20 Stylish Porch Décor Ideas to Update Your Outdoor Space

Sep 06, 2023

The humble porch is so much more than a little extra square footage jutting from your home. With a chair or two and maybe a table, you've set yourself up for hours of entertainment and relaxation. Whether you utilize your porch for card game tournaments or make the most of quiet mornings over a mug of tea, a well-designed porch can handle it all.

If you're in need of inspiration for completely redesigning your space or refreshing it for a new season, you've come to the right place. Below, you'll find 20 helpful ideas for making your ideal porch materialize.

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Warm It Up With Wood

Porches are often constructed of materials like concrete or brick, which can come across as chilly and uninviting. But, with the right furniture and accent materials, you'll feel at home every time you set foot outside. As seen featured in this porch, wooden beams and cushioned seats are worthy of consideration.

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Go Beyond Basic Flooring

Entryways and porches are often last on the list of upgrades when you move into a new home, that is, if they even make it on your list. Seeing that this is the first space you and visitors lay eyes on, making it match your mood and interior tastes will make your entire home feel cohesive.

Think outside the box—these pink ombré floor tiles are so fitting but completely unique.

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Rethink Your Seating

One way to ensure your outdoor space gets plenty of use is by adding in a swing or two. Swings are the perfect porch staple and you're spoilt for choice when it comes to styles, whether a Southern-inspired wooden seat tickles your fancy or a Mediterranean-reminiscent cushion.

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Be Cognizant of the Details

Porches can feel limited by the smaller selection of options. And, as much as we love a good run, sometimes those bulky outdoor lanterns can feel outdated and like everyone on the block has one.

Consider pendant lamps or wall-mounted sconces for a look that feels equally comparable to the lighting choices inside your house. This sconce, the plants, the house number plaque, and a coat of mint paint are enough to make this veranda feel special.

Can't find the accent accessories of your dreams? A plaque like this and even the sconce can be customized to your liking with a little DIY know-how.

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Reflect on Your Indoor Spaces

Closed in porches, and other outdoor rooms will benefit from getting the same style treatment—albeit a weather-proof version—that your inside area receives. Continuing the look from a living or dining room into your covered porch feels cohesive and creates a smooth flow of energy between the two rooms.

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Pick a Theme

The color of your home can deeply influence the theme your porch envelops or vice versa. The contrasting light blue siding and slate gray door make this house the perfect backdrop for a beach-inspired veranda. It incorporated a bench, basket, and friendly sign to make this style come to life without overdoing it.

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Think of the Tropics

A bohemian twist is all that's needed to make your porch feel less like another room and more like an escape. We used tufted cushions, plants, and print rug to pull this porch together and give a taste of vacation to anyone who comes to relax.

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Embrace Prints and Patterns

Porches that are a little more compact can still look polished and well-thought-out. Just take this stunning example, here. We spent time painstakingly stenciling out the pattern on the floor for a finish that catches the eye of any viewer and look convincingly like tile.

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Focus on the Ambiance

With the arrival of nicer weather, you'll most likely want to spend as many nights as possible dining al fresco. To really take advantage of a lovely spacious porch, set up an eating area that parallels that of your favorite restaurant with chic chairs and elegant pendant lights. Whether you're indulging in a frozen pizza or a five-course meal, it'll feel special every time.

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Make the Most of Your Corners

Pop in a bistro table and a handful of rocking chairs for a porch that insists on grabbing your attention, as we did here. This setup allows for plenty of board games and lots of slow mornings featuring your favorite coffee and book.

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Don't Discount Your Accessories

Throw pillows may look nice on your bed, but they also work undeniably well with a cute little porch situation. These neutral pillows are perfect for year-round, but come fall or summer it's easy to swap them out with something seasonal that matches the rest of your décor.

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Work With the Space You Have

A wraparound porch is a perfect opportunity to set up designated areas or special vignettes. While you may want a table for dining and sharing BBQ, a corner dedicated to curling up with a book or taking a nap is also a great addition. As we shows, both are always a brilliant idea.

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Put Relaxation as a Top Priority

Closed-in porches can feel just like another room, but they offer a chance to stray a bit from your usual choice of furniture. Wicker furniture, playful pillows, and, of course, a grill, give this room a more laid-back vibe that feels like a breath of fresh air from everyday life.

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Mix and Match Different Styles

You'll be hard-pressed to find a more elegant touch of Southern-style than a set of rocking chairs. They look fun and playful at face value, but they also offer a welcoming space to start conversations and unwind. Plus, with the right additions like this choice black accents, you can still emulate a modern vibe and get the best of both worlds.

Get the paint color just right for your rocking chairs by matching it to the corresponding column or rail colors of your porch.

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Think Outside the Porch

We interpretation of this walkup entryway offers a perfect dose of inspiration for dealing with porches that may have a less traditional layout. If you have space off to the side, why not set it up as a special area for sharing meals and laughs?

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Move Your Living Room Outside

If your front entryway extends beyond the bounds of a regular porch situation, make the most of it. This dreamy courtyard shows how you can work a so-called porch space into an outdoor living room. Thanks to a hanging chair, a cushy couch, and a stunning water feature, this area has really reached its full potential.

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Craft Your Own Space

Even if your back porch is more of a patio, you can make it your own with cozy furniture, accents, and an umbrella to shield you from the sun. While porches usually have some kind of platform or built-in cover, don't let deter you from building out a space that serves the same purpose.

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Get Comfy and Cozy

Whether it's your front porch or back porch, both should be viewed as another place you can kick back and relax. Securing a cover from the elements, super comfortable cushions, and a trendy lighting installation can make that happen in a heartbeat.

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Expand Your Porch "Area"

Extend the reach of your porch and all it can do by setting up a few different options for dwellers. While you may have a cozy chair in one corner, use the empty space right next to it to keep the outdoor living vibes alive and well. We can't think of a better addition than that.

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Frame Your Front Porch

Archways are a stunning, built-in way to frame your front porch area, but you can take it a step further by adding in items like plants or dividers to really make a statement. The symmetry and different layers that this porch shows are fresh and give extra dimension.

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