Nothing says summer like sipping cold lemonade on your front or back porch. Now that the weather is warming up, it’s time to get your porch ready and summer festive! Take a look at these colorful 7 ideas you can use for your porch this summer.

1. Reuse

Use your imagination and think outside the box. Scour flea markets and thrift shops for unusual items you can use on your porch. We love this vintage chicken cage that was turned into a rolling coffee table. Remember, almost anything can be refinished and painted!

2. Add Light

Candles and lanterns can give your porch a cosy and enchanting feel. They’re perfect for late-night summer talks on the porch. Arrange them on a coffee table in front of your porch benches or wicker chairs in various heights and sizes to add interest. Lanterns can be hung around the porch to add light and charm.

3. Paint the Floor

Give your floor a new look with a pop of color! Choose a shade that matches your home and your porch furniture. We love the cool blue of this porch, it makes the floor look like water!

4. Add Curtains

Curtains are a great way to provide shade on hot days and for privacy. These drop cloth curtains give the porch a rustic feel, and they’re really cheap at the hardware store!

5. Hang a Mirror

Adding a mirror to your porch makes it look more like an actual room. At night, the mirror will reflect the candlelight, adding more light to your porch. This large antique mirror adds drama to the porch, and the light creamy walls make the mirror pop.

6. Add Color

Add a pop of color to your porch! Paint your wicker furniture a bright color, or add colorful pillows. These blue wicker chairs pop against the grey walls and floors of this porch. This can be replicated by simply spraying the furniture with a few coats of an outdoor spray paint. Vintage wicker furniture can be found on the cheap at yard sales or thrift stores.

7. Choose Durable Fabric

To help save your cushions and pillows, choose a durable fabric that can withstand spills, and is easy to clean.

Photos: Home Decor Wall, Dying of Cute, The Lettered Cottage, House Beautiful, Dofaso, Between Naps on the Porch, Melinda Jennings, Bombay Outdoors.

Giving a mirror an antique look is an easy way to spruce up a flea market find, or add a layer of interest to an ordinary mirror. Any type of mirror can be aged using this method, and that includes mirrored plexiglass.

You’ll This is what you’ll need: 

– A mirror or plexiglass.

– Latex gloves to protect your hands.

– Paint stripper.

– Putty knife.

– Modern Masters Metal Effects Black Patina or regular bleach. This solution is an acid that eats at the surface of the mirror. Modern Masters works well and can be found online or in most art supply stores.  If you’re cheap (like us!) you can use regular household bleach. The effect is the same.

– 1″ chip brush.

– Silver paint of your choice.

Step 1:

Put on the gloves and place the mirror face down on a protected surface. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area. Apply the paint stripper to the back of the mirror and allow it to sit for a few hours, or until the paint can be easily removed. When you’ve stripped the paint, wash the mirror with soap and water and allow it to dry.

Step 2:

Place the mirror again on a protected surface and dip your brush into the patina (or bleach) solution and apply it to the raw reflective surface of the mirror. Mirrors age from the edges inward, so it’s best to apply the patina in heavier amounts around the edges. In a few minutes the patina will begin to eat away at the reflective surface. Continue applying the patina until the level of ageing is achieved. Rinse the mirror with water to stop the ageing process. Allow to dry.

Step 3:

Now you need to reapply paint to the back of the mirror. The color of the paint will be visible through the spots that were eaten away by the patina. Antique aged mirrors tend to have silver-grey spots. Apply paint until the reflective surface is covered completely and allow it to dry.

That’s it! Now you’re finished!

If you are looking to give your mirror a special, unique look, you can always consider cutting a plain mirror into your desired shape at ADS laser cutting. Instead of settling on a circular or rectangular mirror, think of all the possibilities like Moroccan shaped mirrors, diamonds, e.t.c.

Photos and idea: Apartment Therapy, Decor Adventures.