Finally took the photos and videos for this post and I can’t wait to share — it truly transformed our home. Meet the space we now call the kitchen porch: the grillin’ spot surrounded by greenery.
If you followed along on Instagram Stories these past months, you know this side porch always existed — but after we closed off two bedroom doors that used to lead out here (yes, our bedroom originally had eight exterior doors and still has six), the porch became a floating space with no direct access. Below is an older photo showing where we started (after the exterior stairs were removed but before the house was repainted and the railings replaced).
The window you can see in that photo looks into the kitchen. The double doors on the left are the old bedroom doors we patched so we could place our bed in the best spot and gain a larger closet.
And here it is now. The change made the space much more functional for our family. We can step outside and grill just a few steps from the kitchen — the grill sits maybe five steps from the counter — and we also use the nearby parking spot because it’s closer to the house, which makes bringing in groceries faster and easier.
We also now have a safe, fenced side yard that Burger loved. Losing him makes this area bittersweet — he only enjoyed it for a short time, but he clearly loved it. Someday we’d like to rescue another dog and this yard will be perfect for that.
If you fast-forward from the dark brown before shot and pause in the middle of the project, you’d see this intermediate phase:
That photo shows the porch after we terminated the bedroom doors. We drywalled over them and frosted the glass so it didn’t look too rough from the outside, but we always planned for a permanent fix. We painted the porch floor to tidy things up, then installed Trex decking to match the rest of the house. We have Havana Gold Trex on the upper deck and front porch, so bringing this porch decking into the same family made everything feel cohesive. Adding a door from the kitchen directly to the porch completed the upgrade.
If I could wave a magic wand I’d make this deck a touch wider, but lot setbacks limit us. When we want more room at the table we just scoot it out a bit and it works fine. That maiden meal on the porch was delightful — the table pushed out a little, everyone cozy, and Burger so happy he was practically beaming.
When the table isn’t in use we tuck it back toward the house. Early on we hadn’t installed the metal roof yet — more on that in a moment.
The big fig tree to the right almost brushes the porch, but even when we haul in seven grocery bags at once it never gets in the way. There’s a short video walk-through later in the post that shows the side yard and porch in action.
We added a watertight metal ceiling over the porch because rain used to seep through the upper deck boards and down onto this space. The same contractor who patched the exterior and added the kitchen door installed the tin roof, and it was worth every penny. Now we can grill and dine here rain or shine.
With seating inside that can squeeze seven and an outdoor table that seats four more, we’ve tested seating for eleven. The adults tend to claim the outdoor table by the grill while the kids take the indoor table — it works perfectly for gatherings.
About the grill: friends raved about it for so long we finally bought one. It has a small window in the lid so you can check food without lifting it, and we’ve used it to cook burgers, chicken, and even pizza. It’s fantastic, and having it so close to the kitchen means we actually use it far more than grills that sit across the yard.
The new door connects directly to the kitchen — the dishwasher is to my left in this photo — and the proximity to the grill still delights me. Five steps, maybe four if you’re John “LongLegs” Petersik.
To the left of the kitchen deck we hung a kid-favorite tent swing last year and it remains a magnet for the kids and their friends. Beyond that, John mounted his paddleboard on the fence — it’s been a useful storage spot.
We invested in a fence and landscaping that turned a previously streetside, undefined area into several usable zones: a parking spot with crushed rock, stepping stones to the gate, a fire pit area, the hanging swing, and our kitchen porch. Defining the space makes it feel larger and more functional.
At night the whole property glows and feels warm and inviting. The combination of painted siding, string lights, potted plants, and the fig trees gives the house a modern, lived-in, welcoming look.
We planted several fiddle leaf figs after discovering one thrived on the deck for a year outdoors. One is even planted in the ground to see how it fares long-term. So far they’re thriving and add a lush, sculptural element to the yard.
Another small but impactful detail: string lights. Put them on a timer and they’ll pull everyone outside in the evenings. We’ve observed it again and again — they make the space feel cozy and celebratory.
The wood table we chose is affordable and warm. I sprayed it with a clear matte sealer and it’s held up well against spills and morning dew. It’s become a favorite spot for meals next to the grill.
The stepping stones lead from the gate to the porch and parking spot. From certain angles you can see how the fig trees and plantings change the sense of scale; defined spaces really do feel bigger and more usable.
A streetside curb find gave us that rattan table behind the grill — treasures sometimes show up abandoned and become useful decor. It currently holds a shell collection and a plant, but would also be handy as a grill-side serving station.
We designed the kitchen steps to be wide and left planting beds on either side so they wouldn’t clash awkwardly with the angled bedroom steps that lead toward the fire pit. The planting beds give the entry a softer, more intentional feel.
The view from the kitchen used to be a broken-down exterior wall and missing cabinets. Now a full-glass door frames the porch and yard, giving us a lush view while we prep meals or load the dishwasher. The moment they cut the opening for the door we both exclaimed about how incredible the view would be.
At night, with the string lights and the glow from inside, the space feels almost magical.
In short: we love plants, the grill is five steps from the kitchen, and we absolutely adore this porch. John plans to share more about the kitchen changes we made when this door went in, so stay tuned for that post.
We’re also thinking about the total exterior square footage of decks and patios — counting the front porch, upper deck, pool patio, and this kitchen porch it might exceed the house’s interior square footage. We love spending time outdoors; creating multiple inviting outdoor zones with string lights and plants makes the house feel much larger.
Below is a video tour of the space so you can walk around with us. The footage transitions from day to night a few times; John edited it with a playful day-to-night rhythm that I love.
Note: You can also watch this video on YouTube.
There’s another video that shows an aerial peek at the fenced-in yard and how the stepping stones lead to the gate and kitchen porch; it’s included near the end of a recent family room and deck video.
That’s it — happy Monday. May you find a corner to love as much as we love our porch, string lights, and figs. Goodnight and good luck.
P.S. Our Annual Gift Guide was shared last week if you missed it.
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