An eye-catching porch will encourage feelings of warmth and welcome, instantly enhance your curb appeal, and function as an extension of your interior style.
An outdoor structure attached to your home, a porch is built near an entryway, such as your front or back door, and serves as a harmonious transition between the indoors and outdoors.
Porches feature a roof but no solid enclosed walls and may have removable screens or window panels to protect against the elements.
Table of Contents
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Different Types of Porches
A Front Porch
Attaches to the front of a house and encloses the front door.
A Back Porch
Attaches to the back of the house and encloses the back door.
A Wrap-Around Porch
Flanks at least two sides of a home.
A Screened Porch
A covered outdoor living space with screen panels inviting fresh air, which grants year-round use.
A Lanai
A large porch is typical in Hawaii; it’s covered and enclosed but usually open on one side.
A Loggia
A covered outdoor corridor on the ground and upper levels.
A Portico
A small, covered area right in front of a home's entryway that may feature columns.
Photo Source: Isabel Lopez Quesada
What is the Purpose of your Porch
Before you begin to decorate your porch, ask yourself:
"What is the purpose of the porch?"
Ideas include:
1. A designated space to house or propagate plants.
2. Repurposing the space to host small social gatherings.
3. The desire to create a warm welcome for family and friends.
4. Make the space a seamless continuation of your interior design.
5. An opportunity to enhance the curb appeal and resell value of your home.
6. Take advantage of unused space to create a conversation zone or relaxation nook.
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Porch Furniture:
When selecting your porch furniture, it’s important to choose materials that can withstand the climate of your area and match your personal style:
Some of our favourite outdoor-friendly materials include woods such as acacia or teak, natural or synthetic rattan, concrete, ceramic, aluminum, wrought-iron, natural stone, and powder-coated steel.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Depending on the size of our porch, furniture choices include:
Chairs:
A hammock, porch swing, bench seating, a hanging pod chair, rattan loungers and day beds, a wicker or wooden rocking chair, bistro chairs, and wrought-iron dining chairs.
Tables:
Bistro tables, an outdoor console, rattan bar carts, teak dining tables, wrought-iron round tables, wicker coffee tables, ceramic stools, folding wooden tables, and more.
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Porch Styling Ideas using our 5 Ls of Styling.
Now that you have your foundational furniture pieces and a clear intention of how to utilise the space, here are our ideas for enhancing your porch design using our 5 Ls of styling.
Living Energy
Infusing your space with living energy enlivens any colour palette and adds movement, structure, and seasonality.
Ideas include hanging planters, potted fruit trees, a seasonal or festive wreath, a built-in garden bed or herb garden, flower boxes attached to windows or railing, small, medium, and large-scale pots, urns, and planters, and trailing vines of wisteria, jasmine, pittosporum, or bougainvillea around the porch.
Lastly, make a statement with symmetrical planter boxes styled on either side of your entryway. These can be filled with fiddle leaf figs, buxus, hydrangeas, or seasonal flowering plants.
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Layering
Layering means overlaying the room with various elements that cohesively blend with each other, and in turn, add depth and persona to the space.
Layering includes flooring, windows, doors, walls, texture, & surfaces.
Flooring
If your porch is elevated, consider installing patterned tile on the stair risers.
Alternatively, layer outdoor rugs, runners, and welcome mats to frame your entryway or create smaller zones while adding colour, and texture.
Finally, refresh old floor planks with a deck stain or overlay your existing flooring with vinyl patterned flooring for depth, dimension, and pattern.
Materials
For visual interest, layer a combination of outdoor-friendly materials such as teak, rattan, wrought-iron, ceramic, powder-coated stool, and waterproof fabrics.
For softness and texture, position a variety of throws and outdoor cushions on your porch furniture for cooler evenings.
These can be swapped seasonally for a quick refresh.
Lastly, mixing wood species, tones, or finishes will help your porch feel layered, lived-in, and curated over time.
Wall treatments
For privacy, consider installing a lattice up one side of the porch.
Outdoor curtains, porch screens, and blinds can also be used for privacy and will soften any harsh glare and protect against the elements.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Lighting
Layered lighting isn't only reserved for your interior.
Well-planned illumination requires a combination of ambient, accent, and task lighting.
Be sure to opt for warm, softer hues to create a warm glow and gentle ambiance.
Lighting choices include landscape lights, up-lights, outdoor wall sconces, an elegant table candelabra, large-scale table-top and sculptural floor lanterns, hurricane candleholders and votives, festoon, bistro or fairy lights, and an overhead outdoor ceiling pendant.
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Something Loved
Unique flea-market finds and special ceramic collections, naturally found objects, and items that reflect your personal style are all examples of something loved.
Some of our favourite items for enriching your existing porch include garden statues and sculptures, outdoor heaters or ceiling fans, garden wall decor, a ceramic bird bath, rustic watering cans, cast iron wall plaques, and bamboo or rattan ice buckets and barware.
To add to the sensory experience, consider installing a water feature to create a feeling of tranquility and calm.
Lastly, pay particular attention to your front door and entryway.
Ideas include a complete door replacement, a new coat of paint in an eye-catching colour, a beautiful wood stain, or simply adding a distinct architectural element to your existing door.
You can also personalise your hardware by replacing your doorbell, door knobs, door pulls, house numbers, and letterboxes in nickel, chrome, gold, brass, or bronze fixtures in brushed, burnished antique, polished, lacquered, or un-lacquered finishes.
Photo Source: Architectural Digest
Something with Lustre
Lustre is the state or quality of shining by reflecting light.
You can create this by including items with a reflective surface, such as an outdoor mirror, groupings of glossy blue and white ceramics or ginger jars, pots, and planters in a glossy or reflective finish, lacquered furniture, a garden crystal or wire chandelier, and collections of elegant dinner and taper candles styled in nickel, glass, antique silver, or bronze candlesticks
We trust these tips will serve as a useful resource for your porch styling.
If you incorporate any of our 5 L's of styling in your porch design, tag us on Instagram @suzieandersonhome as we would love to see it!
