Grand *Porch* Details

 What a lovely day we had today.  

Here in Northern Illinois, you just can't beat sunshine and temperatures in the fifties in January!  

I was able to read (blogs on my iPad) out on the porch today!  

It was pure heaven.  A true cabin fever reliever!  

I soaked it up eagerly, because I know it can't last.

Careful observers may recall that we remodeled our porch several years ago.  

You can read about it here.
I swore at the time that I wanted a good old fashioned screened porch, not a sun room.
We designed the porch using custom wood storm doors that we ordered online.  They came with storm window inserts and we thought, what the heck, the storms might keep the porch cleaner over the winter.  Well, we put them in for the very first winter and we have never taken them out!  So much for the screened porch thing.  The screens sit, unused, in the basement. We get so much more use out of the porch with the glass inserts- it stays much warmer for three seasons, and it stays much cleaner year round.  For someone with allergies, it's nice to feel like you are outside, but without the pollen.
Today, I took some interior photos to share with you. 

On fair days, you will often find me sitting in the little rocker below.

I'm kind of like Goldilocks - only brunette and slightly older- and this rocker is just right.  

I can sit there and survey the neighborhood, keep an eye on the front door 

and the bird feeders  (Hello, Gladys Kravitz)

 and never have to budge.

Today was one of those days.

(After I went for a long walk with a good friend and our happy dogs...)

We like to "dine" out on the porch as often as we can.  

With a little space heater, we can be out here in three seasons, and sometimes four!

 

This buffet cabinet was made for us by - can you guess - my talented friend, Ed!  

Remember Dr. Ed?

He does some pretty nice work.  

 We needed a large serving piece for this area and I shopped around for one but couldn't find exactly what I wanted.  For Christmas that year, Mr. Grand suggested I design a cabinet just the way I wanted it and have Ed build it!  Now, that's my idea of heaven.
I have often thought that if I won the lottery,
I would sit around designing things that Ed could make for me.  

So I designed a cabinet and Ed made it real.

 It's almost six feet wide and three feet tall.  

We wanted something that could handle a crowd.

I love the beaded edge on the doors and drawers

and the way the diamonds insets are glazed.

Bravo, Ed!

The mirror is by Ralph Lauren.  

I love the texture of the weave and all the detail on the edges.

Do you remember the Chandelfan?  I found the chandelier at the flea market and really, really wanted to hang it out on the porch, below the ceiling fan.  Our trusty electrician said "No problem!".

Can't wait til it's warm enough to need the fan again!

Until recently, I wasn't quite happy with the pillows I'd made for the porch.  

I like the fabric and  pom-pom fringe and the color,

but something about the proportions always bothered me.  

Then, (thank you, Blog world) I read about Karate chopping your pillows to give them a crease.

So I gave 'em a good chop and now I think they're just right! 

Do you Karate chop your pillows? 

Did everyone but me already know about this???

Thanks for visiting the Grand porch with me!

Linking to:

Savvy Southern Style

Wow Us Wednesdays

No Minimalist Here

The Space Between

Linking to The Charm of Home

DIY By Design

Furniture Feature Fridays

My Romantic Home 

2805 Inspiration Friday 

At the Picket Fence

French Country Cottage  

The Shabby Creek Cottage 

From My Front Porch to Yours 

Common Ground

Pom Pom Party at Jennifer Rizzo