![Brick front porch of slate blue house with pink and white flowers in window planters. Brick front porch of slate blue house with pink and white flowers in window planters.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-header1.jpg)
![Jessie Ecker contributorImage](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/jessie-ecker-headshot.jpg)
A Note From The Home Depot
As summer approaches, it’s the perfect time to tackle a project you’ve been excited to start but haven’t had the time. Join Jessie Ecker as she transforms her front yard into a cottage core fantasy!
Kick Start Your Summer With The Home Depot
![Brick front porch of slate blue house with pink and white flowers in window planters. Brick front porch of slate blue house with pink and white flowers in window planters.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image10.jpg)
So it’s that time of the year again and I’m so excited to be partnering up with The Home Depot to bring you a summer project! In case you missed it, last year I partnered with The Home Depot to update my backyard space. I transformed a deck and patio and turned it from this…
![Blue house with run down wood deck. Blue house with run down wood deck.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image18.jpg)
Into this…
![Blue house with updated wood deck with white pergola, pink doors, and white and light wood furniture. Blue house with updated wood deck with white pergola, pink doors, and white and light wood furniture.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image27.jpg)
This year I am working on my front yard and I have big plans for the space! This is the moodboard I created for the space.
![Moodboard with six images collaged onto a tan background featuring a pink front door and cottage core decor. Moodboard with six images collaged onto a tan background featuring a pink front door and cottage core decor.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image28.jpg)
![Moodboard images collaged onto a tan background featuring shrubbery, a pink color pallet, and a welcome mat. Moodboard images collaged onto a tan background featuring shrubbery, a pink color pallet, and a welcome mat.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image29.jpg)
So we have officially lived in our house now for four years. I haven’t had the opportunity to tackle any projects in the front yard and I have been dying to get to so many things. For this summer project, I have decided to focus on three separate projects to really get this front yard up and going!
DIY Flower Box Planters
First project I will be creating DIY flower boxes for every window on the front of the house. This is been a project that I’ve wanted to do for so long now I think it’s going to make such an impact on the front of the house! To make this project I used a 4 x 8 sheet of PVC. I ripped it down with my Circular Saw into strips 9 1/2 inches wide.
![Women in a black sweatshirt cutting a white PVC sheet with a circular saw. Women in a black sweatshirt cutting a white PVC sheet with a circular saw.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image30.jpg)
I assembled all the boxes with PVC Cement Glue and my Brad Nailer I made them into a simple rectangle, shape, 3 inches wider on each side of my window.
![Sheets of PVC laid on wood table with Ryobi tools. Sheets of PVC laid on wood table with Ryobi tools.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image31.jpg)
Once they were all assembled, I added decorative PVC Trimto the front, so that each one of them would pop. We are going for cottage vibes for this whole entire space so this is the Decorative Trim that I used.
![PVC trim being assembled on wood table outdoors. PVC trim being assembled on wood table outdoors.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image32.jpg)
I drilled three holes in the bottom so that water could drain out. I then attach them to the front of the house using a cleat and made sure they were attached and all the studs directly below the framing of the window. And this is the final result. I couldn’t be more excited about how these all turned out and the sheet of PVC really made it easy to create a massive amount of boxes. I was able to make 5 boxes with each sheet. I feel like it was the best option and these boxes now will last forever.
![White window planted filled with pink and white flowers. White window planted filled with pink and white flowers.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image4.jpg)
Brick Paver Walkway
My second project will be to tackle this brick pathway. This walkway has bothered me since we moved in. It has two sinkholes in it, and it keeps becoming more and more dangerous as time goes on, so my goal is to rip it up and start over with a new pattern. This project has always seemed intimidating, and I was mostly nervous about it.
![Driveway filled with a pile of bricks. Driveway filled with a pile of bricks.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image33.jpg)
Once I started to rip up the brick, I realize that a bunch of the bricks were broken and needed to be replaced. I used two different types of Holland Brick Pavers from The Home Depot and mix them in with my previous brick, creating a seamless look of old and new.
![Bricks laid on the ground in a zig zag pattern. Bricks laid on the ground in a zig zag pattern.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image34.jpg)
This project wasn’t as intimidating as I first thought. It was more labor-intensive and time-consuming. I use my Ryobi Edger to create the line for the new brick pathway. I then dug up the extra dirt (p.s… don’t forget your gloves)! For real, these were a life saver, removed all of the brick, added paver sand and rented a tamper to get the whole surface completely level. Once once that was done and the space was cleared, I used Behr’s Masonary Primer Paint to paint the underside of the house.
![Red brick laid on walkway to front door. Red brick laid on walkway to front door.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image35..jpg)
I had them color tinted to blank canvas, and it’s seriously made such an impact on the entire side of the house. Next I added the brick in a new pattern and then framed it out with marble chips and landscaping stone. Here’s the final look of this space.
![Red brick laid on walkway to front door. Red brick laid on walkway to front door.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image5.jpg)
I honestly think the real showstopper of this front space is the new lights that I added. I added single bulb lights [319602742] in between the windows and a double gold light fixture by the front door, and I couldn’t be more obsessed with how they turned out. The space looked so cozy. I decided to add a seating area and I used these Florence 3-Piece Wicker Outdoor Patio Bistro Set.
![Brick front porch with whicker chair centered. Brick front porch with whicker chair centered.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image9.jpg)
![Brick front porch with blush door and welcome mat. Brick front porch with blush door and welcome mat.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image14.jpg)
Scalloped Fence
For my third project, I added a fence around the front of the house with an arched arbor. I was so excited about this part of the project. I went with a white, Kettle Scalloped Picket Fence all around the front of the house.
![Woman assembling arched arbor gate fence door. Woman assembling arched arbor gate fence door.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image16.jpg)
This arched arbor was so dramatic and beautiful. I am creating two double gate doors for the entrance of the space. I also added to Lantern Lights to the front of this arbor to really make it a statement piece.
![Gold lantern lights held by woman’s hand. Gold lantern lights held by woman’s hand.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image36.jpg)
I used a ton of Scotts Seed Patch to help with all the areas I dug up. So I am still waiting for the grass to come back now. I added tons of landscaping and Miracle-Gro Gardening Soil for the plants. I also added a ton of vines and climbing plants so I can’t wait to see how they grow and really add to the space.
![White arbor archway into front yard with vining plants growing. White arbor archway into front yard with vining plants growing.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image20.jpg)
![Full shot of white fenced in front yard with green grass and blue house. Full shot of white fenced in front yard with green grass and blue house.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image24.jpg)
![Close up of white arbor archway fence with gold lantern lights. Close up of white arbor archway fence with gold lantern lights.](https://contentgrid.homedepot-static.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOMNEW/Articles/JessieEcker-Eyeinthedetail-Memorial-Day-Front-Porch-Refresh-Image21.jpg)
Seriously, I don’t think this space could get any better. I am so excited with all of the projects and supplies that I used from The Home Depot. Everything you need to get started on your own summer projects you can find at The Home Depot. My favorite part about these projects is they made the whole house looks so cohesive. Before, the house always looked like two separate spaces and now with the fence, the landscaping, the lights, and the flower boxes it looks like one beautiful cottage space of my dreams. Be sure to keep following along! I have so many more things coming in the space, we are just getting started.