A Cozy Porch

Our home came with a nice side porch that was completely open to public viewing and mosquitoes. I saw its potential when we bought the place two years ago, and finally have completed the vision. My dad, who is an amazingly talented craftsman, wrapped the open patio with snug carsided walls and screened panels. I painted and decorated. Thanks Dad!

I love my porch so much that I enjoy showing it off. Here it is. And the bonus is that you can play "Find The Cat" while you enjoy the images of the porch!

to the left is the entry door. leave your wraps here and come on in...

this bench was a freebie left in the garage when we bought the
 house.  it is actually a headboard to a queen sized bed
that i cut down to the proper height. the top lifts
to reveal storage, and shoes fit right underneath.

i could not find a shoe rack that i liked or that was efficacious. so i bought a bookshelf at the evil empire for $15 and added one extra shelf. perfect for three rows of shoes on the bottom, and baskets of socks and mittens on the top. the great wooden basket was a garage sale find. place your keys and things here for safekeeping.

this happy little buddha greets you upon entrance to the porch.

dont see much here? perfect. this is an open play area where the kids can spread out with some toys to play out of the rain. by the way, the carpet was also a bargain- a nice quality berber remnant from our neighborhood flooring store. 7 X 20-some feet and it was only $30! it has been rained on and wet, but shows no sign of mildew or fraying.

a huge bin for legos, perfect for porch play. more are coming for a little boy's birthday...

the sitting area, at the west end of the porch. at least seven friends and one large cat can sit here for chat and iced tea

a rubbermaid tote triples function as storage, a seat for one or two kids, and as a table top

candles and ... more cats

an inexpensive adirondack chair made comfy with a weather resistant pillow and synthetic but soft throw

and of course a table where four of us can eat a meal, write, create a project...