• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cottage at the Crossroads

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Gardening
  • Recipes
  • Canning
  • DIY
  • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Gardening
    • Recipes
    • Canning
    • DIY
    • Holidays
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Seasonal » Summer Decor

    Summertime Front Porch

    By: Jane · Updated: 7 Jul, '18 · This post may contain affiliate links · 66 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    Hello everyone! I'm so excited to show you our front porch all decorated for summer. I'm calling it my "Summertime's Calling Me" porch  and you'll see why in just a minute.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    This week I'm joining some of my favorite bloggers for the Elements of Summer Tour.

    Elements of summer tour

    As part of the tour, I'm sharing our summer porch because it's finally SUMMERTIME!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    So if you're new here, a great big WELCOME to ya!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    My husband and I live in a small, country cottage that's been in his family for a long time. It has a screened-in porch across the front of the house. During the summer, we live on our porch. It's the first place we head to in the morning to have our coffee. If company stops by, it's where we sit and visit together. And because there is a table on the porch, we enjoy the fresh tastes of summer out here, too. Have you ever noticed how much better everything is when eaten outdoors?

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    And I love to decorate the porch for the different seasons, and summer is no different. My goal is to make it a comfortable, casual gathering place for family and friends in a style that's suited to our country cottage.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    My inspiration for decorating the porch this summer was the song "Summertime's Calling Me," one of my all-time favorite beach songs. During winter, I can't wait to have the sand between my toes, can you?  It's one of the songs that we play on our Crossroads radio station which we're usually listening to while we're on the porch. So I made this little sign to hang here in the corner.

    Summer porch |cottage at the crossroads

    The front door is sporting a new summer wreath.

    Summer wreath | cottage at the crossroads

    I just added a few new elements to the grapevine wreath that I used on our spring mantel.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    The grapevine garland that has been hanging around the front door for over a year and a half has been summerized with fresh new ribbon and little red flowers.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    The red lanterns were used last Christmas and we loved them so much that we left them hanging.  The large burlap bows have made several appearances on our mantel, but they found their way out on the porch.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    Some new additions to the porch are these red and white buffalo checked pillows that I picked up at the auction for $5 for 2 of them. They are not outdoor pillows, so I'll have to bring them inside when it rains.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    The red planters were used in decorating our Christmas mantel and I'm really loving them on the porch. But my favorite thing I've done on the porch was to paint the concrete lamp white (another auction find) and create a ruffled shade for it! 

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossraods

    Sometimes a girl just has to have some ruffles, don't ya think? I'll give you a full tutorial on how to make one soon!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    I added some grain sack stripes to this table recently and placed this tic tac toe wooden game piece here. Can't wait to show the grandgirls that old fashioned games can be fun, too!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    I don't think I've shown you this pillow that my friend Ann from Sutton Place Designs made for me. She pieced together 3 different vintage grain sacks to make this pillow which is so perfect for our country porch!

    Lucy on the porch | cottage at the crossroads

    Lucy and our cats love the porch as much as we do.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    On the other end of our porch is the topsy turvy planter.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    Its new ladybug floral pick makes me smile! I like to have lots of plants and flowers on the porch during the summer which is a way of bringing the garden inside. And if you've never visited our garden, you can click HERE.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    Since you've stopped by to sit a while on the porch with us, it wouldn't be hospitable if we didn't offer you a drink and a bite to eat.

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    How about some sparkling cherry wine? I'll tell you how I made it soon!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    I'm serving it in these cute chevron cups that I found on sale. (Just couldn't resist!)

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    How about some of these delicious plums that our tree is bearing right now?

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    Or would you like one of these lemon thyme cookies that I whipped up this morning? So good with that wine that you're drinking!

    Summer porch | cottage at the crossroads

    So glad you stopped by to visit today.If summertime's calling you, be sure to visit all my friends below for more summer inspiration.

    More Summer Decor

    • Patriotic mantel 1 square
      Patriotic Decorations in the Craft Studio
    • Patriotic mini easel place card 2
      Patriotic Mini Easel Place Cards
    • Full garden tree 1
      Garden Theme Christmas Tree in our Entry
    • Watermelon tiered tray 1
      Watermelon Tiered Tray

    Sharing is caring!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Deb

      February 17, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      I just looked at all of the pictures of your front porch, and they are so inspiring. I have been to your site before, but I have never commented. I thought this time I should actually let you know how much I enjoy visiting your web site. If we were closer, I think we would be friends.

      Reply
    2. Kim

      June 17, 2015 at 7:14 pm

      Oh! Saw your porch on Facebook and had to pop over for the full tour! It is my red and white outdoor dream...so charming!

      Reply
    3. jeanine

      August 11, 2014 at 10:30 pm

      I love your porch! All the red is beautiful! Have you made a tutorial for the ruffle lamp shade yet?

      Reply
      • Cherrie Cadran

        April 15, 2016 at 8:29 pm

        I am also waiting for the tutorial

        Reply
        • Jane Windham

          April 15, 2016 at 9:47 pm

          Cherrie, here is a link to a tutorial for making a burlap ruffled shade.

          To make a red and white ruffled shade, you would follow a similar process. If you have a sewing machine, it would be easy to stitch the ruffles that way. But if you don't have a machine, you could use hot glue to create your ruffles. If you put a little decorative trim on the top, no one would ever know.

          Thanks for asking!

          Reply
    4. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions

      June 20, 2014 at 2:19 pm

      You have a wonderful porch, Jane! I think I'd be out there as much as I could. I love the touches of red you have. The shutters are a great feature. Are they just propped there or do you actually use them to close off that side {hot sun?}. The lamp is great and I love the lampshade you ruffled. I'd love to learn about your cherry wine. It sounds delicious.

      Reply
    5. Jean Windham

      June 16, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      Love the redo of the front porch. Red is so pretty with your existing wicker furniture. The color makes the porch come alive. The shutters add to the overall look of the porch. Great job Jane it's a hit. Jean

      Reply
    6. Andrea

      June 14, 2014 at 7:48 pm

      Jane...I see why Lucy and the kitties would want to be on your porch! I don't think that I would ever leave. Very pretty!
      Andrea

      Reply
    7. Melanie

      June 13, 2014 at 2:49 pm

      Those plums!!!!!

      Reply
    8. Mary

      June 12, 2014 at 6:15 am

      Jane, I adore your ruffled shade, buffalo check pillows and accents of red! I keep telling myself I'm going to follow your tutorial and create a topsy turvy planter 🙂

      Reply
    9. Marty Walden

      June 09, 2014 at 11:38 pm

      Gosh, Jane. I just love that porch and the pops of red. I can literally close my eyes and feel myself relaxing there! We just built a front deck and we've spent some time there in the evenings and it is so relaxing. It's way too hot during the day in the summer but I can't wait for the cooler fall weather to begin my day there! Thanks for joining us on another tour!

      Reply
    10. Mary Beth @ Cupcakes and Crinoline

      June 09, 2014 at 10:52 pm

      Your porch is calling my name, Jane {it sounds a lot like wind but I clearly hear....Mary Beth....}. Every element of your decor is cheery and welcoming. I loved being a part of the Elements of Summer tour with you ~ have a wonderful week.

      Reply
    11. Sherry

      June 09, 2014 at 10:08 am

      Jane, I am in love with your porch.....BEAUTIFUL!
      xx,
      Sherry

      Reply
    12. [email protected]

      June 06, 2014 at 8:37 pm

      This porch is BEAUTIFUL >I remember loving it at the Christmastime tour and I love it even more now. There's nothing more country Americana to me than red and white on a porch. Love the grain stripes and the ruffled lampshade and the lantern. I just love it all.

      Pinning and sharing on Facebook.

      Reply
    13. Allison @ The Golden Sycamore

      June 06, 2014 at 4:46 pm

      Man! All these summer porches are making me wish I had a porch even more! Someday I'll have one! 🙂 Loving all your summery touches! The red accents are so pretty!

      Reply
    14. Kathy

      June 06, 2014 at 4:10 pm

      Oh Jane, I love all of it! The food sounds delicious, and everything you've done to the porch is perfect! Love that you have those louvered doors out there, too! It looks fabulous!

      Reply
    15. Cheryl Jasso

      June 06, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Omigosh, best post EVER! Your porch is adorable, and you are amazing. The pillows on the chairs are just a perfect touch, along with the ruffle lampshade. It is all A+.

      Reply
    16. Lauren

      June 06, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Your porch is SO pretty!!! I love all of the red, it adds so much warmth and all of the beautiful details throughout fill your lovely porch with so much charm. My mom has some bifold doors that are sitting in her garage, I can't wait to show her your porch for inspiration, I love how you used them. I have pinned so many pictures. Have a great weekend!

      Reply
    17. Cynthia

      June 06, 2014 at 2:18 pm

      Jane your porch is so pretty, it is filled with so much charm and summer fun. Love the wreath with that bow, PINNING away!!!

      Cynthia

      Reply
    18. Vanessa

      June 06, 2014 at 11:12 am

      JANE!!! Your porch is absolutely amazing!! It is full of charm and character and so much warmth. The reds are perfect and it just all screams 'summer'. Love it all!!

      Reply
    19. Cuisine Kathleen

      June 06, 2014 at 10:32 am

      It looks darling, Jane! Happy porch sitting! We are still waiting for the pollen invasion to end before we set up the porch, I can't wait.
      Have a great weekend!

      Reply
    20. Jennifer @ Town and Country Living

      June 06, 2014 at 9:06 am

      Love all the red on your charming porch! And that ruffled lampshade ... I have to have one!! LOL. 🙂

      Reply
    21. Terri

      June 06, 2014 at 9:05 am

      WOW.... Absoultely gorgeous.. I still love decorating with the color red!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially love the views of the old oaks and the lawn chairs.... just begging for a visitor to sit and enjoy some good ole' southern iced tea!! 🙂 refreshment now??? 🙂

      Reply
    22. MariaElena

      June 06, 2014 at 8:13 am

      Your porch looks amazing! It just doesn't get any better than this. Beautiful! Enjoy your weekend. Hugs, Maria

      Reply
    23. SheilaG @ Plum Doodles

      June 06, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Oh, goodness, everything looks so pretty and inviting, Jane. I loooove the ruffly lampshade. Add the yummy treats and it would be hard to leave. 🙂

      Reply
    24. [email protected]

      June 06, 2014 at 7:40 am

      Love the summer touches that you've used on your porch. I'll bet that you and Leo enjoy many pleasant hour out there over the summer.

      Reply
    25. Brenda

      June 06, 2014 at 12:48 am

      I love everything but especially the door can you tell me the color you have on your front door please?
      Thank You

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        June 06, 2014 at 7:54 am

        Brenda, it has been several years since I painted the front door and I didn't keep a record of the color I used. More than likely, I mixed in some additional paint because I'm always doing that to get the color I want. We hope to get a new storm door this year so when I paint it I will repaint the front door as well. I'll do a better job of recording the color I use!

        Reply
    26. Pat @ LifeAtLydiasHouse

      June 05, 2014 at 11:50 pm

      I love your red lanterns and I'm so glad that you left them out and incorporated red as an accent color! "Summertime's Callin' Me" has been one of my favorite beach songs since college and I have it on my beach music cd that I play while enjoying my screened porch too! Delightful post!!

      Reply
    27. Yvonne @ StoneGable

      June 05, 2014 at 9:38 pm

      Jane and Lee... what a cheery, happy porch! I'll have some cherry wine and I'll sit and enjoy your company. Thant planter is so darn cute... just like the two of you (but not the topsy turvy part... haha)!

      Reply
    28. Stacey

      June 05, 2014 at 8:14 pm

      Your porch is wonderful! You know I love the touches of red and all the plants. 🙂

      Reply
    29. Melanie

      June 05, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      Love your porch, it is lovely! Now you have inspired me, love the red!

      Reply
    30. Lisa Palmese

      June 05, 2014 at 12:56 pm

      Jane,
      So amazing and thought out well/
      Just Beautiful. I would Love to come to your
      Porch
      Thank You
      Lisa

      Reply
    31. Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage

      June 05, 2014 at 12:44 pm

      Summer time is calling me too ... for a margarita!
      Kelly

      Reply
    32. Aileen

      June 05, 2014 at 12:31 pm

      Love love the porch...how do you make the cherry wine? How did you get started doing this?

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        June 06, 2014 at 7:50 am

        I'll put up the recipe soon about how to make the sparkling cherry wine. It's very quick and easy to make!

        Reply
    33. Diane @ The Checkered Apple

      June 05, 2014 at 11:33 am

      Hi Jane,
      Your summertime porch is truly eye candy! I especially love the red theme and would love to be sitting there having a glass of that sparkling cherry wine! Happy Summer!!!

      Reply
    34. Richella Parham

      June 05, 2014 at 11:06 am

      Oh, this is just wonderful! I'm sure you must be out there all the time in the summer. What a lovely, welcoming space. And it's fun to see all the red! Such a cheerful, happy color. Your porch is awesome!

      Reply
    35. Pattie fritz

      June 05, 2014 at 11:01 am

      Would love some ideas for my brick house porch. And so loving the red theme you have today

      Reply
    36. Hellan Jenkins

      June 05, 2014 at 10:47 am

      How do I join your blog?

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        June 06, 2014 at 7:48 am

        Hellan, we would love for you to follow along. The easiest way is to subscribe to get an email each time we post. Scroll back up to the top of the blog and you will see a button on the right side that says "Subscribe by Email". Just put your email address in the box and look for a confirmation email in your inbox. Be sure to click on it to complete the process. We LOVE new followers!

        Reply
    37. [email protected] Stroll Thru Life

      June 05, 2014 at 9:34 am

      Your porch is fabulous and that is where I would be all the time too. I love, love, love it all.

      Reply
    38. Linda @ It All Started With Paint

      June 05, 2014 at 9:29 am

      I'm in love with your screen porch! The details, those shutters, that topsy turvey planter -- so many amazing things to see and absorb and adore!

      🙂 Linda

      Reply
    39. Karina Clark

      June 05, 2014 at 9:08 am

      So pretty Jane! I love the shutters - a great idea for privacy and they add texture as well! And of course I noticed the lampshade (I make handcrafted custom lampshades), well done!

      Reply
    40. [email protected] Petticoat Junktion

      June 05, 2014 at 9:07 am

      Jane and Leo, YOur porch is lovely. I can see why you spend a lot of time there! I love the pops of red 🙂

      Reply
    41. Angela

      June 05, 2014 at 8:53 am

      I love all the pops of red! Your porch looks so inviting!! 🙂

      Reply
    42. [email protected] this top that

      June 05, 2014 at 8:36 am

      oh jane, summer time is really calling me over to your cute summer porch. i love all the red and white details. perfect! happy summer.

      Reply
    43. [email protected] Clutter

      June 05, 2014 at 8:26 am

      I love all the red! Super place to relax!

      Reply
    44. Donna Thompson

      June 05, 2014 at 8:26 am

      Hey, Jane: All I can say is WOW! You are so talented. Love your home, especially your special touches. Glad to be in touch! Beautiful picture of Lucy! XXOO

      Reply
    45. Pamela Gordon

      June 05, 2014 at 8:18 am

      I'm visiting for the first time from Ann On Sutton Place. I love your front porch and the red and white colour theme. It looks like a delightful spot to spend a lot of time in the summer. Enjoy! Pamela

      Reply
    46. debbiedoos

      June 05, 2014 at 8:02 am

      So so so charming Jane! Very cute and comfy space. I bet you and Leo like to chillax there after a long day of gardening!

      Reply
    47. Dawn

      June 05, 2014 at 7:57 am

      Everything looks perfect Jane 🙂 Love the red and white stripes with the buffalo check. Pinning for sure 🙂

      Reply
    48. Kim

      June 05, 2014 at 7:57 am

      Don't know how I missed this yesterday, Jane. I love it. You know I love red and what cute pillows, grain sack striped pillow and table and that ruffled lamp cover, oh my. Cute, cute, cute.

      Reply
    49. Liz @ Infuse With Liz

      June 05, 2014 at 7:56 am

      So cute, cozy and inviting! My favorite is the ruffled lamp shade! The topsy turvy planter is too cute. I would be out there all the time too. We have a bumper crop of Mosquitos this year so seeking refuge in a screened porch area would be the cats meow!

      Reply
    50. Suzy @ Worthing Court

      June 05, 2014 at 7:53 am

      Jane! Your porch is so, so pretty! I love all of the touches of red. Please save a glass of that sparkling cherry wine for me! It looks yummy and I can't wait to see the recipe.

      Reply
    51. Ann

      June 05, 2014 at 7:51 am

      This is just about the coziest spot I have ever seen. I love all your little touches that make an outdoor room live like one that's indoors. Thank you, thank you for featuring the pillow cover. It really is perfect for your porch!

      Reply
    52. Pamela

      June 05, 2014 at 7:40 am

      Jane I absolutely love your summer porch! Your ruffled lamp is darling and all the pops of red really make the space.

      Reply
    53. [email protected]

      June 05, 2014 at 6:57 am

      By the way, some folks may enjoy listening to the song "Summertime Is Calling Me" by the Catalina's. Click the link below to listen.
      http://youtu.be/oKVjzlv8VKM

      Reply
    54. [email protected]

      June 05, 2014 at 6:08 am

      You made it feel like home Jane. Now, where's that wine?

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads

    We're Jane and Leo!

    Thanks for stopping by! We're renovating and preserving our family's 100 year old home place where we garden, complete a few DIY projects, and do some cooking. Please leave us a comment so that we'll know that you were here.

    about →

    Reader Favorites

    • Setting up a gardening journal
      How to Set Up a Garden Journal
    • Wooden garden obelisks
      DIY Wooden Garden Obelisk
    • Sweet cucumber relish featured
      Sweet Cucumber Relish
    • Cucumbers in raised beds
      Growing Cucumbers in Raised Beds

    Gardening How-tos

    • Best way to remove weeds from large area
      Best Ways To Remove Weeds From a Large Area
    • Potting mix vs. Potting soil
      Potting Mix vs. Potting Soil
    • How to dry and store fresh garden herbs
      How To Dry Herbs
    • 1
      Instant Pot Canning Basics

    Growing Vegetables

    • Fall decor 063
      Our Fall Vegetable Garden
    • Garden and yard may 2013 132
      Evolution of a Garden
    • Celebrity tomatoes in cages
      How to Grow Your Own Tomatoes
    • Growing lettuce in containers 030
      Growing Lettuce in Containers

    Footer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    © 2021 Cottage at the Crossroads · All Rights Reserved

    Contact Us · Privacy

    11.7K shares