It’s curb appeal challenge reveal time! For the last few weeks, myself and 10 other bloggers were challenged to do a series of projects that would add curb appeal to our homes. I took on some fun projects and I’m really happy with how the porch décor and landscape lighting came out. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
But first, do you remember where we were just a few weeks ago?
Yep, that is my house. And just in case you are wondering about the multi-colored shrub by the front step, it is not some exotic variegated species of boxwood. Its just another dead bush that got one too many leg lifts from the dogs. So the first step to creating curb appeal was to clean up the landscape dogscape.
Landscape Clean up and After Photos
To recap week 1, I replaced the dead bushes and added white Begonias, red Geraniums and blue Ageratum. It will take a few weeks but soon the Begonias and Ageratum will become pretty mounds of flowers. I also hung 2 Petunia bags on the lamp post. I got them on sale for 6 dollars each at a local green house. SCORE! But beware the bags dry out quick. They need daily water.
With the flowers taken care of I moved on to creating a welcoming front porch.
Welcome Home Porch décor
I painted my front door a bright and cheery blue . I also created this fun pinwheel basket. Pinwheel Bouquet Tutorial Here
Btw, Ray (the wonder mutt) says pinwheels are his favorite. LOL
Next I created these ah-mazing concrete planters. Oh wait, that never happened. Well, it sort of happened. I did start the concrete planter project but after a day of lifting heavy concrete bags in the heat of the day while simultaneously trashing my garage, I decided concrete was stupid. There was a better way to acquire beautiful planters. I traded in the concrete project for a trip to the AtHome store. Considering it was either 20 hours in the hot garage mixing and pouring concrete or 1 hour in a beautiful air conditioned home décor paradise, the trip to Athome was a no brainer. Not to mention, the AtHome store has aisles and aisles of everything home décor so finding a couple of gorgeous ceramic planters was like shooting fish in a barrel
Here is my Athome find.
I love the blue and white! Big Chewie likes them too. In case you are wondering, Big Chewie is the shrub artist and the reason we replaced three front bushes.
The new planters complement my pinkish red sewing cabinet planter from week 3 too. Tutorial Here
Creative House Numbers
Week 4 was all about the house numbers.
You can check out the tutorial here
For this last week I finished up the front porch by sewing pillows and adding a few more touches to the décor.
Lighting Project
My last project was to add landscape lighting. I ordered John Timberland landscape lighting from Lamps Plus.
They arrived quickly and the install was super simple.
All you have to do is call Dad.
Hey Dad, how about some father/ daughter time putting in landscape lighting? Happy Fathers Day Dad! Sadly I’m not kidding, it really was Father’s Day. In my defense he only lives about a mile away and he is an electrical engineer. But seriously it was super simple and I could have totally done it myself. It was just a matter of connecting the wires. Everything that was needed came with the lights I ordered.
I’m giddy with excitement over the new lighting. The results add a lot to upping the curb appeal don’t you think?
I hope you enjoyed the Curb Appeal make-over.
In case you missed a week , here are the links to the tutorials and each week of the challenge…
Week 1 , The Curb Appeal Challenge Begins Week 2 , Pinwheel Bouquet Tutorial Week 3, Easy Upcycled Porch Planter Week 4, Displaying House Numbers Creatively
A special Thank you to our sponsors for this challenge:
Now check out the reveal projects from the other curb appeal challengers. I can’t wait to see what they have been up to…
Happy Creating,
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I love it all. You did an excellent job. You father rocks, connecting your outdoor lights on Father’s Day. It look greeeeeeat!
Thank you so much!!!!!
What a beautiful entrance you have created (even if your furbaby doesn’t look too impressed!). Love the punches of red colour as well looks great 🙂
You are so sweet, thank you. You are right my big baby was unimpressed once he realized he wasn’t going to be feed. He wanted back into the house but I made him stay for a photo. lol
Jennifer,
Your porch is beautiful! I love blue! Would you be able to share the color of paint you used for the door and the welcome mat? I want to steal them!LOL !
Jeannee
You are so kind Jeannee! With the door I started with Kingston Aqua ol668.4 (Olympic) but my door gets slot of sunlight and in the direct light the color was a little vibrant. I took it back to the store and had them grey it a bit to tone it down. If you would like I can paint you a swatch and drop it in the mail for you to color match. I have to get the paint out anyway and make myself a swatch for my records. 🙂
Is it possible that I have not commented on this lovely porch? I have only been raving about it all over the place. Well, it is time for me to correct that situation. There are not enough words to describe the beauty of it, from the lovely pillows to that awesome planter which is a burst of fresh air, and very original too! Pinning and sharing. Thanks Jennifer for giving us loads and loads of sweet inspiration!
What a beautiful transformation Jen!
Thank you Sandra! I hope you are doing better and are healing well. I was just thinking about you this morning and wondering how you are doing. Hugs- Jenny
Your porch and front yard are so beautiful! Your hard work really paid off, and I absolutely love the pop of color on your front door! Thanks for linking up with Creative Spark last week. We’re featuring your makeover at this week’s party. Hope you’ll come by and link up again – the party starts at 6am EST tomorrow 🙂
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate that. Wishing you a blessed week Emily
Just gorgeous! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the fan favorites at the Sunday Showcase from the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link so you can check out your feature. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2016/07/sunday-showcase-make-pretty-monday-6-9.html Have a great week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Aww thank you :). I caught that when I visited your site. Thank you so much Kathryn
I would be giddy about the lighting too. I’ve been wanting lighting like that for years, and it still hasn’t happened. I’d actually love to put some up-lighting way in my back yard in the trees. You are reminding me to add it to the list. Very appealing setting you’ve created!! (visiting from Brag About It)
Hi Seana. Thank you. You should absolutely do the lighting. I always wanted it too but never made it a priority. It turned out to be easier than I thought to install and now I wish I would have done it sooner. Have a great week! – Jenny
I cannot tell you my favorite part of the makeover. I love it all. What a huge difference the color and the plants added to the welcoming “wow” factor! You are so talented at creating fun spaces that make me want to hang out. Ray the wondermutt and Chewie have the right idea, let’s relax and admire the great space! BTW, is Chewie wearing a red bow tie on his collar?
You are so kind Nikki! Funny you caught that. Yes, Chewie is wearing a bow tie but it’s not just because he is fancy. Without it Ray the wondermutt chews on Chewie’s collar and Big Chewie stands there and encourages it. I wrap the bow tie in bitter apple and pepper and that cures Ray of his need to make a chew toy of it. DIY at its finest. 😉
I just saw your post from a linkup on The Vintage Nest and wish I had seen all of the transformation sooner. Your porch looks awesome, and I love the pictures with the dogs included. Mine wouldn’t sit still that long! I may try the rock painting house number project. Everything looks great.
Beautiful, Jenny! I love all the blues and the pretty flowers ~ it just looks lovely!
Thank you for sharing this week at Brag About It link party on VMG206 (Mondays at Midnight). I plan to feature you next week!
~ Megin of VMG206
So, so festive and lovely! Thanks for sharing at the Talk of the Town party!
Beautiful porch, It feels perfectly balanced. Ray is adorable!! Those are the best kind of dogs!! We have one just like him except all white with one brindle ear. They give the best snuggles!
– Jaclyn
What a beautiful area! I love the color of your door and the “hello” mat. I also love the red and blue color scheme and the beautiful flowers. What a lovely transformation!
Your front porch looks awesome Jenny! I love all the red white and blue touches and those flowers are so pretty. Big Chewie and Ray are super cute too 🙂
So fresh and inviting!! Love what you did!
Your front porch turned out fabulous! I remember the sewing cabinet planter from a few weeks ago! I loved it then, and it looks fabulous on the porch! And the lighting is fantastic, too! What a great dad you have!!!
Working on my porch this week for a new post, this was inspiring. The color blue is now calling me!
Hi Christine! It’s funny hat how much a little color change changes things. I look forward to seeing that post. Good luck with the porch. You are going to have so much fun doing it.
Hugs -Jenny
Love the turquoise front door! Perfect color! Calling dad is always my ‘go to’ also!!
Lovely, lovely Jennifer. Landscape lighting makes SUCH a difference, doesn’t it? And I’m still crushing on that sewing cabinet.
The colors of the flowers and fabric look great, I also made my pillows, So much work, but i enjoyed it. You have a great home. So pretty
Maria
Everything looks so nice. I do love a big peace lily. Everything looks so much brighter I was checking the pictures to see if you had installed a skylight in you porch roof.
Dogs sure are hard on landscaping, I’m constantly telling my two to get out of the garden.
Hi Vanessa! I was going back over the before photos too trying to figure out why it looked so much brighter myself. Painting the door and the bench was huge to lightening the space.
Thank you for stopping by. Good luck with your dogs and your garden 🙂 I hope yours listen better than mine!
Jenn, What lovely interiors you have. Thanks for sharing at Your Inspired Design Link Party.
Thank you Chef Carol
What a beautiful, welcoming makeover. The colors are so fresh and pretty.
Such a pretty and welcoming front porch, Jennifer! Your link caught my eye at the Creative Circle Party. I love how in the one picture your dog is looking up at the pinwheel flower planters hanging on the house – too cute.
that looks amazing. i love all the color and the uplighting at night! enjoy!
b
Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate that
It looks amazing! What a transformation! Perfect place to relax this summer. Enjoy!
Oh Amy, I’m so glad you like it. I hope you are liking yours as well. Your front porch is stunning! Have a great week, hugs Jennt
These are some great ideas! I will have to try these for my home! 🙂
Thank you DIY Thrill!!!