For years, our back porch — specifically the covered portion — was one of those spaces that looked perfectly fine, but it wasn’t actually serving our family very well. The furniture was over ten years old, the layout wasn’t ideal, and we rarely found ourselves spending much time there. And with the pool installation, it was used even less frequently and felt even more disjointed since it didn’t feel like an extension of that space where we’d invested so much. It had become a space we passed through rather than a space we enjoyed. This spring, we finally decided it was time to change that.
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Before: Plenty of Seating, Not Much Conversation
The porch was anchored by a large sectional that had seen better days. While it technically offered plenty of seating, the arrangement didn’t encourage conversation or make the best use of the space.
Keep in mind, this covered section is modest in size, at best — about 9’x9′.
Over the years, we’ve learned that we (and guests) are much more likely to gather when seating faces one another, rather than having us lined up side by side. The porch wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t working for how we actually live or entertain. Through years of home projects, I’m a believer that functionality is what matters most.
Full disclosure, this “before” is before the seasonal clean-up and everything is coated in yellow pine pollen. There’s a few things that don’t below and a fallen wall medallion but this is, in fact, what the porch looked like just before the revamp. So, it isn’t its BEST before, but its true BEFORE before.
After evaluating how we would most like to use the space (and what would make us most likely to use it), here is the back porch after!
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
The Goal: Create a Space We’d Actually Use
Before purchasing anything new, we thought about what we wanted to do on the porch. Not just what looked good, but what would actually happen out there and what we wanted to happen out there. We pictured evening conversations with guests, board games with our daughter, hiding from the sun mid-day, family movie nights, football games in the fall…
Instead of another sectional or traditional sofa with chairs, we opted for four chairs arranged in a conversation circle with a large round coffee table in the center.
TBH, I’m pretty obsessed with not just how it looks, but how it feels.
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
The oversized club chairs have Sunbrella fabric and come in both a stationary and swivel option. I meant to order the swivel, and didn’t, but the stationary chairs have still been wonderful. They’re rated 5 stars for a reason! Plus, THEY HAVE FREE DELIVERY! You can find both options HERE.
Four Chairs and a Round Table Furniture Layout
This simple furniture change (along with a good cleaning 😉 ) completely transformed the porch. The chairs invite gathering and the round coffee table provides plenty of space for drinks, snacks, card games, puzzles, or whatever activity we’re enjoying. It feels less like outdoor furniture and more like an outdoor living room.
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
The Budget-Friendly TV Experiment
The other major addition was a television. My husband has wanted a TV on the porch for years, and this was finally the time. No, it isn’t technically an outdoor television — outdoor TVs can be incredibly expensive, and after doing some research, we discovered plenty of people online who had successfully used regular televisions in covered outdoor spaces. We found a great deal on an Amazon TV and decided to give it a try.
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
Was it a calculated risk? Absolutely. But because our porch is covered and the price point was so reasonable, we figured it was worth testing. So far, so good.
The person enjoying this refresh the most might actually be our daughter. Actually, not might but absolutely. She has loved spending time outside this summer watching movies and her favorite shows. And, we celebrated her birthday this week and closed out the day with a Toy Story marathon, while Dave grilled beside us. It was 100% perfection.
Her enjoyment and use alone has made the project worthwhile. She’s basically living out here.
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
There’s something special about taking an everyday activity and moving it outdoors. It turns something ordinary into a core summer memory.
The Back Porch Details
Another purchase that wasn’t rated for the outdoors — the pillow covers. But, I’ve been buying inexpensive pillow covers on Amazon for years now and by keeping them stored when not in use or under cover in the sitting areas, they have lasted and lasted. For years. These striped covers are under $10 for the 20″ version!
Pillow Covers (20″)
I also pulled a little lidded box from the basement decor racks for remote control storage for a little protection from the moisture.
Club Chairs | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″)
I typically keep my back porch planting to greens since I don’t have much patience for flowers, deadheading, and all it takes to keep them looking good. (See a post I wrote years ago on fool-proof sun loving plants for where I live HERE.) Here’s my big trough as it looks today, still growing and bushing out. There are 3 ferns in the back, sweet potato vine, and some other green spreading plant I’ve never used.
Eliza’s teacher gifted me a pre-arranged planter and I’m shocked that I’ve had it almost a month and haven’t killed it yet. It’s actually thriving.
The outdoor rug is perfection. It comes in so many sizes (even square!) and is super affordable HERE.
A few random cleaner notes…
- The trim around our door had mildew that has progressively gotten worse and worse, especially since it stays so humid where we are. I used THIS mold and mildew remover spray to see how it would work and when I sprayed it and went back to scrub and wipe, it had all disappeared. Without touching it. It was truly magic and I can’t recommend THIS stuff enough. If you have tough mildew/mold spots, it has made mine disappear with just a spray.
- I sprayed down our fabric with THIS outdoor furniture Scotchgard spray to help protect from stains, water, mildew, sun, etc.
Club Chairs | Coffee Table | Side Tables | Diamond Rug | Pillow Covers (20″) | TV (55″)
This weekend, we’ll be transforming this space into a Hello Kitty party backdrop — I’ll be sure to try to remember to post a look soon. Are you enjoying your outdoor spaces this year? Have you/would you turn a traditional outdoor living space into a conversation space?
