We Designed Our Back Porch For Peak Summer Enjoyment… Here’s How She Looks

It’s backyard/porch/deck glow-up season and I’m extremely pleased to write this post from our new dining set on our back porch – currently the only shady part of this yard during the time of year when Portland does this thing mind boggling dance of winter/summer in a week – the 85-degree heat creating whiplash and all of a sudden we are buying fast and cheap outdoor furniture in a desperate attempt to sit down outside NOW). Before you do that, read this post and (spoiler) buy from Article which will get to you almost as fast with 10 times the quality and style (IMHO).

Our Back Porch Summer 2023

Last summer we had bigger fish to fry (design-wise) and didn’t spend one second on this porch – only walking across it to get to the backyard. Brian thought this was because it was too hot to sit here in the afternoon, I (rightly) responded that perhaps because there was nowhere to sit so OF COURSE we weren’t going to hang here. Now he’s right – in July and August it boils here from 4 pm -8 pm, but the rest of the day and year it’s the most beautiful view.

Turns out during the spring (recently) when we had like 4 small events at our house (school fundraiser prep) all the people gathered up here because (HELLO) that is where the food and drinks were on card tables. It was a real “if you build it they will come” moment (if you don’t know that reference THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IT MEANS YOU ARE YOUNG AND READING A BLOG INSTEAD OF TIKTOK SO I WANT TO SQUEEZE YOU IN THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!! Now go watch Field of Dreams and develop a lifelong crush for Kevin Costner like the rest of us :))

(Dare I Say) Summer 2024

Within two weeks this was done – with huge thanks to Article which once again has great everything, so fast, with excellent quality and service. I pulled together a plan that felt right with the dimensions, perfect for our usage needs, and then filled it out with plants and accessories. Here’s a little video tour of the space (just wait for the ad to play!)

Brian and I also debated about how to use the space and ultimately he was more right (I say “more” because I still think that my plan could work, too but we went with his ideas and it’s awesome). We put a dining set on the shadiest part of the porch (blocked by the rest of the house) and a seating area by the sunroom.

Loveseat | Side Table | Black and White Planter (unavailable) | Black Floor Planter | Portable Lantern | Coffee Table | Pouf | Rattan Chair | Throw Blanket

I needed a pretty narrow and shallow sofa so this loveseat was perfect (and I liked how the black tied in with the lighting and the black stair banister). I really really wanted one of their wicker lounge chairs (because they look cool) and y’all, I’m VERY pleased to tell you that it is very comfortable (i.e. not too low or hard to get in/out of and is really supportive). I matched the coffee table to the side table (because I’m a lady of cohesion) and added a flexible pouf (should that be my band name?).

Green Pillow | Clay Lumbar Pillow | Ribbed White Planter | Black Tray

Y’all, that is one of my favorite shots of the house thus far. Shout out to ARCIFORM for executing the prettiest back porch ever. And yes, we angle furniture and plants differently based on the shot so that chair moved a bit (we actually have two that fit in real life, but looked crowded in photos).

The Dining Room Side

The porch is not super deep (8′) so we couldn’t have a 4′ table without it feeling crowded. So I ordered this table and chairs to fit nicely in that nook.

Full disclosure the chairs fit with the table perfectly FOR US, but if you have more space I think the chairs are better scaled for a larger table (we just needed a smaller table and I wanted the wicker chairs to tie in with the lounge chair (plus the dining chairs are so comfortable).

Dining Table | Dining Chair | Blanket

Speaking of dining chairs: All-weather wicker FTW. All our 1970s Floridian grandmas would have been so delighted that the wicker of 2024 is so durable (no need for just the sunroom ladies). So modern and cool too. That dining table has some really lovely rounded edges that complement the chair arms. That solid teak top is also going to weather really beautifully out here. Also let’s give some cheers for that jasmine trying to climb and grow on our railing – hopefully by next summer it will be covering the railing and not attracting the bees that Brian is fearful of. 🙂

String Lights

It might be hard to see but we added white cafe string lights that are shatter-resistant, 50′ long and so affordable. At night they give the perfect soft glow (not too cold or bright) and Gretchen and I strung them every third beam which doesn’t look like a lot in the photos but in person, it’s perfect (and more would have been too bright at night).

A huge thanks to Article for making such comfortable, high-quality, well-priced, stylish, and fast furniture. Yes, of course, we are partnering on this porch, but I’m always so impressed with what we receive and the speed at which it arrives. Their outdoor collection is always good but this year’s offerings are incredible from pops of color to small space solutions and even decor. If you have the budget to do white-glove service they will put everything together and take the boxes away within (seemingly) an hour. Truly a great experience – both purchasing and hanging out all summer on our porch. Now don’t let the rains return!!!!!!

*Styled by Emily Henderson (me!)
**Photos by Kaitlin Green