Porch: a perfect retreat for all seasons
Do you have a patio or a veranda that you never use? Turn it into a cozy, romantic porch!
Many detached houses are equipped with decks, patios and verandas: here’s where you spend many summer nights, chatting with your friends, listening to the owl’s cry, looking at the stars… Decks and patios are an essential part of detached houses with a garden. However, what happens during winter? The ugly truth is that, unless we’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm all year long (here’s looking at you, Florida), most of us only get to enjoy the outdoorsy comfort of our patio in summer, while in winter, that space is left completely unused. So, why not make a porch out of it? Follow our tips on how to style it.
Related: are you only interested in verandas, patios and decks? Then take a look at this article we wrote on how to style a beautiful and functional back deck.
Is a porch the right choice for all seasons?
The answer to this question is: YES, absolutely! Some of you may be concerned: won’t my porch be too hot in summer? An understandable concern, but very unlikely: porches are equipped with sliding glass windows, which means in winter, you’ll keep them closed and they will let all the light in and still isolate you from the cold, while in summer you’ll be able to keep them open and let the cool breeze in.
Of course, the opposite question is pretty understandable too: won’t it feel cold in winter? We are not going to lie: it can get pretty chilly when the temperature drops. That’s why, when you’re transforming your veranda into a porch, you need to stop for a second and think about how you’re going to warm it up. Actually, you might find out you don’t really need to, after all; for example, if your porch confines with a room where there’s a fireplace, it is possible that the fireplace by itself will provide enough warmth. If this is not a possibility, fire is still an answer! We recommend placing a wood-burning stove on your porch. Shall we bet you’ll spend every winter night here?
Lounge around
As far as seating solutions go, there’s an infinite number of possibilities opening up in front of you! Keep in mind that a porch is only temporarily closed; why is it key that you remember this? Because even if in winter your porch will look like a closed room, it actually needs outdoor furniture: chairs and lounge chairs made of functional and easy-to-wash materials. Moreover, choose light pastel colors for the upholstery rather than darker and richer tones: your furniture will always be summer-ready!
Swing on a hammock
Traditionally, hammocks used to be hung between two trees, but, as not that many people can afford this solution, designers have come up with free standing hammocks! Hammocks are perfect for your porch because they offer all the comfort of a couch while maintaining that outdoorsy summer vibe all year long! Just make sure to equip your hammock with a warm plaid blanket and a few pillows to make it extra comfy.
Natural materials
A porch is liminal: it is halfway between nature and civilization; that’s why furniture and decorations made from natural materials will never look out of place here. As we were talking about lounging around on your porch, we recommend a classic: rattan, bamboo, or cane chairs. As porches are in a way similar to living rooms, feel free go a bit overboard: did you know you can even get cane sofas? Just remember that cane furniture is a bit more delicate than plastic or resin-made, so treat it with care.
Natural flooring
Of course, natural materials should apply to the floor as well! Although styling your floor with terracotta tiles would look pretty nice too, we think nothing will ever beat wooden plank flooring. First of all, it normally comes in several different shades, like natural oak, gray, white and dark wengè. Secondly, wooden planks will never fail to add to the warmth of a room: especially in winter, you’ll be happy you chose wooden flooring. Finally, some types of wooden flooring are designed to require as little maintenance as possible, which is great: porches are characterised by frequent comings and goings, so the less delicate your floor is, the better.
Do you need a table?
If you love barbecues, cooking, baking cakes, and one of your favourite things in the world is having friends and family over for dinner, then yes, you do need a table. Porches allow both for pleasant dinners in the warm summer breeze, and for cozy nights eating fondue in front of the fire. We believe informality is key, here: there’s no reason to go overboard with extravagant furniture when what you actually want to do here, is to create a country-inspired atmosphere. Again, let natural materials lead you: wooden planks are an excellent choice. If you feel like you need to refine the style of your porch a bit, no worries: we’ll take a look at some accessories in a second.
Versatile lights
Needless to say, you need some light on your porch, other than the fire. We recommend functional but also decorative lights with a golden aura: avoid strong, white lights. We also suggest getting something versatile, like a table lamp that can also be hung whenever necessary. Why? Well, more often than not, a porch will be used by one or two people only at a time, so it’s just handy to be able to carry your light around with you wherever you need it.
Pots
It always makes for great atmosphere to have some nice plants and flowers around. If you like country vibes, why not try a set of copper flower pots? We love them because they manage to look sleek and country at the same time.
You can always upgrade to a fancier style: take a look at these copper pots with splashes of gold! These will tell all of your guests you never give up treating yourself luxuriously, not even when it comes to your porch.
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