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Before + After || Front Porch Makeover

Feb 5, 2016 ·

front-porch-before-and-after-1

I hope you that you knew it was only a matter of time before there was another room makeover reveal here! Ever since we updated our kitchen, I have been totally addicted to re-imagining the way certain spaces in our house could look.  After we completed our bathroom this summer, I started thinking of what the next project would be.  I wanted something that wouldn't cost a lot, but would make a big impact.  Did you know that the best return on your home renovation investment is the front door?  I was shocked!  I thought surely it was a fabulous kitchen or a spa like bathroom, but no.  It's the front door, you guys, and ours was actually in total need of serious repair.  The paint was chipping, the frame was bent and no longer keeping out air, and the deadbolt hardware didn't match the door handle.  How did I live like this for four years?! (Half joking and half totally serious.)  There were more problems that we can discuss below, but I knew immediately where I wanted to go for the solution:  Rejuvenation.  We worked with them on the lighting and mirrors for our bathroom and were blown away by the quality of what they offer and the hardware choices.  They offer actual antiques pieces, as well as more modern ones and those that are new, but have the quality and style of something from another time.  I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I could have them in every room of my house!  (And you can too if you win our giveaway!  Keep reading for those details below!)  Here is the before:

3-front-porch-before-2

2-front-porch-before-1

And just in case you wanted a close up picture of the $10 plastic chairs that I purchased over 4 years ago that were supposed to be "just until we ordered real ones", here ya go:

5-chairs before

Here is what we did:

front-porch-before-and-after-2

For starters, we hired someone to paint the front and side of our house, sand and re-paint the white trim.  That part of our house gets crazy direct sun and was so much more worn than the rest of the exterior.  That alone made a huge difference and was a lot less expensive than I imagined it would have been.  If I had known that two years ago, I would have done it then.  Next I trimmed down all of those overgrown plants that me and my mom planted four years ago when we first bought our house.  We didn't really have a plan we just happily planted away and some of the things have gone crazy.  Next up the new door!!  (I still get a rush of excitement when I pull into the driveway and see my new door!)

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I have nothing against red doors.  Ours, though, always felt a little patriotic since our house has a blueish tone with white trim.  (Also, nothing against patriotism.)  I was just ready for something new, something yellow!  Thoughts?!  It's super bright and saturated which I love, but I wonder if some of the neighbors have mixed opinions?  What do you think?  Personally, I love it!  The new door cost $180 at a local hardware store in the valley, plus the cost of the yellow paint.  On the other hand we splurged on the door hardware.  This Apollo lockset feels fresh and updated, but not overly modern since our house was built in 1941 and is more traditional.  It feels like a perfect balance of old and new world.  We also got rid of the dark, cheapy doormat and replaced it with this one.  The darkness of the old always drew your eye down to is since it was so much darker than everything else around it.  I like the lightness of this one and it's actually super practical as far as dusting off shoes before you enter the house.

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Next, we replaced the old light fixture that blended into the house with this fresh white 12" sconce.  I had no idea that our old light fixture was the wrong scale for the space until we had this new one up!  It's a much better size and really makes the whole space look so much better.  The finishing touch were new modern house numbers with new placement on the house.  Oh and in case you're wondering what happened to those plastic chairs, I set them out by the street and they quickly found a new happy home!  I made the new bench with $70 steel legs purchased on etsy and $12 of wood from the hardware store.  Not bad, right?

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Okay, I promised you a giveaway and a giveaway you shall get!  If you'd like to enter our $500 Rejuvenation giveaway, hop on over to my instagram page and like the photo with the yellow door-- it's hard to miss! Tag two friends who you think would also enjoy Rejuvenation and make sure you're following Rejuvenation on Instagram as well.  That's it!  Contest ends Monday evening at midnight EST and the winner will be announced on Tuesday. Best of luck friends!

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Photography by Amanda Gallant

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Emily keSsler says

    January 24, 2020 at 12:28 am

    What are the names of the gray and yellow you used?

  2. Dara says

    April 20, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    Hi there,
    I know i am YEARS late. but any chance you remember the SW gray you tried to match? Thanks so much. LOVE this!

    • Jen Pinkston says

      April 21, 2019 at 9:51 am

      Oh no! I wish I did, Dara, but sadly I have no idea!

  3. Justine @prettyinpistachio says

    February 18, 2016 at 9:10 am

    I love this! I am obsessed with bright pops of color, this looks great!

  4. dior says

    February 07, 2016 at 5:20 am

    would love to know what color/brand of yellow paint you used - we've been wanting to paint our front door yellow! thank you 🙂

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 15, 2016 at 12:29 pm

      It's Sherwin Williams Golden Rod!

  5. Courtney says

    February 06, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    This looks AMAZING! I have always dreamed of a yellow door. I have been itching to re-do our front porch and give it a facelift.

    -Courntney

  6. Markp says

    February 05, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    Honestly never seen that color on a front door or any door for that matter BUT I Love It! So Inviting!

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:25 pm

      Thank you, Mark!

  7. Shawna says

    February 05, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    The entire finished product looks so bright and cheery! LOVE the yellow door and that light fixture.

    xoxo,
    Shawna || www.shawnaleeann.com

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks, Shawna! Did you enter the giveaway?! All of their light fixtures are stunning!

  8. Katie H. says

    February 05, 2016 at 8:58 am

    A few easy changes and voila! It looks amazing.
    The front of our house also gets direct sun light. What sort of plant do you have in that pot? How is it holding up?

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:24 pm

      It's a rubber plant and so far so good! They're pretty hard to kill... although I have managed to in the past so don't put it past me! They're actually probably better indoor plants. Ideally they don't like it to be above 80, so I will have to move this little guy inside in a few months.

  9. Lauren says

    February 05, 2016 at 8:53 am

    Looks great! I'm about to flip a house and have been debating whether or not to replace the front door. I think you've convinced me! Now to win that giveaway... 😉

  10. Molly says

    February 05, 2016 at 8:12 am

    Ehrmehgerrrddd that door color is perfect!! Love how all of the simple changes came together to totally transform the porch. Do you mind sharing the source of that cute cute bench?

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      Thanks, Molly! I actually made the bench with some steel legs that I purchased on etsy and $12 worth of wood at the local hardware store. I have plans to sand and stain it but haven't gotten around to it yet!

  11. Leah says

    February 05, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Love it Jen! Want to come do ours? 😉

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:24 pm

      Only if I get to just hold babies and give out directions! 😉

  12. Gail says

    February 05, 2016 at 7:51 am

    This looks LOVELY!!! Yellow is my favorite color so I'm newly obsessed with that door! 🙂

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:21 pm

      I think this door is the reason that yellow is now Parker's favorite color! Every time she hears the word 'door' she shouts 'yellow'!

  13. Fatima says

    February 05, 2016 at 5:55 am

    Looks great! Great reno. Simple but so welcoming.

    xx, fatima

    www.fatimasabri.com

    • Jen Pinkston says

      February 05, 2016 at 8:20 pm

      Thanks, Fatima!

      • justin says

        March 15, 2016 at 4:50 pm

        hi jen - this is the exact color scheme I'm looking for for my house. i saw that you put the door color in the comments, but could you let me know what gray paint you used for the house?

        thank you!

        justin

      • Jen Pinkston says

        March 16, 2016 at 1:56 pm

        Hi Justin, It's kind of a mix! We chose a Sherwin Williams color but they weren't open the day we needed to buy paint so Benjamin Moore matched it as close as they could by mixing something custom. Sorry! I know that's not very helpful!

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