Restored! Summer Sleeping Porch
By Shelly Thompson
Editor and Publisher, 'For your Heart and Home'
Editor and Publisher, 'For your Heart and Home'
Before starting the joy in this article...CAUTION!
It's laughable the many times I've had BIG plans, but didn't think of the BIG effort! It's like a person who loves food and fills their plate, realizing about half way through the gourmet meal...they've taken on more than then can chew. Literally! I have that issue with old vacant or abandoned buildings. There's something about them. I step inside these places that most people would not want...and I am filled with ideas of how to bring it back to life. Every. Single. Time. I've discovered my plate gets full and I've taken on...more than I can chew.
BUT...it's then I regroup and prioritize what I can do in a time frame that won't kill me and my husband! Here's where my sweet summer porch enters. In addition to our 1875 historic bank building in Walnut, Iowa, we've restored other projects. We bought a 100-year-old fixer upper from an estate sale a few years ago. It had not been lived in for years. Over the past few years, we've removed tons of pink carpet that revealed beautiful old hardwood floors...well, they weren't beautiful when we found them. They required a lot of time to remove 1,000,000 staples, sand, and refinish. Then, we began redoing everything else in the house.
After a year off to breathe...I convinced my husband to tackle the old sleeping porch. We'd been using it as storage. It had so much potential hiding behind it...
It's laughable the many times I've had BIG plans, but didn't think of the BIG effort! It's like a person who loves food and fills their plate, realizing about half way through the gourmet meal...they've taken on more than then can chew. Literally! I have that issue with old vacant or abandoned buildings. There's something about them. I step inside these places that most people would not want...and I am filled with ideas of how to bring it back to life. Every. Single. Time. I've discovered my plate gets full and I've taken on...more than I can chew.
BUT...it's then I regroup and prioritize what I can do in a time frame that won't kill me and my husband! Here's where my sweet summer porch enters. In addition to our 1875 historic bank building in Walnut, Iowa, we've restored other projects. We bought a 100-year-old fixer upper from an estate sale a few years ago. It had not been lived in for years. Over the past few years, we've removed tons of pink carpet that revealed beautiful old hardwood floors...well, they weren't beautiful when we found them. They required a lot of time to remove 1,000,000 staples, sand, and refinish. Then, we began redoing everything else in the house.
After a year off to breathe...I convinced my husband to tackle the old sleeping porch. We'd been using it as storage. It had so much potential hiding behind it...
The old sleeping porch had dark brick walls, a stone floor that needed work, lower white cement block walls (ugh!), and screens that need repaired!
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The ceiling was dark, dingy and needed some roof repairs!
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But...there was so much potential charm to be found in this space as you'll see in the photos below. It was so fun to watch it come to life. Now, my time table was off...like usual. It took almost an entire spring. Painting and staining the overhead beams and ceiling proved to take much longer than expected.
Advice.
There were days I thought we would never get this project done.
So...if you're in the middle of a project...big or small...step away and revisit. That's hard to do when you're on a mission to complete something, but you're wasting time by continuing when you've run out of steam.
The white paint that is on the ceiling with the beams...took five...yes, five...attempts before the white worked with the stain on the beams. I tried gray (horrible!), and even barn red (worse!)...but, I persevered and eventually, it was perfect.
Was it worth the effort, time, money, sore joints, and a few loving debates with my husband? ABSOLUTELY! I have spent so much time on this porch...I wonder if I should have done it first instead of last.
So, to my fellow remodelers, restorers, repurposers...press on! Taking a break when needed. Don't get discouraged even after 5 tries...the end result will be something you'll be so happy you completed!
Welcome...to MY PORCH!
Enjoy a photo walk though. I included a few tips and 'how to's' in the photo captions!
Enjoy!
Blessings, Shelly
Advice.
There were days I thought we would never get this project done.
So...if you're in the middle of a project...big or small...step away and revisit. That's hard to do when you're on a mission to complete something, but you're wasting time by continuing when you've run out of steam.
The white paint that is on the ceiling with the beams...took five...yes, five...attempts before the white worked with the stain on the beams. I tried gray (horrible!), and even barn red (worse!)...but, I persevered and eventually, it was perfect.
Was it worth the effort, time, money, sore joints, and a few loving debates with my husband? ABSOLUTELY! I have spent so much time on this porch...I wonder if I should have done it first instead of last.
So, to my fellow remodelers, restorers, repurposers...press on! Taking a break when needed. Don't get discouraged even after 5 tries...the end result will be something you'll be so happy you completed!
Welcome...to MY PORCH!
Enjoy a photo walk though. I included a few tips and 'how to's' in the photo captions!
Enjoy!
Blessings, Shelly
I used a whitewash technique to go over the dark brick on the walls. It took a few attempts to get it exactly how I wanted it, but it was worth the effort. It's so bright during the day, and at night the white really highlights the light from the lamps, making it so cozy!
Tip - After the whitewash, I went back over the brick lines where the cement is and applied straight white paint with a rag. It really made the lines pop for a needed contrast.
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This long farmhouse table (that I snagged for $150 at a sale) was perfect! The chairs were from our first kitchen...over 30 years ago. They were saved because they were so sturdy. I used Dixie Belle Black Chalk Mineral Paint to give them more of a farmhouse look. I then applied the Dixie Belle Clear Coat Sealer. The chairs are functional and have memories attached!
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The old stone floor was in need of repair. We buffed it down. Repaired the cracks. Then painted it with concrete paint mixed in a shade of gray...to go with the newly painted dark slate concrete block walls (see side of photo). Painting the white concrete blocks a dark slate gray...made a huge difference!
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With a little concrete polishing, the floors turned out beautiful. Thanks to my husband!
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It was so fun to decorate the porch for fall. I loved reading in the rocking chair with the fireplace on!
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It's always the small details that make a space. I loved this kitchen dish towel and it worked great as a 'table square' under my lantern.
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This 1920's bench is great for storage holding gardening items. It also doubles as a bench if extra seating is needed.
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This cozy corner is perfect for conversations and tea! I love the 1879 screen window from an old drug store. When I purchased it, the screen was covered in fabric, but under the fabric was the original screen. And yes...I have a set of two. What to do with the other one?
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Although my husband can require some convincing to start a new project...at the end of it he's always totally in! He loved the porch so much...he created a small outdoor firepit seating area just beside the porch. He's a keeper!
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Beautifully lit at night, the firepit area beside what was once an old sleeping porch. It's came a long way in 100 years!
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This cloche sits on top of the fireplace...reminding me...Whose really in charge. It's always the details.