely love the furniture we chose for the front porch.  The bench and cushion is from Pottery Barn and so are the throw pillows. 

The chairs are from Ballard Design, and they are the Ceylon Whitewash Lounge Chair.  The round table is from Crate and Barrel, and I purchased it from their clearance center back in 2017.

Update and Layer Your Welcome Mat

The use of outdoor mats and rugs are ideal for many reasons:  1) they keep the dirt and grime out of your home; 2) the can be colorful and pretty and 3) they make your guests feel welcomed!  I opted for new rugs this spring, and I wanted to try the layered rug look.  I went to Kirkland’s, and I found these rugs on sale. 

Accessorize

I treat my porch like it’s a part of my indoor living space.  In order to accomplish the look and feel of my indoor space, I included accessories such as lanterns, a wreath and Sunbrella throw pillows.  These small touches can make a huge difference in creating an inviting outdoor space and welcoming your guests as they enter the front of your home.

Sources:

Furniture: Porch Bench || Bench Cushion || Throw Pillow (similar) || PB Throw Pillow (similar) || Lounge Chair || Lattice Diamond Side Table (similar)

Accessories: Ivory Planter || Resin Planter (similar) || White Lantern || Brown Lantern || Magnolia Wreath (similar)