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"   For more than a decade, Jane Sanzen has enjoyed many a lazy summer afternoon on the porch of her historic 1920 house in Saratoga Springs, New York, a location famous for its therapeutic waters, racetrack and lovely old homes. She frequently entertains in the screened-in outdoor space and hangs out there with her grown daughters when they visit. The porch is big, the screens are in good shape and a fair number of charming old wicker chairs have always punctuated the space. Yet as it lacked color and a thoughtful furniture plan, the spacious outdoor room presented a ho-hum scene even on the best of days. &amp;quot;It was a blank slate waiting,&amp;quot; says Jane. To create a cheerier, more inviting setting, she turned to a local friend, Donna Talley, who also happens to be a photo stylist for design magazines, to give it an affordable face-lift. According to Donna, the porch had &amp;quot;great bones.&amp;quot; The problem was that the randomly arranged small white wicker pieces looked inconsequential and lost against the white walls of the porch. &amp;quot;This space really needed some jolts of color, as well as pieces larger in scale,&amp;quot; says Donna. It also called for distinct furniture groupings and soft touches to make it feel more inviting for different kinds of outdoor living. To bring new life to the picture, Donna chose paint and fabric in garden-inspired hues of blue, green and yellow. She set the tone by painting the cement floor a subtle shade of green reminiscent of a newly-mown lawn. Then, she fashioned a series of seating areas that lend themselves to particular types of activities. To create a cozy conversation area, Donna spray-painted a pair of love seats an unexpected wildflower blue. She also created upbeat striped and floral cushions and set her clever substitute for a coffee table--a lightweight urn topped with glass--between the seats. For large gatherings, Donna created an overscale picnic-style table by topping another pair of garden urns with a tabletop she crafted from 2x4 lumber. Painted a fresh green hue and flanked by two benches, also made with 2x4s and painted blue, the table is ideal for leisurely meals. In addition to these two groupings, a natural-brown wicker table with twin chairs provides a cozy spot for morning coffee or afternoon tea. Left a natural color, the breakfast area seating &amp;quot;keeps everything from being too matchy,&amp;quot; Donna says. &amp;quot;I love the look of pieces that have been put together over time.&amp;quot; Other fanciful flourishes soften the ambience or add function. A wrought-iron baker&amp;#039;s rack serves as storage for dinnerware, while floaty sheer cotton curtains provide privacy. &amp;quot;The feminine touches soften the angular lines of the windows,&amp;quot; Donna says. They also help turn Jane&amp;#039;s porch into a dreamy getaway that won&amp;#039;t close till the first frost arrives. TIME LINE Design planning, including looking for fabrics, furniture, rugs and accessories not already owned...2 days Building the dining table and benches...1 day Painting the floor and the furniture...1 day Fabricating the cushions and table runner...1 day Installing the furniture and curtains...1 day Assembling the coffee table...1/2 hour THE TAB Curtains, rods and floret clips...$935 New furniture...$923 Fabrics for cushions and pillows...$290 Two ceiling fans, incuding installation...$270 Fabricating cushions and pillows...$165 Accessories (including napkins and place mats)...$145 Three urns, sand...$125 Paint and primer for wicker furniture...$120 Lumber and paint for table and benches...$95 Trees and plants...$95 Indoor/outdoor rug...$75 Miscellaneous paint supplies...$35 Round top glass...$29 TOTAL...$3,302 Click here to view the resources. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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