By Dave and Mary

Front Porch Appeal Newsletter

Signs of Spring Have Started Popping!

Issue #108 March 2020

porch rocking chair with pretty pillow
Take a pause and enjoy your porch
Porch sitting is the best. We know not everyone can enjoy their porch this time of the year, but hold on. You will!

Dave and I love it when the temperatures are favorable for porch time. To hear the gentle jingle of the wind chimes, the sweet tweeting of the birds and feel the soft breezes is priceless.


quaint front porch with painted windows
Sweet front porch
We like this sweet front porch, so peaceful and cozy.


What's In This Issue

  • Solve a Lawn Drainage Problem
  • See Our Porch Guide
  • Take Advantage of the First 8 Seconds
  • Spring Decorating Ideas
  • Safeguard Your Loved Ones
  • Discover the Story Behind the Story
  • A Bit of Inspiration from Us to You
  • Thank You as Always



Solve Your Lawn Drainage Problem

It's common to have a lawn drainage issue around your porch or home. Much of the country has experienced lots of rain over the past months causing a slew of problems for many.

We've had our portion over the years too and wanted to share a few helpful suggestions.

Keeping water away from your home is of utmost importance for several reasons. Whether water is causing foundation issues or just limiting the use of the property, draining it away is easier than you might think.

We've relied on using a French drain technique to divert water away from both our AC unit and home with great success. Take a few minutes to see how we solved our water issues as this may work for you as well.


collage of pictures showing drain solution around front porch


Match Your Porch, Landscaping, and Furniture to Your Home's Architectural Style

Did you architectural styles have distinct characteristics for landscaping, furniture, and porches?


Classical style For example, clipped hedges around the porch, brick walk ways and geometric plantings in containers, and teak furniture complement Federal, Revival, Tidewater, and Antebellum architectural style homes.


What Do You Think Happens In 8 Seconds?

Thinking of putting your house on the market this spring or summer? Here's a tip that might make selling it a lot easier. Most home buyers make up their mind to consider your house in the first 8 seconds of seeing it according to real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran.

First impressions count - so why not make the most of those 8 seconds! You aren't likely to get a sale if they won't walk through the front door.

Use your front yard, front door, walkway, and porch to entice people to want to see the inside of your home.


front yard landscaping and walkway
Would love to see the inside! Get curb appeal ideas here.
Painting your front door is easy to do and can add immediate curb appeal to your home. Listen to our podcast with Jim Rogers, President of Modern Masters paint, as he gives us tips and ideas for painting your front door.

Want a Front Door Color Tip?

Here's a great tip: Homes with front doors painted in black or charcoal gray sell for over $6000 more than expected according to data from Zillow. That's not bad for one's day's effort.

front door painted black




It's Not Too Early for Spring Decor

Spring is for Sure in the Air!

Now is a perfect time to start planning how you will decorate your porch for spring. We are going with a forsythia appeal this year with a yellow and blue theme. One or more of Mary's projects will surely inspire you.


Spring decor on our front porch is cheerful, colorful and old-fashioned!
Mary's pansy pillow toppers and more
Whether making quick and easy pillow toppers or spring wreaths from ordinary objects, spring porch decorating can be a welcome tradition and put a little pep in your step! It's a great way to rid yourself of the winter doldrums too.

Don't forget to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on your porch as well. Even if you aren't Irish, a little green can brighten anyone's day.


A Bit of Green for St. Patrick's Day

front porch all set for St. Patricks Day

Our spring porch is a mix of sunny yellow forsythias (that Mary painted) and a touch of green for St. Patrick's Day. The shamrocks are from the dollar store and are fastened to our rocking chairs with a simple silver pipe cleaner.


front door for St Patricks Day
We hung a green scarf from the dollar store on our front door. A wispy touch of green!
We like easy sometimes, so that scarf hanging from our front door is just one example. We added a bit of seasonal color and celebration - and it took about two minutes.


Safeguard Your Loved Ones

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through affiliate links on our site, we earn a commission at no cost to you. See our disclosure policy.

Here are two ways Mary and I recommend for protecting family, friends, and visitors to your home.

One Excellent Way to Prevent Falls

You can prevent falls on porch stairs easily by installing DIY handrails on your porch or stoop steps to prevent nasty injuries. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security believing that they are not needed for just two or three steps; it only takes on misstep to fall. We like these handrails as they are easy to install as a DIY project or for a local handy-person.


InstantRail Adjustable Handrail (Amazon affiliate)



Have More Peace of Mind with a Safer Place to Go During Tornadoes

Our middle TN area just experienced a tornado outbreak only a few miles from us. Many homes and businesses were lost along with tragic loss of lives.

If you or your loved ones live in a tornado prone area, we recommend you consider a tornado shelter.

a porch is the only remaining structure after this tornado
The only thing left standing is the porch
We discovered an innovative shelter that we want to share with you that allows you to use a porch or deck as a tornado shelter. This may be a perfect solution for many who live in mobile or manufactured homes or in areas where an in ground shelter is not feasible.

SafePorch installed as a front porch on mobile home
SafePorch installed as a front porch on a mobile home
Learn more about this innovative shelter here.

Tracing the Path Podcast

tracing the path logo
Tracing the Path Podcast
  • Did you know Route 66 started in 1857, with camels?
  • Did you know Frank Lloyd Wright, Susan B. Anthony, the Great Chicago Fire, L. Frank Baum and Judy Garland helped create the 39 year Wizard of Oz Tradition?
  • Did you know that Hostess and Twinkie Outlasted them all?


Find out the story behind each story. We are happy to encourage you to listen to to Dan Morris' Tracing the Path podcast. Enjoyable, entertaining, and quite intriguing!


Inspiration from Us to You

spring trees are blooming
Focus on what's good!
Enjoy a few moments to yourself, feed your heart and soul with thoughts of good, even if it's something tiny that brings you a bit of joy. This is one reason the two of us love porches: porches are a respite for our mind, a place where we can clear our heads and enjoy a bit of time doing nothing. Can you relate to that?

Even amidst health fears in the world, we can still enjoy our porches and enjoy our time at home. Take mini vacations on your porch in the comfort of your own home!

We heard Tony Robbins speak the other day with these pearls of wisdom:

- Let's focus on what we have rather than what we don't have.
- Focus on what we want rather than what we don't want.
- Let's stack up the good stuff in our minds.
- Let's give of ourselves and add value where we can.


Thank You as Always

beautiful Victorian home in the winter
Picture yourself basking right here
Life is busy and life is full. If you can, pause for a moment and just relax.

Can you imagine enjoying this beautiful sunshine and relaxing on this pretty porch? Wherever you are, put your feet up for a few minutes and enjoy a cup of tea or glass of lemonade. Do yourself a favor and cast your worries away.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day for us. The two of us appreciate you much.


We value our sponsors and the products and services they provide. They are like family to us!






You're invited to be part of our Facebook community. We share ideas with one another for decorating and using our porches. We are blessed with over 17,000 followers and would love to count you among them.


Mary and Dave Please enjoy browsing past issues of our newsletters right here. Take a few moments of chill time.

Happy porch sitting from your friends,

Mary and Dave


Life is short. Enjoy your porch.



As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases. We also earn commissions from other companies where are are participants of their referral programs. Here is our full disclosure about affiliate marketing.








Mary and Dave, Founders of Front Porch Ideas and More
Hi! We're Mary and Dave, lifelong DIYers, high school sweethearts, and we both love porches. You've come to the right place for thousands of porch ideas.

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Mary and Dave, Founders of Front Porch Ideas and More
Hi! We're Mary and Dave, lifelong DIYers, high school sweethearts, and we both love porches. You've come to the right place for thousands of porch ideas.

Find a Local Contractor
Get in touch with pre-screened local professionals for work you need done

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small rocking chair
At no extra cost to you, we earn a commission by referring you to some products on merchant sites. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases. See our disclosure policy.
We, Front Porch Ideas and More, confirm, as stated on our privacy policy, that we do not sell personal information.

All content here is solely for presenting ideas. We recommend consulting with a licensed, experienced contractor before you begin your project.
We make no guarantees of accuracy or completeness of information on our site or any links to other websites contained here.


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