Easy Ceiling Porch Makeover Ideas

Refreshing a front porch is an easy way to boost the curb appeal of your home. A good cleaning, a little paint, and a profusion of colorful annuals can turn even a ‘ho hum’ porch into an inviting area in which to relax or greet visiting guests.A porch refresh shouldn’t stop with just the floors. Even though the porch ceiling is something we don’t always think about, it does get noticed by our guests and should be kept clean and tidy. I clean my porch ceiling several times a year by vacuuming the ceiling with an upholstery brush to remove dust and spider webs. The light fixtures are also taken down and washed in hot, soapy water, and aggressive climbers (like roses or wisteria) are pruned back so that their tendrils won’t work their way behind the eaves and soffits.

A thorough cleaning is one way to make over a porch ceiling without spending a lot of money or a lot of time. Here are some other ideas that can freshen up your porch ceiling for spring.

Fresh paint. Robin egg blue is the traditional color for porch ceilings, especially in Victorian homes where blue was considered to be an extension of the sky. If blue is too traditional for your taste, try painting your porch ceiling in pale green, olive green, bright yellow, tangerine, washed sand, or terra cotta for a refreshing new look.

Replace the light fixture. If your porch lights are cheap utility lights or date back to the 1970s or 80s, they too could benefit from a makeover. A new flush mount porch light will change the look of your ceiling while providing more light too. Flush mount porch lamps start at $30 with an average price around $70, and are an easy DIY project for most homeowners. For larger porches with seating areas, consider installing a dual purpose ceiling fan and light combo to keep the porch cool during hot summer evenings.

Cover it with tin. Tin type ceilings are back in style and a great solution for covering up the existing ceiling that is in poor condition. Most tin tiles measure 12″ x 12″, can be nailed directly to an existing ceiling, and either left “as is” or covered with paint. While they aren’t cheap (average $6-7 each), overlaying a porch ceiling with tin is certainly easier than ripping it out and constructing a new one. Can’t quite visualize a tin ceiling? Check out Metal Ceiling Express  for a look at how nice a tin ceiling can be.

More by this contributor:
How to create privacy screening for your porch.
How to spring clean your garage the eco friendly way.
10 time saving tips for spring cleaning.