Our Simple Summer Verandah 2021

New Year typically sends people into a frenzy of decluttering and organising. I use the time to give everything a bit of a refresh because our house is mostly clutter-free. This could be as simple at moving things around and doing a deep clean of the space. Our back verandah has been unloved this past couple of months. We’ve had no summer weather where we could sit outside, so the furniture was left covered. But with family coming for lunch and the weather looking like it might be fine, it was time to refresh our summer verandah and make it guest-ready.

Giving Everything a Good Clean

The first thing I did to get our summer verandah ready was to clean. You must get sick of me harping on about this but, honestly, you must start with a clean foundation. I power washed our decking not long ago. Therefore, the only cleaning I had to do was a quick sweep to removes leaves and dust. Cobwebs build up on the walls when you live on a farm. I used a cobweb brush to get rid of mine. The white window ledges were wiped with a damp cloth to make sure the dirty spots were gone and I cleaned the glass on my light fitting. The seat pad on the church pew got a bash with the broom too. We don’t want any nasties crawling up the guests’ legs while they’re eating, do we?

Adding Greenery to the Summer Verandah

Let’s face it, plants make everything feel homey and lush (if you can keep them alive!) I didn’t have time to buy new plants for our verandah space and we don’t really need more ‘stuff’. To make the verandah feel homey I went around the farmhouse and selected a few plants to move into this area for the rest of the season.

I used a mix of faux and real plants which I dotted around the space at varying heights to create interest. (You know how bad I am at keeping plants alive so getting good quality fake ones is a bonus for me.) The little succulents in terracotta pots went onto the window sill. My olive tree (an absolute bargain that everyone thinks is real) was moved to near the pew. I stood it on a simple wooden box. Sadly, you can no longer buy this tree, possibly because it was such a steal. But Ikea does have a good substitute at a reasonable price. I put my favourite bunch of eucalyptus into the urn on the serving bench. Seriously, the eucalyptus is one of the best decor items I’ve ever bought. I use it year-round and it looks so real.

Make A Wreath

To finish the look on our summer verandah, I made a huge wreath from branches from our Redwood tree. Gavin was trimming the tree so I grabbed a few before he put them into the compost bin. A splash of colour was added with urns of lavender next to the table and door. These urns live on the verandah but I move them around all the time! They get new plants in them regularly too and the old ones Gavin plants in the garden.

Simple Vintage Touches

I didn’t forget the vintage touches on my summer verandah either. The serving table has an old dough bowl and a painted old birdcage I love. The ladder we found in the garden leans against the wall and is used for storing blankets when we have guests in the cooler months. This is the kind of verandah decor I love. It’s rustic and simple. It can easily be switched around when I want a new look. Which is quite often 🙂

Bringing Softness to the Summer Verandah

You know how much I love a cushion. But, I don’t tend to keep them outdoors for obvious reasons. Mostly, I drag a few around from another spot or get a couple from the linen cupboard. I might change out the covers to suit the theme of the table if we are eating. As this table was fairly simple, I brought out two linen cushions from indoors and sat them on the pew. They add a comfy touch to the seating area and soften all the hard edges in the space. The denim blue also adds colour to coordinate with the lavender.

Laying the Table

Yep. My latest obsession is officially laying a pretty table. Making use of flowers from our garden, I cut tea tree from our bushes to make a posey for the table. There’s nothing to stop you from putting little posies in any area you like to sit. Flowers make even the dullest area look pretty.

I then set the table with bamboo placemats and some gold cutlery and gold-rimmed glasses to elevate the look. These sets from Target and Kmart did not cost the earth so if something gets broken I wouldn’t mind. The tumbler wine glasses are versatile enough to use for water or wine. The linen napkins were simply tied with string to add some rustic charm. I love the casual look that was elevated and now we have a number of plants on the verandah I am inspired to maybe add some more!