Porch pretties: Spokane residents dress up their patios with welcoming flowers, decor, lounges and games

Porch season is in full swing.

For many area residents, the melting of the last hard frost and the hint of longer days is the signal to uncover their wicker, unroll their indoor-outdoor rugs, and unearth décor they’d tucked away in the fall.

We asked readers to share their pretty patios, porches and verandas with us.

Marcia Via’s flower-filled porch and yard blossoms with memories.

“A lot of my flowers come from friends and that’s my favorite part,” she said.

Red geraniums and white petunias brighten her black-and-white theme.

“I’ve got 70 pots of flowers between my back and front,” Via said.

Potted blooms mean less weeding, easier care and lots of enjoyment.

“I change the colors every year,” she said. “I like to play in the front yard.”

Likewise, memories make Joan Butler’s verandas and patio special places to relax, read or have a bite to eat.

Her 1903 home is listed on the Spokane Register of Historic Places. She said her wrap-around veranda is as big as an apartment with lots of space for seating or dining.

Climbing plants add greenery, while large area rugs define spaces. A love seat, hammock and plentiful comfy chairs invite guests to relax and enjoy the garden view.

“I spent a lot of time developing the yard and the gardens,” Butler said.

Her décor includes a large poster from a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta where she winters and lots of Native American and Mexican pottery.

“I collect ethnic art, and when I travel I bring things home.”

One of her favorite spots is the second-story veranda off the master bedroom. It overlooks a forested area where deer and other wildlife are frequent visitors.

“It’s where I sit and read the morning paper,” she said.

Florence Vela found an interesting and economical way to brighten her backyard vista – shower curtains.

“I saw it on Pinterest,” she said.

She hung two shower curtains side by side on her backyard fence. Both feature fieldstone cottages, one with a blue door and the other with a white-paned window flanked by blue shutters.

Flowers on the curtains mimic the artificial blooms Vela uses in her yard. In the winter, she swaps out the curtains for ones featuring snowflakes.

She loves her inexpensive view.

“I thought it was a cool idea,” she said.

Maureen Kohler agrees that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to beautify outdoor settings. For her, two rugs from Ross provided the inspiration for a fresh look.

“I loved the colors,” she said of the rugs’ blue and red hues.

Then she got busy with a paintbrush.

“I repainted the porch swing Sherman-Williams Silken Peacock and recovered the cushion,” Kohler said.

Her daughter, Grace, provided artwork.

“We raised our five children in this house, so I asked Grace to paint five birds on a line, on a blue and teal background.”

The painting hangs on a pillar next to the swing.

Another pillar features a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, purchased in New Mexico where her son Gabe lives. Its cornflower blue frame and soft red and green hues complement the colors of her rugs and pillows.

She found another fun touch in a closet – bocce balls. A tray of the brightly colored balls rests on a white, slatted bench.

Kohler unknowingly emulated advice Mindy Wright once found in a magazine.

“I read if you want to do something new outside, shop your house,” Wright said.

Much of what she used to decorate her front porch and back patio came from inside her home.

A cupboard she didn’t use got a coat of white paint and sits next to a round table holding a bowl of artificial roses.

Worn white curtains patterned with ivy leaves found new life, draped and tied back on front porch pillars.

The pink floral patterns on pillows, tables and throw rugs evoke a Laura Ashley country cottage feel.

Wright blends artificial flowers in with real blossoms, so her baskets and pots always look vibrant.

“Some things I got at a secondhand store, bought on summer sale clearance, garage sales or Facebook marketplace,” she said.

For example, a $30 “as is” wicker love seat from a thrift shop got a facelift with pillows Wright recovered, as did a porch swing on the back patio.

“I bought outdoor fabric,” she said of the swing. “I’m on my third color.”

Her soft green patio theme gets a cozy lift from tied-back white drapes suspended from a curtain rod on the pergola. An electric waterfall and small solar fountain add to the relaxing vibe.

She pins photos to an idea board for inspiration and charts her plants and flowers in a garden notebook. Her covered front porch offers respite throughout the spring and summer and into the early fall.

“I sit there in the morning and read,” Wright said. “Even on rainy days, I can sit and watch the rain. This is my room.”

Contact Cindy Hval at dchval@juno.com.