Once we completed the back deck last summer, we moved the dining table from our firepit area to the back deck, which left our firepit area empty.

Wanting a place to sit and roast some marshmallows, we then moved the Adirondack chairs that were once on our front porch to our firepit area and picked up two more to complete the look.

This was the front porch before…

And this is how the firepit area ended up after we swiped the chairs for this new spot:

But in doing so, our front porch was left without seating. This is when it hit me that the perfect thing to replace the Adirondack chairs would be something I have been swooning over for quite a while; a swing bed.

After I presented my vision to my husband, it didn’t take long for him to jump on-board, and below is the finished product! I’ve also included some tips in this post if you decide to make one, too!

And the view into the evening:

Although the space wasn’t the largest to work with, we deemed it just big enough. After taking some time to locate the studs in that area, we were able to decide on the size of the swing bed and after a few quick drawings, we got to work!

After designing the swing bed, my husband started building it while I went searching for the right stain, cushion cover, and pillows.

This picture is of us deciding how high the back should be, and I recommend getting your pillows out to see where they will hit on the back of your swing, giving you a pretty good idea of where you want them.

This is the stain I chose. And trust me, it looks WAY more gray on the can than it actually turns out. See below!

To make sure it all “worked,” I stained a spare board to make sure it all went with the finishing touches I had picked up. (All sources listed at the bottom.)

We also decided last minute to get rid of all of the shrubs in front of the porch giving more leg-room for the swing, as well as another way to approach the swing.

To decide how high we wanted it off the ground, we rigged a temporary rope through the d rings (the gold rings pictured below) that allowed us to raise and lower the swing to our liking.

And once we decided on the right height, which for us was 10″ from the ground, my husband used the rope to tie clove hitch knots around the d rings to secure it all in place.

TIP! If you look closely, you can see that my husband secured the d rings to the ceiling in different directions; one vertical and one horizontal on each side. Doing this makes sure the swing can’t sway too far out, hitting the house. Instead, it gives off just the perfect little drift back and forth.

Once hung, I strung some lights above, created a stone path where the shrubs once were, and it was done!

I am actually also really proud of that path! I went to the outdoor supply store, found all the stones, loaded them up and designed the path myself! Not bad, eh?

This has turned out to be one of our absolute favorite spots and we are often out here swinging away. Is this a trend you could see yourself having at your own home?

SOURCES (Click on the underlined words to be taken to the store)

Euro sham covers

Euro sham inserts

Throw pillows – Found at Homegoods and Tuesday Morning

Throw blanket- Found at TJ Maxx

Daybed mattress cover

Rope- 1″ rope, and we got 50 feet of it

d rings 

Twin mattress – Had a spare we weren’t using

The post Our DIY Swing Bed appeared first on Living with Lady.

I’ve always loved the idea of decorating porches but the two houses before our home now didn’t have one, so it has been fun finally having a little space to work and play with.

I will admit, when I came home with the dresser and hauled it onto the porch with the help of my daughter, my husband gave me the side-eye when he saw it. He couldn’t wrap his mind around having a dresser on our porch, but I insisted I knew what I was doing and that eventually he’d like it… and I was RIGHT! He goes out there and sits all the time! It just feels cozy.

I found the planter, dresser, iron gate, black frame, ceramic pot and black side table (pictured further below) at a local show called Farm Chicks. Because I went the last day of the show, I was able to score amazing deals on these items!

The Adirondack chairs and the white Pottery Barn stool were found on Craigslist. The dough bowl is from TJ Maxx, the pillows are from Ikea and the hanging plant, cotton stems, moss balls and green plant are from Hobby Lobby.

I found the vintage flag at a local shop, loved its character and couldn’t stop wondering what the story was behind it.

To recreate this look I have linked the exact or similar items below.

White Adirondack chairs- Similar ones HERE

Dresser- Similar style HERE

Black Metal Gate- Similar style HERE

Black Vintage Picture Frame- Similar (cardboard) style HERE

Hanging plant- Similar options HERE

Ceramic Stool- Similar style HERE

Dough Bowl- Similar one HERE

Small White Lantern- Similar styles HERE

Moss balls- Found HERE

Pillows- found HERE but if not near an Ikea found HERE 

Black Metal Side Table- Similar style HERE

Vintage Flag- Similar one HERE

Thanks for stopping by!

The post Our Front Porch appeared first on Living with Lady.