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Thursday, June 16, 2022

Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch

Thrift Thursday

I am not a theme decorator. I have styles that I use in my home, but not themes. But, for summer I decided to decorate my front, covered porch with a tropical feel. It is definitely an eclectic tropical theme as I pulled together a lot of different styled elements, but it does have a fun, tropical vibe that screams, drink a pina colada right here.

Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
Keep reading to see what came from a thrift store, garage sale, and the side of the road. Get tips on how to tie unlike things together and how to use what you might have to create a cohesive, user-friendly porch space.
This theme really all started with a large bag of fake tropical leaves that I bought for $3 at the thrift store. There were a ton of them, and having just hosted a tropical themed dinner party over spring break, I decided I could use them in the future. There were huge leaves perfect for placemats and smaller ones to tuck in here and there for a party. I decided to wire some of the leaves onto gold wreath rings to make summery wreath for my front door.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I feel like I need to give you some front porch background. For those who don't know, I live in a 90 year old schoolhouse. This is the original front porch to the schoolhouse where students would have entered. The previous owners who made the school into a home 30 years ago, did not really use the front porch. There was grass with no walkway to it and they had put painted plywood over the original tongue and groove. There is a breezeway porch with a door that they used and most people use. We are trying to change that. This is what the porch looks like from the front.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
We added a concrete walkway and patio tot he front doors. We have added a screen for cross air flow when it is warm. I have completely redecorated the front entry. We took the plywood off recently and found tongue and groove. It has some rot in the front so we will replace it this summer. We still need new front porch lights and I am going to paint the doors and frame black this summer. The porch is not large and because the siding or edge wraps a bit in the front, it doesn't have huge sitting and viewing potential. But, I knew it had space for a nice sit-down, lemonade sipping session.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
Okay, so I had tropical wreaths, now what? Even though it isn't tropical in style, my old green wagon stays on the porch. I moved it to the corner by the main door that we open and close (we only use the other one when loading big stuff into or out of the house). I added some tropical leaves to my toolbelt holder I made for Christmas. A large rattan lantern that I got at the thrift store, , but was originally brand new from Target and a potted geranium sit on the wagon. I was going to keep to a white, green, touch of black and gold theme, but then decided to add some red. I put a red board I had in my stash under the potted geranium to include a bit more red to the wagon.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I had bought this metal, standing planter at a thrift store a few months ago. I knew I didn't like the farmhouse, fake distressed white. 
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I spray painted it a dark green and added a fake red geranium. I tell you all the time, I
 don't love fakes, but darn, there are some good ones out there. I had used this one previously in my antique booth. The red geranium is what convinced me I need to add some red to the porch. Geraniums seems more tropical to me that some annuals.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I wasn't sure what I wanted to use for a chair. I couldn't use anything that was too big, again I don't have a ton of space. I remembered I had a vintage metal chair that I bought 20, yes 20!!, years ago when I was just starting out making and flipping furniture. It has sat in my flower garden, but never really used because of the extremely chippy, rough paint.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I gave it a good power wash and then sanded it a bit and painted it. Painting items the same color helps to make them look like they go together better, even if they are completely different styles. The chair isn't perfect, but the rough, peeling paint is gone. A clear coat helped to give it a smooth seat and finish. 
I knew I needed more red and remembered seeing these tropical monkey and animal print pillows at the Restore a few days ago. I loved them when I saw them, but couldn't figure out where to use them, so I didn't buy them. I called them to check their hours and ask if they were still there. The Restore is right up the road so I hopped in my car and grabbed them.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
The table is a metal typing/office table with drop sides that hubby brought home after finding it free on the side of the road.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
I had a cute round table already painted green that hasn't found a home since we moved back to Montana that I was going to use. I dropped it moving it and completely broke the top. Plan B, what do I have in my stash? This typing table! I spray painted the base black and used the same green that I used on the chair. The green watering can underneath doesn't necessarily fit the tropical them, but the color was great and I do have plants on the porch hat will get watered. It fits the eclectic, summer look. In the corner opposite the chair I set a tall banana basket with some sticks with hot glued tropical leaves on them. It adds some height. I also added a string of Christmas lights inside the basket. The banana basket won't show from the street, but it adds filler.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
Another lantern and a rattan or whicker trivet sit on the table, These both add more of a tropical feel. Originally I had a wood lantern on the table, but it didn't quite match the vibe. These items both came from thrift stores, as well as the banana basket.
I decided I needed some art on the wall. I didn't want a worded sign, so I decided to quickly (I mean 20 minutes total time plus dry time) paint a tropical plant.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
This was a piece of plywood that came from the porch floor. I added some black paint, using a scrap piece of wood as my paintbrush. The color you see under the black was the original porch plywood color. When the black paint was dry, I used a scruffy paint brush and two colors of green paint to paint leaf like things. I then used a scruffy brush to add red flower blobs. I touch of yellow and white with a stipple brush was next, and then I splattered a little black, white, and yellow paint over all of it. When it was dry I sanded it a bit and use a dark walnut stain over all of it. It is super easy to paint--think sloppy, messy shapes, uneven numbers and off center. This painting is the perfect way to incorporate my theme and colors.
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
On the wall opposite this one that has the wagon on it, I hung a fake spider plant that I got at a garage sale (you have seen this staged in other posts). If I can find a nice, red begonia, I will take the fake plant out and add real flowers. the plant hanger was there. There is a wood chair sitting in the corner with the second red pillow on it. This really isn't a comfy place to sit, but would work in a pinch if a second person wants to enjoy the porch. I might look for something else, but it has to be pretty small. 
Thrifty Thursday Tropical Front Porch
So, yes, I have all different styles of decor on my front porch, thus why I use the word eclectic when describing it. What ties it together? When designing a space think about use, comfort and then use color and themed items like tropical leaves, rattan, tropical print fabric to make it more cohesive. Don't be afraid to rearrange, add and subtract items as needed, use something that will work for now until you find the perfect piece. I am still looking for a rug with some red in it cover more of the floor than the front door mat. Sit with the space for awhile to make it yours--unique and special for you. Practice, play, and HAVE FUN!

2 comments:

  1. I love what you’ve put together. Didn’t realize your front porch had that much room to work with. What a transformation!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very pretty, colorful and inviting. Since you are so creative and talented, if you can't find a rug to go with your tropical theme, you can always paint a drop cloth to make a rug.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!