Front Porch Flooring and Fall Makeover

When you live in a 93 year old schoolhouse, there is never a shortage of projects to do. This past few weeks we tackled the covered front porch flooring. When we bought the house, there was painted plywood over the original beadboard porch flooring. We removed that a few years ago and were left with the beadboard that needed help.

It had a cut across the front and the front edge was rotted (in the above picture hubby had already cut off the front edge).

We chose to lay a tongue and groove cedar over the beadboard. There was enough space at the threshold that we could lay the cedar on top of the original flooring. We then used a good finish on it that took 9 days to dry!! Montana is a dry climate, but we got lots of rain two days after clear coating. a ribbon had to go up across the porch to keep people off of it. 

It is finally dry and I was able to decorate for fall. I changed up quite a bit of the decor and furniture. 

On this side of the porch there was loveseat. A loveseat that the neighborhood cats loved and would pee on! Grrr! Those cushions have all been thrown out. The loveseat will be moved to my sunroom and the matching couch in the sunroom is going to my son's. My son was given these high end chairs from his former place of employment. (He went into business for himself and contracts with them now.) These chairs are super comfortable, very ergonomic and I love them on the porch. 

The typing table, a dumpster find, was previously on the porch. For fall I've added yellows, and greens, and oranges. The garage sale fountain is fun and gets plugged in when I am on the porch. The mustard yellow tote under the table holds some seasonal items. Faux flowers hide them.

We use the door on the right. I had the cutest green, wood wagon here in the corner for years that I changed decor on seasonally. But, the wagon made it hard to open the door wide and so I decided to move it to a flowerbed. 

I put this ice cream bucket, that did sit on the wagon, in the corner instead. I may set it up on a little stool, but I am liking the open space. I've added some dried tansy and faux orange stems to the curly willow.

In the corner facing the doors is another sitting spot. I tried to put this chair in the corner where the wagon was, but it didn't work with the door open. A little green wicker table is the perfect place to hold a coffee cup or drink. The concrete urn on the table doubles a s a door stop on windy days.

I have some mums hanging out front and the yellow/orange petunias on the steps are still blooming. We have white twinkle lights around the porch opening that are on a timer that make the space glow at night. The space is cozy and comfortable and is so much more attractive with the new flooring.