17 Pretty Porches to Inspire Your Outdoor Space

Add Fun Fixtures

Porches—whether front porches, back porches, or those of the wraparound variety—bring charm and function to a home's facade. With the right accessories, they can also inject personality. This classic home's porch includes a trio of lanterns that create unexpected levity. Treat your outdoor room like an indoor living room: Outfit it with comfy, yet weather-proof furniture and fun adornments, like quirky light fixtures or colorful pillows.

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Embrace Cool Colors

enclosed porch with black chairs and ferns

If you think sunrooms should be decorated with bright, warm colors, look to this space to upend your ideas about outdoor spaces. Cool blue textiles and vivid green houseplants bring the porch's neutral base to life, while black accents provide a bold contrast that modernizes the space. A combination of folksy, traditional, and contemporary accessories keep the atmosphere casual and comfortable.

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Make Your Own Decorative Accents

Dress up your porch with a few fun DIY projects. Watch and learn how.

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Pick Brightly Colored Cushions

Delicate wicker furniture makes this porch feel feminine and light. Bright blue cushions with sunny yellow pillows bring in the bold. Invest in outdoor furniture that will last for years, but choose cushions that can be changed out every couple years. That way, you can freely play with color and alter the feel of your porch as your taste evolves.

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Create a Napping Space

This enclosed porch is all clean lines and organic textures. The contrast between the low-slung daybed and the towering screens draws the eye from ceiling to floor, inviting guests to lounge amongst the pillows. Stately columns make the space feel more like an extension of the home than a separate outdoor space. Borrow this look with muted colors and a teak daybed, which works as a sofa for group gatherings or a sleeping perch for solitary afternoons.

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Stencil the Floor

Use a stencil design to customize porch floors and carry your design aesthetic to every surface. On this porch, the stencil pattern mimics Spanish tile, which is in step with the home's stucco facade. Opt for a classic checkerboard or stripes if you prefer a simpler look.

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Choose Complementary Colors

A porch is the ideal opportunity to play with color. If picking a vibrant scheme feels intimidating, look to the color wheel for inspiration. Complementary colors—like the tangerine and baby blue used here—sit across from each other on the wheel and will always pair well and bring a happy pop. To balance out the bright hues, paint the walls and ceiling white, and add dimensions with lots of texture. Here, wicker furniture, a woven basket, and a natural fixture do the job.

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Hang Screens

Enclose a porch so pesky bugs stay out and the cool summer breeze and sunshine can still come in. A screen porch makes a great place to have dinner when the weather allows, giving guests a gorgeous view (and making clean-up less taxing!). Add indoor touches, like pendant lights, to an outdoor space to make it feel more homey and decorated.

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Mix Materials

This wraparound screen porch incorporates several different materials for visual interest. A metal table creates shiny contrast with the dark wicker furniture, porcelain garden stool, and worn wooden oars propped up in the corner. A mix of gray and white pillows keeps the color palette modern and subdued.

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Create a Cohesive Feel

Enclosed on three sides, this porch has multiple entry points into the house, with glass doors bridging the gap between inside and out. In a space like this, continuity is key: Outdoor furniture that coordinates with indoor pieces will create a seamless visual experience as you move from the inside of your home to the porch. An indoor/outdoor area rug and accessories like the magazine basket and houseplants establish a more room-like essence.

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Transform Your Door

To spruce up any porch, consider repainting the trim or even the front door. On this cedar shingle bungalow, the light blue front door demands attention, making the narrow front porch feel more like a place to land. Slim furniture, like the two rockers and the small side table in this cozy spot, keep the seating area from feeling congested.

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Paint the Walls

If the walls of your enclosed porch are the same exterior material as your home, consider painting them a different color to carve out a unique space. This airy porch features white painted brick walls and large arched windows, offering a clear view to the backyard. Wicker furniture and lots of natural light play up the breezy feel.

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Install a Swing

Who doesn't love a porch swing? Upgrade from the classic two-seater to a large daybed swing for extra comfiness. (To ensure safety, these beds are best hung by a licensed contractor.) Here, a normal twin-size mattress serves as the cushion, and a pile of decorative pillows brings color and pattern.

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Paint the Ceiling

Consider an eye-catching paint color for the ceiling. On this waterfront porch, sky blue mimics the real deal and is bright even on cloudy days. Reserve saturated, intense colors for furniture and accessories, like these teal chairs and orange patterned pillows.

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Layer Organic Materials

With ultra-durable, Ipe wood decking, a cedar-board ceiling, and stone on the bottom half of the pillars, this space feels totally natural. Clean-line all-weather wicker furniture adds a modern twist, while bright green cushions bring a pop of color. Bamboo shades maintain privacy but can be rolled up to allow more light into the covered porch.

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Think Symmetrically

Since this porch isn't very wide, the furniture couldn't be bulky. Rocking chairs and a pair of potted shrubs establish a simple, symmetrical, and unified look that works well for a traditional home. Taupe paint gave the original red brick a new, cleaner look that contrasts beautifully with the natural wood flooring.

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Play with Pattern

Even if you'd never buy a patterned sofa for your living room, consider something other than solids for your outdoor seating. (Just make sure the fabrics and cushions can withstand sun and moisture!) On this high-ceilinged porch, woven chairs play off the pattern of the loveseat's cushion, while natural elements, like the low-key flooring and plants, anchor the space.

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