Come By and Sit a Spell

  Southerners know what a good porch is. Open to the breezes. The slap of bare feet on painted wood floors. Fans twirling lazily overhead. A couple of comfortable rockers. A couch or maybe even a bed. Lots of pillows. Places to curl up and read or stretch out and relax. Some ferns. Some flowers. A dog bowl.
   My porch is my idea of heaven. I designed it a hundred times in my head before I hired the person who actually drew up the plans for me. There were a few of my great ideas that didn't translate well to actual design, so they went the way of dust. Everything else turned out almost exactly as I thought it would be. Except for the cost. That one set me back a bit.  I worked a few extra years to pay for this beauty, and I don't regret even one of the many many many pennies it took to to build it.
   Nearly every single day I walk outside and go "Ahhhh." It may not be your cup of design tea, but it sure is mine. Here's some porch love, The Mom style:

I found this old wicker in a consignment shop and kept my eye on it for a long time. I also prayed that it would not sell until I had a place to put it. Then I prayed that they would lower the price. 

Suffice it to say that God was good.

The porch has three distinct areas with varying ceiling heights to delineate the spaces.

Obviously the space above is part of the dining area. I bought the wood table at our local Habitat store and use mismatched chairs that I picked up here and there.

The white wicker and this table anchor the other end of the porch. That door in the background

 leads to our bedroom. We can enter the porch from the house via the den or the master bedroom.

The stacked stone fireplace is a beautiful focal point. 

We draw the sofa up closer for a "winter" furniture

arrangement where we love to cuddle up with blankets

 while we toast our toes and our marshmallows.

View from one end to the other

Looking the opposite way

   I told you I was serious about making this porch a relaxing place.

This little Victorian bed frequently calls my name. I love to nap here or curl up to read a favorite book.

Now you see why my porch is my Happy Place!

Thanks to the Baby Sister for her photography skills!