Before and After: This $250 Porch Redo Is All About the Welcoming Vibes

Front porches are all about creating welcoming entry to your home. But sometimes it takes a little work to create the inviting space of your dreams.

Take it from Heather Cooke of InteriorSwag. One issue she found with her porch was its tricky layout, with a long and narrow design. “There was not much to it and it wasn’t a usable space,” Heather says. “We pretty much used the space to go in and out of the house. I always saw great potential in the space, so even though I did not like the space as it was, I knew that I could transform it into a welcoming entrance that my family and guests could enjoy.”

That was especially important to Heather since, she says, her family loves spending time outdoors—so she wanted to create a space that was fit for guests as well as for their own regular use.

First up, Heather pressure-washed the whole front porch. The deep clean helped brighten up the concrete and made it look newer. Then, she designed the space by breaking the area into smaller parts: “Since the space is kind of long and awkward to place furniture, I decided it was best to break it up into three sections: the porch swing on one end, entry in the middle and a seating and conversation area on the far end,” Heather says. “The project felt much more manageable and cohesive this way.”

For the seating and conversation area, Heather added a rattan sofa and matching chair that she scored for a song on Facebook Marketplace—just $60 for the set. “It is one of my favorite parts about the space, and really allowed me to achieve the design aesthetic I was envisioning,” she says.

Above the sofa, Heather hung a basket pendant for a little mood lighting in the evenings. A small rug and a pouf help round out the seating area.

On the other end of the porch, Heather installed a bench swing. “I’m a sucker for a swing and was excited to have found the perfect one for the space,” she says.

Finally, she swapped the old, dated red shutters for black ones that feel both modern and classic at the same time. Heather was able to furnish the entire front porch for just $250, with impressive results.

“I love how cozy and welcoming the area is,” Heather says. “The kids love playing outside and my husband Jason and I like to sit here to relax and enjoy nature. Given our low budget and the end results we are thrilled with the outcome and would not change anything, for now.”

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