Front Door Refresh and Summer Porch

I absolutely love this time of year when we get to bring the beautiful outdoor spaces of our home to life! Think of your front door as a way to make a lovely first impression and offer a hint of what to expect on the inside. I was on a bit of a painting kick during quarantine and finally, after five years in our home, my husband agreed we should paint the front door. Insert happy dance!! I’m excited to share the before and after with you and the rest of the pretty details of my Front Door Refresh and Summer Porch. Today I’m also joining some friends who are sharing their outdoor spaces for the Seasonal Simplicity Summer Series, so be sure to visit all the bloggers listed at the end of this post.

Fresh, light, and bright, is exactly how I always envisioned this space to be! I can’t believe how painting this door has transformed our front porch! Our door looks brand new and now matches the aesthetic on the inside of our home.  Let’s back up so I can show you how it looked before.

This color felt very traditional and since our entrance is covered it gave the whole space a dark, closed-in feel. We painted all the trim and surround in Benjamin Moore Oxford White and just the door itself in Olympic Mountains.  The difference between the two is subtle, but enough to give the door it’s own, modern look. Now it feels so much bigger and brighter!

With my front door refresh completed, I could hardly wait to add the finishing touches to our front porch for summer!  I really wanted to give it a coastal boho feel with natural elements and touches of pink much like the inside of my home.  If you missed my Beautiful Boho Summer Home Tour  I would love for you to check it out!  This natural coir doormat and bamboo LED lantern add the perfect coastal touch.

This floral wreath with soft pinks and corals is from last year but I love it even more now with the door painted!

Our large potted Ligustrum had become quite overgrown and got a nice trim to give it a beautiful manicured look.

The black hardware on the door now pops against the lighter colored door!

 I added these boho-inspired cushions out here and they add a nice touch of neutral texture. If your front porch is covered like ours, consider using indoor cushions outside, especially when you entertain.  You can always bring them in afterward or at night.

Geraniums are my go-to container plant in the summer as they always seem to do really well in our climate.  The light green of the potato vine and the silvery green of the eucalyptus gives a nice contrast to the pop of pink.

If you’re thinking of painting your front door here are a few things to keep in mind:

Existing Paint Colour:

We weren’t planning to update the exterior paint color of our house, only the door and trim around it.  Our local paint store offered some advice and color options that would go well with our existing paint and it helped us to narrow down and choose our favorite.

Prime First:

Since we didn’t know the type of paint or finish used on our door, we did one coat of primer first.  It will help the paint adhere better and is also a good idea when you’re painting over a darker color like we were.

Choose your sheen:

We decided on a satin finish which is more velvety and less shiny with a modern look. For a more traditional look, choose a high-gloss or shinier finish.

I’m so glad you stopped by today and hope you enjoyed my Front Door Refresh and Summer Porch! If you’re thinking of painting your front door and have any questions for me, please ask away. Always happy to share what worked (or didn’t work) for me. Be sure to visit the other bloggers below who are also sharing their summer outdoor spaces.

Judy xx

This week, some of my blogging friends and I are sharing our summer outdoor spaces. Just click on the links below the images to be taken to see their full posts.

The Happy Housie // My 100 Year Old Home // Modern Glam // Cassie Bustamante

Craftberry Bush // Joanna Anastasia // Life is Better at Home // Inspiration for Moms

Clean & Scentsible // Finding Silver Pennies // Grace in My Space // Maison de Cinq

Life is a Party // House by Hoff // Zevy Joy // Two Twenty One

Taryn Whiteaker // Maison de Pax // Amber Tysl // This is Our Bliss

She Gave it a Go // My Sweet Savannah