Building a Porch Swing

My farmhouse porch was missing something vital- a porch swing! I wanted one all Summer last year, and even found one at a yard sale... but they were asking $40, and it had chipping paint and rusted chains. So I didn't get it, but I haven't ever found a better deal on a used porch swing since then. So I started looking for a new porch swing. Sooooo un-me. We buy all of our furniture used. But the cheapest I could find was $150 and it was... well... cheap.

So my awesome husband volunteered to build me a porch swing with his own 2 hands! Very "farmhouse" of him ;-) He found some directions here, and got to work.

(Que hammer and saw audio effects)

My antique auditorium bench became a workbench.

And the porch swing started to take shape!

He built it just like they did in the good 'ol days!

Well... like the good 'ol days, but with a laptop and power tools ;-)

Yay! It's so exciting to watch something come together like this!

We got a can of "oops" stain from Home Depot for $5.

I LOVE oops paint- so affordable! I guess whoever returned

it wasn't satisfied with the color, but I like it!

My adorable daughter, just-a-swingin'!

Perhaps the trickiest part was hanging it by the ropes, but we are enjoying it soooo much! I think it would be easier to hang from chain, but I was insistent on the rope because it's cute, and it's silent :-)

The porch swing cost us a little less than $100 for the wood, stain, rope, and miscellaneous supplies. We even had to buy sandpaper. This was $50 cheaper than the cheapest porch swing I found, and it's waaaay nicer!

Find the plans to make this porch swing yourself here!  If you are going to attempt to build this swing, know this- it doesn't say that you need a middle support for the seat, but you do. The boards are just too long to support an adult person very well without it. Other than that, the plans were fine!

Please- make a porch swing a priority for your porch this Summer! You won't regret it! :-)

Purple Door Eye Candy

I posted about painting my front door here. I never noticed what a nice door this farmhouse has until I painted it. I love the details!

Don't miss the before and after shots here! And find more front door posts at Funky Junk Interiors.

Purple Front Door

I've been working on my curb appeal this Summer and watching everyone's porches everywhere I drive. Sometimes my swirving would indicate I should be watching the road. Anyway, I think color adds a lot to curb appeal, and I felt like our front door could really use a splash of something bright.

Blah Brown Before Door

Once you go purple, you never go back!

Not bad, huh? I painted it while bouncing the baby in the bouncy chair with one foot. Lol! I love the color and I'm so glad I had the guts to go through with this! It painted on really bright, but dried a nice shade of purple. Shew! You never can tell with paint.

Red would have been the most obvious color choice for a white farmhouse, but I wanted something a little different. And I love me some purple! Yay for colorful curb appeal!