When Krystol sent her remarkable before-and-after exterior photos, we had to share the transformation. Below is her letter describing the project:
I love your blog and wanted to share our recent porch renovation. We’re trying to turn our rancher into a French country cottage. First, we removed the porch railings and moved the posts slightly farther apart—one post had been positioned right in front of the door, which felt unwelcoming. Next, we sheathed the existing posts in rough-cut oak and added a second set of posts to give the entryway more presence. My husband carved the arches from a single curved tree trunk—he did an amazing job. We also limed the brick rather than painting it.
Limewash is an old technique where agricultural lime is mixed with water and applied to brick. Unlike paint, lime allows the brick to breathe while creating that soft, timeworn look. It will wear away over time, which I appreciate for the aged character it adds. It’s eco-friendly and very affordable: a bag of lime was about $10 and we used roughly eight bags for the whole house. Painting would have been much pricier—likely a few hundred dollars.
The trim color is Farrow & Ball’s French Grey. The “new” front door came from our local Habitat ReStore, and we updated the hardware with Emtek. The seagrass rugs are from World Market. I love your blog—it’s a huge inspiration to DIYers like us. I hope you enjoy the photos of our front porch. – Krystol
Here’s what Krystol started with:
Here’s the house partway through the limewashing process:
And this is the finished result with new posts, carved arches, a replaced door, and updated furnishings:
What a dramatic change—the house almost seems like a different home. The limewash gives the brick a soft, aged patina, and the new oak posts with carved arches create a welcoming, cottage-like entry. Doing the limewash themselves for roughly $80 and crafting the arches from a single block of wood are achievements worth admiring. Thanks to Krystol for sharing these beautiful before-and-after photos. What do you think—are you drawn more to the carved arches or the limed brick?