Introducing the 2nd place winner of our most recent photo contest. We tasked participants to transform a single room of their home (or other space) with tin tile and we weren’t disappointed. Check out this tin-transformed porch.


Growing up Rose Ayer hated her childhood home’s porch. The massive porch was enclosed by her father a few years after they moved in, and it became a catch-all. When Ayer inherited the 80-year-old Pennsylvania farmhouse, she couldn’t wait to get her hands on that porch.

“I couldn’t wait to open up the porch. I love wrap around porches,” said Ayer. Everything that happened after that was all about her love of the wrap around porch—a beloved extension of the living space of the home in every way.

What was once storage has become an oasis of leisure and relaxation. “Sitting on the swing enjoying a cup of hot coffee or tea on a brisk fall morning . . . spending summer evenings in the cool shade with blooming flower boxes all around and a Corinthian Bells wind chime making its melodious sounds . . . decorating it for Christmas . . . it’s my happy place, said Ayer.

Undeniably Vintage-Farmhouse

An old house demands attention, especially if you want to maintain any of its “vintage-ness”. Such was the case with Ayer’s house. Builder, Cardinal Valley Builders, helped her identify the exterior elements that could be played up to keep the vintage farmhouse charm without sacrificing updated materials and techniques.

They extended the pillars, railing, and decking on the porch to a second-floor balcony and backyard patio to further enhance the farmhouse feel. Special attention was given to the wrap around porch not only because Ayer loved it so much, but also because it added so much to the vintage feel.

Besides columns and white with black accent color palette, the ceiling of the porch added Victorian era panache that completes the look “better than any other material,” said Ayer. “I thought a tin ceiling would be a game changer and I was right.”

Choosing the Right Vintage Pattern

Ayer initially picked out four favorite tin patterns as possibilities. Taking the narrow shape and limited size of the porch into consideration narrowed those options quickly. “Some patterns became too busy for the porch space and too large patterns didn’t fit well,” said Ayer. The 12” patterns were the perfect size for the porch and still delivered all the vintage drama Ayer wanted.

The house has become a labor of love for more than just Ayer. She intends to bequeath the house to her daughter so it was important to involve her every step of the way to ensure that history didn’t repeat itself. For the tin tile, they settled on Pattern #14 in Gold Washed with White. The flourished and floral pattern achieves a vintage look that transforms the porch into a luxurious, Pinterest-worthy get away.

Tricked Out with Trim

The addition of crown molding on the porch installation was “the finishing touch the porch simply couldn’t do without,” said Ayer. “It would have been a disservice not to use it.”

Ayer chose the filler tin tile to finish the edges rather than cut the pattern of the main tin tile off. Then added Crown Molding C9 to set off the ornateness of the main tile and solidify the drama of the porch ceiling.

Tin Tile in the Outdoors

While the tin tile is powder coated and finished with a clear coat to increase its rust resistance, all outdoor applications need to be under cover for best results. The porch is the perfect place for tin tile not only because it’s another room of the house that deserves as much design as the interior, but also because it is completely covered and protected from the elements.

Any tin tile can be ordered with clear coat for outdoor applications and additional rust protection.


Want to see the other winners of the photo contest? Stay tuned in coming weeks when the 1st place winner and social media fan favorite will be announced.

See Contest Winners