Porch makeover

Goodbye rotting wood, cracked single glazing, and ugly door (with unused catflap) that has been known to need pliers to lock! This is the reason I didn’t go on holiday this year – I was saving up for my new porch!

If you’re planning something like this yourself, it’s a good idea to ask your friends and family who live locally for recommendations of a company to carry out the work, and to read online reviews too. Also, talk to your neighbours to let them know what’s going to be happening. And I found it helpful to visit the company’s office to see glass samples, as I found it difficult to judge the scale of the design online or in a brochure.

One thing I would definitely recommend is getting white coloured finish on the inside. I hadn’t realised what a difference this would make, compared to the dark wood I had before.

Taking down the heavy curtains, getting plain glass in the windows (although I did get obscured glass in the door), and having a window in the door, all added to the light coming into this area. I just added a thin voile for privacy, but this is easily pulled back if I want to look out.

I painted the sides and back of the bookcase white, leaving the wood shelves as they were. This also helps to lighten things up. This is the bookcase where I keep some of my favourite vintage children’s books, and I think the white helps to show them off better.

This is now one of the brightest spots in my house, at all times of day (I keep coming downstairs and thinking I’ve left the door open, because of the amount of light coming in!), and I am finding it a new favourite spot for drinking a cup of coffee, eating breakfast, or reading. I’m thinking of replacing the chair and basket with a bench which would have storage baskets underneath – I’ve always hankered after a window-seat!

Being able to see out to the garden was something I’d looked forward to when planning this project, but I hadn’t realised what an amazing and emotional moment it would be when I did so for the first time. Seeing my garden from a new vantage point has in itself made all the expense worthwhile!