MinWax makes oil and water based stains. It also makes one-step stain finishes and 2-step stain finishes. I suspect you are talking about MinWax Wood Finish which is an oil-based wiping stain finish for indoor use on furniture. If it is used outdoors it should be coated with a UV resistant finish like MinWax's Spar Urethane Varnish. IMO staining softwood is a job for a very experienced professional finisher not your average painter and you should see samples first. Perhaps you should be using an exterior solid-color or wood-toned semi-transparent siding stain from Cabot. Why would white paint get dirty almost immediately? Here is a link that might be useful: Cabot stains

First, you are so luck to have such a wonderful getaway vacation home! It is on a beautiful lot. I agree with missymoo as well, and also what Olychick said. Something about that table smack dab in the middle of the room seems to block entry into the screened porch. I love the idea of a sofa against the wall, something like what robo posted with some comfy cushions and arms, and a chair for reading with a footstool that could also double as an extra seat. Add a small cocktail table you can also use for a tray of snack food. The bar cart is also a great idea. Encourages people to gravitate to where the food and drinks are. You could also string up some lighting along the perimeter and it would look very inviting. Do you get a lot of sun on the deck? It looks shady so I would think a new round table with chairs for seating would be fine and then move your grill & the pub table out there. You can get some pretty nice chairs that swivel and rock. I have also seen some benches that double as storage for the cushions so that might be an option if there is room. That would keep cushion maintenance down for you when you aren't there.

What kind of finish does your concrete have?...what does hubby not like about stained concrete?...will attach a pic of our floors...used stain that was about $60 per gallon...just spread it around ...no expertise or experience needed...added a coat of sealer for shine...this was an indoor application and the green was not recommended for outdoor applications but the finish takes it up many notches from concrete...won’t peel off like paint and looks like a real stone floor....

What a cute house!!! My first thought would be to try to relocate the steps to come straight out into the front yard if possible so you can see the front door. I like the color of the house. Maybe lose the shutters since they are not on every window. Landscaping and maybe some flower boxes over the porch railing? Beefy box the posts.