SCREENED PORCH MAKE-OVER IN PROCESS

As of two weeks ago the homeschool and play rooms are where the other used to be, so my kids obtained their own screened porch. I demanded all Little Tikes and such be kept on their side of the house. My (and hubby's too) screened porch is going through an overhaul, my husband is in the process of painting it for me as my Mother's Day gift.

I found a four piece wicker set at a garage sale for $125 with cushions that match what I already had in there. The cushions became the inspiration for my color theme. I attempted to paint and distress the set myself, but wicker is no fun to paint, so the rest of the set is off to a professional for a whole new look. It will cost $80 to paint and distress the rest of the set and have it brought back to me, which after painting this little table below is well worth it. It still will cost less than a newer, not as sturdy set.

Last year I bought this washstand (below) for $20 in hopes of using it as an ice bucket for parties - that has happened...NEVER, so it is on permanent loan to the new screen porch and I filled it full of these beauties. I found this birdbath (below) six years ago at a garage sale for $25 and it has never bathed a bird, so it too is on permanent loan.
This shot (below) is to try and capture the color of the ceiling and window trim. I chose Cinnabar for the ceiling, Lion's Mane for the wall and Wool Tweed for the trim around the windows and doors all from the Porter Paint Almonds & Honey collection. Click here to play the color sense game and find "your color personality". I bought this fountain (below) when we moved in this house and had it in the front, but it is very lightweight despite its heavy look and rolled down my very long, steep driveway. It's been in the garage ever since, not a nice place for such an awesome find. I paid way too much for it at COSTCO, so I won't mention price here. The wall to the right of the fountain is the new color for the walls.
Just for fun here is a picture (sorry about the glare) of the driveway - the fountain rolled all the way down past that white truck. Isabella was screaming from her room and we both stood at her window in shock and awe wondering how we were going to get it back home. My sweet neighbor came to the rescue.

I have always loved decorating, but have not had much time or energy for it. I am trying to be a better steward by using stuff I already have in different ways rather than buying new. I have been decluttering for way too long and realizing that I always bought new stuff before trying to make old stuff work, therefore accumulating way too much STUFF. Now I am not buying new things for things that do not absolutely have to be replaced. Well, except for the $3 (brand new) hair dryer I got this week at Walgreens, but that is a different post.

I'll post more pictures when the furniture is back and the walls are complete.