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  5. It's Confirmed: These Are the Prettiest Porches That Ever Happened

It's Confirmed: These Are the Prettiest Porches That Ever Happened

By BH&G Editors
Updated September 13, 2019
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Credit: Kim Cornelison
We would gladly curl up with a book, gather with friends, or just watch the sun set on every single one of these jaw-dropping front porches. What makes them so appealing? Find out with our decorating tips and secrets, then go create your own pretty porch.
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Same But Different

Credit: David A Land

To make different zones of a porch look cohesive but not too perfectly matched, practice controlled repetition. Navy fabric makes this vintage rattan settee relate to the new one across the room. The rug, chairs, and pouf repeat, but the lamp and pillows don’t. Pulled out and topped with a tray, the pouf becomes a cocktail table.

Related: Make Your Own Pouf

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Minimal and Modern

Credit: Tria Giovan Photography

If you crave a serene and well-ordered getaway, opt for clean lines and a reserved palette with a comfortable side. Bleached or gray-washed woods and solid neutrals are the base for this porch's understated palette where no one element demands too much attention. Contrast boxy outdoor furniture with a few curvy pieces to keep things from going too stark. Low-slung scoop chairs with wire frames soften the scene.

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Classic Comfort

Credit: Helen Norman

An area rug and curtains define a sitting area for quiet time on this pretty front porch. The decorative curtains make the space cozy and are useful in blocking glare from the sun. The contrast in materials between the woven rocking chairs and the metal table creates a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

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Inside Out

Credit: David A Land

Painted wood and rattan furniture work outdoors in a space that’s protected from the elements. This porch looks so inviting because the furniture looks like it could have been borrowed from the inside of this home. Exposed frames, backs, and legs make the sofa and chair lighter-looking versions of their indoor counterparts. Kumquat trees in baskets give the space a tropical vibe.

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Cozy Appeal

Credit: Kim Cornelison

A daybed gives double the seating options: Cozy up to the fireplace for a gathering with friends, or face the yard to enjoy the view. Even on rainy days, there’s blue “sky” above, courtesy of a painted ceiling. A two-sided fireplace centers the gathering space and keeps it cozy on cool nights. Outdoor curtains bring polish and privacy. Flames also dance in a New Orleans-style lantern overhead.

Related: Outdoor Fireplace Ideas

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Southern Charm

Credit: Richard Leo Johnson

With lofty ceilings, a serene color palette, and plenty of comfy seating, this porch oozes southern charm. Indoor living amenities and styling, from the rug underfoot to the breeze-generating ceiling fans overhead. Iron lanterns hung above the seating area help illuminate the space after the sun goes down.

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Inviting Eclectic

Credit: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

A screen porch with a casual vibe is perfect for laid-back parties as well as everyday relaxing. Neutral foundation plus colorful accents. Taupe and cream clad the floor and walls, while bright patterns, accessories and accent furniture pieces bring personality to the space. Mixing eclectic pieces with a matched furniture set is an easy way to customize a look.

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Front Porch Panache

Soft but colorful accents amp up this crisp white front porch. A gorgeous porch doesn't have to come with sticker shock. The styling ideas and DIY touches in this porch are as affordable as they are easy.

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Swing On By

Credit: Brie Williams

Reminiscent of an old farmhouse, this cozy porch takes it up a level with a charming porch swing, suspended from sturdy rope. If country is your thing, keep it simple with a few farmhouse or rustic touches. The metal bucket and the old-fashioned porch swing strike a clean, not cluttered, style.

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Casual Elegance

Credit: Paul Dyer

A stone tile floor and a handsome set of woven furniture take this porch into more formal territory, while charming accessories keep the look from becoming too stiff. Pops of color are welcome even on a more formal porch. Using only two or three colors reinforces a sense of orderly design.

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Sweetly Vintage

Credit: Michael Partenio

Wicker furniture, an antique day bed, and a pretty blue trunk-turned-coffee table offer this screen porch a vintage air. The furniture was culled from different sources, but the aged white finish on the pieces unifies the look.

Related: How to Paint Wicker Furniture

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Fully Functional

Credit: Helen Norman

Why stick to one function when there's room for two? This spacious porch boasts a seating group for lounging and a dining area for meals, games, and more. If your porch is spacious and supports several functions, look for ways to unify the space. White upholstery on the dining chairs is mimicked on the sofa and chairs. Matching light fixtures above the seating group and the dining table creates cohesiveness.

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Fun Front Porch Seating

Credit: Robert Brinson

A hanging daybed is a fresh twist on the standard porch swing, while plenty of pillows layer in comfort. Poufs are easy to maneuver and move around the porch for different seating configurations. Consider the surroundings and embrace nature. What's around a porch is as important as what's on it, so give a little love to the plantings and landscape around your porch. Here, palm and banana trees wrap the porch in a jungle-like embrace.

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Porch with a View

Credit: Werner Straube

With a view to the water, this porch keeps it simple as to not distract from the gorgeous surroundings. Classic wicker furniture with nautical blue-and-white striped cushions nods to cottage style. Keep sightlines unobstructed so that you can fully take in the view afforded from your porch. Here, furniture at relatively the same height keeps the focus on the view.

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Porch Dining

Credit: Kim Cornelison

Wicker chairs encircle a charming farmhouse table for a picture-perfect alfresco dining room. Overhead, star light fixtures sparkle when the sun goes down, and a cushy patterned rug adds comfort underfoot. If you host plenty of parties, set up your porch as a second dining room. Utilizing your porch to suit your needs is the first step to making it yours.

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Sized Right

Credit: Adam Albright

A petite seating group filled with exuberant colors inject this small porch with major personality. Yellow-greens pick up on the yellow in the wicker chair, while pops of orange complete the color trifecta. Paying attention to scale. Scaling down your furniture to suit your space will make it feel much more comfortable. Here, a love seat, rather than a full sofa, is sized right for the narrow porch.

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Quaint Corner

Credit: Edmund Barr

A built-in seat and a table for two transform this porch nook into a cozy getaway. Blue and white pillows contrast the orange tones in the tile floor, while wrought iron accents add old-world charm. Terra-cotta tiled floors, white stucco, and wrought-iron accents give the feel of a Tuscan villa or Spanish hacienda. Look for ways to incorporate the style and design sense of your favorite vacation spot and you'll have your own exotic retreat, right at home.

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Timeless, Yet Current

Credit: Jean Allsopp

Dark wicker furniture is on par with the timeless design of this classic porch. Layering easy-to-change accessories with a foundation that's in it for the long haul. With a structural design that's as classic as they come (hello, white railings and columns), timeless furniture fits right in. But current accessories, such as the metal lanterns and blue-and-white pillows, add a so-now layer that can be switched up almost effortlessly with little cash investment.

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Cottage Glam

Credit: Brie Williams

A glam color combo meets cottage style in this screened porch. Posh fuchsia and navy blue add pizzazz to the sweetly vintage white furniture. And that hammock? Perfection. A wood ceiling and floor binds the room in and helps the lofty space feel cozier.

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Come In

Credit: Robert Brinson

This farmhouse porch beckons you in and extends a warm, yet fresh, welcome, thanks to its punchy black accessories, white facade, and gorgeous plantings. Plenty of greenery proves that plants don't have to be colorful to be impactful. Here, greenery pops against the porch's clean white surfaces creating a modern farmhouse vibe.

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Strong Foundation

Credit: Matthew Benson

Simple furniture and decor let the porch's architecture and garden views stand out. A collection of potted plants along the perimeter adds a nod to nature. Graceful arches mimic the look of garden arbors and add a customized layer to this porch. If you're looking to make an investment in your porch, look for ways to update the structure or architecture. Keep your house style in mind as you're designing.

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Perfect Mix

Credit: Brie Williams

This narrow porch makes a big style statement thanks to the colorful, patterned tile floor. A trio of chairs outfitted with black-and-white seat cushions provide seating, but the monochromatic patterns don't draw attention away from the flooring. A white garden stool serves as a tiny end table. The lightweight furnishings can easily be moved around to create a larger seating group

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Breezy Outdoor Living

Credit: Brie Williams

This pretty porch has all the comforts of the inside brought outside. The outdoor furniture comes equipped with cozy seat cushions and colorful patterned throw pillows. Ceiling fans help circulate the air to prevent the space from feeling sticky. Lamps and mounted lighting illuminate the space after the sun goes down.

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Stellar Stripes

This covered sunporch makes the most of its tropical surroundings. The daybeds, outfitted with bold striped seat cushions, offer plenty of seating. Sunshine yellow accents scattered throughout the space add a needed pop of color to the strong black-and-white palette.

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Cabin Cozy

Here, four chairs and a love seat create a cozy outdoor living area. The navy-and-white striped seat cushions pair stylishly with orange throw pillows and accessories. The stone fireplace makes it easy to entertain throughout multiple seasons.

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Thoroughly Modern

A sleek built-in banquette and a plank ceiling treatment lend modern appeal to this porch. The sunny yellow hue of the banquette's seat cushion repeats itself on the curvy wicker chairs nearby. A woven red area rug beneath the freestanding seating area helps the ground the space.

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  • Meet Our 2020 America's Best Front Yard Contest Winner
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1 of 26 Same But Different
2 of 26 Minimal and Modern
3 of 26 Classic Comfort
4 of 26 Inside Out
5 of 26 Cozy Appeal
6 of 26 Southern Charm
7 of 26 Inviting Eclectic
8 of 26 Front Porch Panache
9 of 26 Swing On By
10 of 26 Casual Elegance
11 of 26 Sweetly Vintage
12 of 26 Fully Functional
13 of 26 Fun Front Porch Seating
14 of 26 Porch with a View