Pimp your Porch with Three Easy Hacks

Do you need to pimp your porch? The thing is – your front porch or entrance is the first thing people experience when they are visiting, and can be an indication of what to expect in the rest of the house.  According to one style guru, it’s like a hint into your character.  This blog gives you three easy hacks for your front porch makeover.

I was looking at my own porch the other day.  I confess that it needs work!

Positives

• Cute rustic jars of silk flowers hanging from coat hooks. I don’t use my front porch for coats.  It’s freezing in winter and why would you want to put on a freezing coat?  Makes no sense to me. So the coat hooks are redundant.  Why don’t I simply get rid of them?…. Erm…. Where would I hang my rustic jars?
• I have a low unit with shelves (for ancient folding brollies that mostly don’t work) and a little cupboard (for storing pinecones and autumnal potpourri that’s lost its smell but still looks good.) On the unit are wooden plates of flat stones in neutral colours … some gathered from a beach somewhere. 
• Arrangements of silk flowers that I’ve made for my webshop and that I’d rather enjoy than have hiding away in my garage….

Negatives

• One random soggy shoe that I threw out of the window on a rainy night at a rather beautiful Siamese cat that was quarrelling with my (elderly but feisty) cat Cookie
• First aid and break down kit for my car …. I already have one in my car’s boot so this is extra.
• Large and unlovely vase with faux (quite nice) flowers that was given to me by a neighbour who was downsizing and didn’t have room for it.
• Small stones carried in on shoes from the path outside, plus small dead leaves that keep blowing in
• Spiders lurking in corners

So what does your porch say about you?

Here are three ideas to pimp your porch and make it stunning – yet practical – without being too precious about it.

#1 Declutter. Kids rushing in and leaving shoes where they fall can be a challenge. A unit for muddy boots and shoes that keeps them tidy but accessible could be the answer.  If you have the space, a stylish cupboard that fits with your general decor (rustic? maximalist? country cottage?) would look great – but equally a simple rack works just as well.  I got a wooden one that was easy self assembly, fits nicely, job done.  Shoe baskets also work.  I’m going to get one for those random brollies…. Whatever you choose, you will free up space.

#2 Coats and scarves.  Can they be moved into a handy cupboard?  If not, and wall hooks are your best solution, there are all sorts of very cool ways to add hooks that look fantastic. They add interest and are practical at the same time. Homebnc.com has some great ideas, including recycled wood panels with vintage hooks, old fashioned door knobs screwed onto wood panels – let your imagination go wild!

#3 Pretty it up!  A mirror can add light to a small porch, or you can have a floral feature like a wreath (not just for the outside of your front door!) 

I have some work to do to pimp up my own porch – what about you?