Decorating your porch for the Spring

Such warm weather last week. It was in the high 60's and to the mid 70 degrees. One day it even hit 80. I saw people sweeping their porches and taking note of their lawns and gardens. I even opened my windows to let some fresh air in. I am ready to start looking for some porch furniture and accessories. I have also been looking at some different porch decorating pictures in magazines and via the web to get some ideas of how I want to create a fresh country escape adjacent to my home right out front. Now that we are in April when the weather begins to regulate it will be time to plant hunt to give our porches that exact country or southern style look. Nothing more crisp and country then white wicker furniture or white rocking chairs with beautiful floral or striped fluffy pillow seats.

Spring/Summer Wreaths

Nothing is more welcoming then a wreath on your front door to greet your guests, and nothing looks more country then one hanging above your fireplace mantel or above your country cupboard. Here are a few wreaths that may give you an idea of what may look fitting for your home. I love the first, third, and fourth wreath on this page.

Snowing again

It's snowing again, I'm about to have some lunch and I decided to take some more pictures around the house while my food is cooking to offer inspiration to another who might be trying to capture that country style of decorating. I hope you like the pictures. Enjoy your snow-filled cozy day!

Got to represent my Savior. This cross hangs above my sofa to the right near the fireplace.

My three faux plants on the top shelf of my hutch in the dinning room.

One of the two yankee candles I bought last Friday, the other is farmers market, its smells good. I decided to try two new fragrances.

Two of my favs. my tea pot country lamp atop my country hutch.


One of my wall baskets hanging on the back of my front door.

My mini rooster chest on the side table in the living room.

One of the many bowls and pitchers I collect on the hutch shelf.

Another one of my roosters on the pine shelf above the couch. My home is full of them.

A real bronze oil wall lantern hanging in the living room above the sofa to the right hand side.

One of the many angels I collect. I found this one while on vacation about a decade ago.

Another rooster beside an inspirational candle on the shelf above the sofa.

I collect boyds bears and this is the graduation bear I added to my collection when my youngest daughter graduated from middle school in 2009.

Let the Sringtime in...

Warmer weather is on the way and soon it will be time to swap out our winter decor for spring elements. Once spring cleaning ends the heavy curtains will come down and our spring/summer sheers and lace curtains will go up to let more of the beautiful light of the spring and summer in.

Our accessories will change. The bowls of pine cones will be emptied and replaced with seashells and potpourri. We will swap out or winter china and bring out our floral china, white ironstone, glass pitchers, etc. While we grocery shop we will stop by the floral section and buy some new plants to incorporate fresh greenery here and there in our home.


Porches will be swept, glass tables and windows windexed, furniture will be brought out of storage and cleaned and ladies will be shopping for new country chair cushions if they are not going to use the ones from last summer. New plants will be bought and bulb planting and landscaping will begin.


Wash your front door, clean your screen door and front windows, touch up the molding with paint if necessary. Hang a spring wreath or welcome sign on your front door. If you have a large porch like I do don't be afraid to use huge planters and fill them with flowers and be sure to water them 4 times a week at least. I have my planters nesting inside a iron stand. I add cute butterfly stakes to my plants for an extra summery look.

Pulling things out of storage

I found some pieces packed away I want to try to create a changed look with. I feel the need for a change in my home decor. I know I am gonna make some improvements with the wainscoting in the dinning room and perhaps if I want to live dangerous a new color and I also want to find a new full country hutch.

My rooster and apothacarey jars on my mantel above the fireplace.

My county angel trio and single angel my older daughter gave me for Christmas in 2005.

my mini rooster trunk, I have a smaller one to match that I have to put out on my other side table on the other side of the couch.

matching picture and sugar bowl, I have a mini cream pitcher to match, haven't found the storage bucket that's in yet lol.

Quilts Make Beautiful Decorating Accents!

Antique quilts add fascinating country charm to a home. When choosing a place to display your quilt, check to see that the spot is not flooded with much natural or artificial light, which can cause irreversible fading. Rooms with low lighting, low humidity, and no temperature extremes are the best choice. Display your quilts by draping them it over a bed, use them in a guest rooms. You can use them downstairs in the living room by displaying them over the back of an upholstered chair or on a quilt rack. Quilts also make beautiful wall hangings, never use tacks, nails or staples to attach them to the wall! The weight can pull and cause tears in the fabric always use a quilt hanger.

Decorating with books and magazines

Display them on book cases and shelves mixed in with your favorite collectibles or potted plants. Stack them on your coffee table, sofa table, and end table in piles of three. Set a lantern or lamp, sculpture, urn, or silk plant on top of the books. This is a great way to create some interest in a display. If you are going to decorate with magazines, fan them out in groups of five, I display magazines that are conducive to my decorating style.

Different Styles of Country Decorating

Americana:

Americana decorating is based around folk art. This type of decorating was used by colonists and pioneers. Americana colors are that of red, white, and blue.

Americana pieces usually have stars and stripes on them. A lot of americana decorators use stacking boxes or wall groups with words on them like love, faith, and hope. The box groupings are usually displayed on a coffee table, a mantle or shelves.

Country Decorating:

Stars are hands down the most popular decoration used with country decor themes. Metal Barns stars come in all sizes and colors. They really added a lot to the country theme. Don’t be afraid of using a larger sized barn star in a smaller area, you will be well pleased with the result. Barn stars are used for primitive and country decorating themes.

Baskets are another popular country decorating accent. Baskets have many uses in a country home, to hold flower arrangements, potpourri, magazines, pinecones during the winter months, etc. Smaller baskets make cute accents on walls, shelves, mantles, etc.

Candles add scent and warmth to any room in a country home (use with caution and never leave a candle burning unattended). There are a lot of candles out there to choose from, soy candles, jar candles, votives, tea lights or even battery operated candles. I like to use larger jar candles to accent my coffee or side tables. I love yankee candles. You can also create a nice country accent piece by starting with a candle and placing it on a rustic lantern or glass hurricane candle covers. For an extra touch accent the base of the with greenery or stars and berry garland. Grubby candles look great in a primitive bowl surrounded by rosehips and the cinnamon smell is wonderful.

French Country

French Country is reminiscent of cottage style decorating. In a french country decorated home you will find lots of roosters, collectables, patterns with roosters on them, wrought iron fixtures and furnishings. Colors for the wall are usually a butter yellow type color or deep reds with white woodworking. Farm tables are found in the dinning room and kitchen. Floors are usually covered in terra cotta or some type of brick. Toile is a popular pattern used in french country homes. Window treatments are floral, lace, or some type of bold checked pattern.

Tuscan Decorating:

A Tuscan homes decor is inspired by the Italian countryside and rustic farmhouse villas. Tuscan homes are accented with Italian art and ceramics. The interiors color scheme is inspired by the beautiful colors of nature. Tuscan style kind of reminds me a lot of French Country, thats just my opinion, lol.

Country Christmas decorating tips

• Christmas tree – The best ornaments are the handmade ones. Don’t be shy about hanging too many on the tree. Garland made of popcorn and cranberries, homemade gingerbread cookies, candy canes and pinecones all work well. Colored lights are my choice but soft white lighting is good also.

• Wreaths – You can buy plain ones and embelish them with country touches like candy canes, french horns, pine cones, berries, dried fruit, etc, or you can gather materials you need from the grounds of your own home, such as holly, twigs, boxwood, pine cones and more.

• Christmas Cards – Use green, red, or some country plaid ribbon and string the cards up and hang them around your fireplace, your door, down the stair well banister or just along a wall.

• Scented Candles & Bowls of Potpourri – Yankee Candles or Virginia Candles have some great scents like Christmas Cookie, Spiced Pumpkin, Hollyberries, and Harvest.

• Gingerbread Houses – What says “Country Christmas” more than a homemade gingerbread house? If you dont want to bake one, buy one..

• Nutcrackers, Snowmen, and Bears – These items are perfect for Country Christmas design.