Have I mentioned I’m taking part in Home Depot’s Patio Style Challenge this spring? Just kidding, obviously I have mentioned it in practically every other breath since it’s all I’ve done for the past few weeks. It was a true challenge for me since freezing cold temperatures kept me from starting until things were down to the wire, but the screened porch makeover is finished, it’s all photographed and submitted, and I LOVE it. It 40º and rainy here all week so I can’t really enjoy it yet but I am even more excited for porch weather now!
I don’t know when it will publish yet but I’m super excited to share it with you. In the meantime, I thought I’d give you just a few little peeks. You may have noticed the new photo in my sidebar, which is kind of sneak peek #1.
I’m not sure what has happened to me in the past year but I have definitely, definitely become a big fan of pink. Mostly the deeply saturated hue you see in my pants and the pillows above, the rugs in my entryway, and the chairs in my dining room.
Did you notice I dressed basically exactly like the screened porch? I was sitting on the sofa getting ready to take this photo, looked down, and said, “Ohhhhhhhh…” And then debated whether to change or just go with it. I obviously opted to go with it. I may not be super perceptive but apparently my taste is super consistent across clothes and interiors!
Here are a few other sneak peeks.
And now that real life part I mentioned in the title. Scott came out to watch for a bit while I was taking photos of the porch last week. He kind of laughed and said, “It’s sort of funny how this room looks all perfect and just inside the house is a disaster.” Which isn’t always the case but it sure is the case sometimes.
My six year old got a strep throat diagnosis on Monday and had been super sick all of last week. It seems likely now that what I thought was a stomach virus for her mid-week was actually part of the strep infection. So while the porch was looking all light and bright and tidy, the family room on the other side of the door had rug cleaning powder all over the carpet to soak up the vomit, the sofa was missing half its cushion and pillow covers which were in the washer, and there was a faint smell of vinegar from where I tried to clean the parts of the sofa I couldn’t remove to wash. The untainted furniture was strewn about the room, the kitchen counter was piled with laundry to be folded, and my hands were practically bleeding from all the cleaning and from the constant washing to try to avoid the germs myself.
I love looking at pretty home pictures. I find them inspiring and they get my creative juices flowing. And even though I know that the reality behind a lot of these (maybe even most?) is that the mess has been pushed out of the camera frame, I still have these moments where I think, “Wow, how does she keep her house like that?!”
“She” probably doesn’t. We’re all human and have days, weeks, whatever, where we can’t stay on top of things, illnesses or deadlines or stress keep us from tidying up or cleaning toilets or folding laundry. And that is okay. It’s normal. I am so (so, so, SO) excited to share my pretty porch pictures with you, but know that my reality is just like yours. At least I hope it is – if your house looks perfect all the time just don’t tell me.
Now I am going to fold some laundry.
Those chairs!!!!! And the photo of you! Love it, can’t wait to see it and good to know you are human and not the super woman I think you are. Although I think you are lying LOL, you are super woman! (aka super cook, super DIYer, super model, super decorator ;)
Yes, I LOVE the chairs! And you are too generous, most times I don’t feel like a super anything. But thanks for thinking it of me anyway :)
I am excited to see this Jennifer! I love the pink/navy combo. That’s a great photo of you too :)
Navy is my new black ;) Though I still love black. Thanks so much, Kristin!!
So pretty! And you’re so right. :)
Thanks, Gwen! And I think maybe I am just hoping I’m not only one who is shoving slobbery behind the camera half the time ;) I think anyone with little kids gets how hard it is to keep things picked up!
oh it’s gorgeous! i love the pink and i have noticed how it has become one of your colors!
I never thought of myself as a signature color kind of person but I think I may have stumbled into it ;)
my coluhs are blush and bashful
Subject: Re: Comment on Patio Style Challenge Sneak Peek + Real Life
Haha – totally what I was thinking too!!
It’s SUPER gorgeous! Can’t wait to see the full reveal :)
Thanks, Sarah – likewise!!
Awww, Screened porch! Ours is hands-down our favorite room in/of the house!
And embrace that deep pink. Our front door is a bright raspberry and even after years of sons’
head wagging and eye rolling, I am still in love with it.
I am so drawn to the color, I just can’t seem to stop it from taking over ;)
Can’t wait to see the entire reveal! LOVE screened in porches ~ so wish I had one. I can’t imagine that your house is ever messy. :) It’s so weird…I’ve always loved red and I adore black and white. Still do! However, when I moved here I had an accent wall in my bedroom painted navy and it’s awesome. Also, I’ve never, ever been a “pink” person but am loving the same shade you mentioned! Couldn’t be further from the “norm” for me. Your photo is awesome! Love what we can see of the decor too.
I wouldn’t say no screened porch was a deal-breaker for us when we were looking at houses but we were really, really hoping for one! And I felt that same way about pink for the longest time but am now realizing that one particular shade really works for me…so I’m running with it :) Thanks for the super nice comment, Pat!
Eeekk! I’m loving it. Plus you styled with delicious looking donuts, so it’s pretty much a complete win from what I’m seeing! ;) Also your picture is awesome.
You have no idea how badly I wanted to eat those doughnuts during the photographing! It’s probably what my girls would say is their favorite thing I’ve ever done for them ever – let them eat chocolate doughnut photo props for dessert that night. So I also got best mom ever that evening. All around wins ;)
Preach sister!! Im loving these sneak peeks friend. Cant wait to see the entire space. Im also completely in love with pinks lately.
Thanks, Shavonda. I just can’t quit the pink. Been thinking about you these past couple of days – hoping all is well.
Wow, Jen! I love it so much already. And YES! I agree with every bit! Hope your little one is feeling better!
Thanks, Jennifer. The second little girl got a strep diagnosis today actually :( Just one of those weeks!
Jen, it looks so gorgeous! Oh, and what a beautiful picture of you! I’m so sorry that your 6 year old was sick :( That stinks. My two boys kept getting sick repeatedly but now they are better. Hope she’s feeling better soon! x
You are so sweet, thanks, Danielle :) The other girl went down today too, but we’ll find our way out of this eventually! Hoping Scott and I stay clear of strep, I’ve heard it is AWFUL as an adult.
Ahhh, I am dying to see!!! And you look gorgeous in your new photo!
PS-I’m a pink lover too! ;)
Thanks so much, Gabbi! And the pink…oh how I love the pink!
Gorgeous girl and sneak peek! :) Once I asked my friend if I could come take some pics of her house and her husband said, ‘We need to clean first.” She said, ‘Oh it doesn’t have to be clean, you should see what she does with stuff!” LOL
Haha – so true!! I just had a similar exchange with my aunt. She said, “Your house looks like it’s always picture-ready,” to which my mom burst out laughing and said, “Oh, it’s not!” Always laundry piles somewhere :)
LOVE that you matched your screened porch makeover. Pink looks hot on you! And the sneak peeks are pretty dreamy too! And I love that you keep it real, I hope everyone is feeling better soon.
Glad you don”t think I am super dorky! And thank you for the compliment and the well wishes. I know we’ll get out of this sick patch soon but I am one exhausted nursemaid right now!