Changing our Back Patio Door to Windows

Hey y’all!

Thanks for all of your sweet comments about our back patio makeover!  :)

I don’t know if everyone noticed, but a few of you commented that it looked like we changed our french door for some windows, and you were right!  Smart cookies! ;)

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When we decided to get new furniture for this area, I wasn’t sure how it would all fit in the space.  When I finally found the best way to arrange my conversation seating, some of it was placed right in front of our french doors on our back patio.  But that didn’t really matter because we never use those doors…..like EVER.  

Actually, on the other side of those doors is our couch sitting right in front of them in our den.  

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We actually have TWO sets of french doors on the back of our house, and we do not need both.  We only use the french doors that lead into our kitchen.  So for years, I have been wanting to change out the french door that leads to our back patio for two windows.  

When we got our new furniture for our patio, I knew this would be the perfect time for this project.  (I just had to convince Cy of the perfect timing as well.  ha!)

With a LITTLE coaxing, I was able to get Cy on board, and he got to work.

First, he removed the french doors and then built a new frame. 

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You can see where this door was in relation to our den.  We pushed our couch forward for this DIY project, but it usually sits right up next to doors and blocks them. 

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See?!  You can tell how my couch sits up against the french doors in the pictures below.  THAT is why I have always wanted windows there instead. :)
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So back to the project….

Cy got two windows from Lowe’s and framed them up in the doorway. 

 

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This is what it looked like on the inside.  You can see we added new insulation below the windows.   I did not take a picture before we left for our trip, but he did frame the window out and installed new drywall beneath the window.

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For the outside, Cy bought a piece of plywood and installed it below the windows to match the plywood above the windows, and we painted it white.  Again, I forgot to take a picture of this step before we left for a month because I was trying to quickly finish this makeover and take pics. :)

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But you can see if our after pictures, that the windows really brighten up the space!  And I love the extra light they add inside our house in the den.  I also love that I can raise the windows when the weather is not too hot and let the cool breeze in our house.  I LOVE having all the windows up in our house during the fall and spring months. :)

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You may also notice the new lighting.  :)

This was one of my favorite parts of this makeover.  The chandelier is from Ballard Designs, and I got it several years ago for our kitchen.  You can see it in here…

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But when we did our kitchen makeover with Arhaus, I took this chandelier down, and it has been in storage ever since.  

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I haven’t been able to find a place to reuse it in my house, so I am so glad that it works perfectly outside on my back patio!

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Let’s take one last look at the before and after!

before

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after

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I’ll be back soon with the tutorial of how we made our “it is well” sign and another adoption update!

Have a blessed day!

12 Comments

  1. I just love it! This is such an inviting porch area; I would love to come for a visit and sip cold ice tea with you!

  2. It’s gorgeous! Before, I could not tell that you had changed from french doors to windows, but now that you have written about it, it is obvious. I guess I’m just not as smart as some of your other readers. Lol.

  3. Love it! I love your indoor white sofa even more! Is that a slip cover? My goal for this winter is to sew an off-white slip cover for my sectional.

  4. Your patio reno looks great. My only suggestion would be to paint your concrete floor. That would be a nice finishing touch

  5. I love the new look. How do you keep it clean from the elements (dust, rain, etc.) Do you cover the furniture when you aren’t using it?

  6. I actually wondered about the doors in the last post and figured I had missed a post since Mr. Cy is pretty much a mastermind at these things! Love the makeover so much and that chandelier out back is so perfect. Such an amazing makeover!

  7. Having a husband that is talented & able to do construction jobs like this is a blessing. My husband is the same way. Years ago, we replaced a window with a door in my moms bedroom, after we built her a deck.
    I pray that God will continue to bless y’all as you get closer to bringing your girl to her forever home.

  8. Not sure you’ll even see this, just discovered your blog. You are living my dream except I don’t have a husband that’s talented so will have to hire it. In my case it’ll be a downsize but I want a fixer upper on land. Anyway, the point of my comment is to thank you for the vindication I feel 20 plus years after replacing windows with new windows, not french doors as the realtor chastised me, because they didn’t work inside or out!

  9. This looks great! How did you finish the exterior under the window? We are considering a similar conversion to better fit our furniture layout.

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