Large Porch Decorating Ideas
Do you want your home’s porch to have style like mine?! My old farmhouse has two large porches-one on the front and one on the back. I have revamped both spaces and decorated them in a multitude of ways over the seven years we have lived here. Due to my experience with porches, I am excited to share some large porch decorating ideas with you!
Table of Contents
Decorating for a Focal Point
First, let’s talk about the focal point! My porch in the front of the house is enclosed on three sides, so the innermost wall needed a focal point. I used to have a hand-lettered sign there, but it wasn’t to scale with the space. Now, I am covering the whole wall with faux boxwood panels to give the look of a living wall. I am adding a simple sign in front of that. This area of my porch has definitely become a focal point.
The back porch is open on three sides. The best thing to do in this case is to create a ceiling that is your focal point. I removed the boring exterior light fixture in favor of an outdoor chandelier with candelabra light bulbs. The original ceiling on this porch is in decent shape, so I am patching it up and giving it a fresh coat of paint. The longer I live with it, though, the more I think about repainting in a more exciting color! The bead board on the front porch is in bad shape. For this ceiling, I cut strips of thin plywood, sealed them on all sides to prevent warping, and used a brad nailer to attach them. I am spacing with a nickel gap between planks. This ceiling gets so many compliments and was really affordable to do.
Porch Floors
Next, I want to address the floors. If your porch has a wood floor like mine, you’ve probably dealt with some rot. My porches were originally interior spaces. When the previous owners removed the storm windows and half walls in favor of railings, these wood floors became exposed to the elements! The right thing to do is rip out the rotting wood and replace it with flooring made for outdoors. That’s what we had done on our back porch.
However, the front porch is a bit trickier! Since the front porch is mostly enclosed and we use it more like an indoor space during the summer, I didn’t want gaps between floor boards. At first, I tried to patch and paint the floor. I removed a huge section of rot and rebuilt some of the porch floor framing. With paint, it didn’t look too bad, but it didn’t last long. Soon, the paint was chipping! In one last effort to keep the current floor on this porch, I am covering it in carpet tiles. I’m seriously loving the coziness and softness the carpeting brings.
Lastly, if you have a concrete porch floor, consider that paint might not hold up the best there either. Instead, try a concrete refinishing product. I did this on my the concrete step up to my back porch and it was a game changer. This will help your concrete look brand new!
Large Porch Lighting Ideas
Moving on to lighting ideas for your porch. I have already talked about my outdoor chandelier on my back porch, but that is not my favorite lighting option! My favorite is and always will be string lights. They add ambiance and soft lighting that I love. You can even buy solar-powered string lights now! Another option to consider is running rope lights. If you have siding like mine, you can tuck it in a J channel and hide it away. I do try to spend as much time on the porch with candlelight as I can during the summer months
Porch Decorations: Furniture
Porch furniture typically revolves around sitting and relaxing. I love a great set of rockers, so I am adding a pair to my front porch. I am blessed to have big porches. This has allowed me to have seating on both. I have a dining set on my back porch. I custom-built the table that is on the back porch to fit the dimensions. If you have a porch that feels like it comes to a “dead end,” consider putting storage there. If you want to add a wow factor to your porch, consider building a bed swing. This is an oversized porch swing that is meant to fit a twin-size mattress! I built mine using predominantly leftover lumber from previous projects. Everyone in my house loves spending time on the bed swing!
Decorate Your Porch Using Textiles
Textiles on your porch can make or break how inviting and cozy it feels. If your porch isn’t decorated with any cloth, rug, or throw pillows, it can look empty and basic. In my original front porch design, I layered colorful throw pillows on the bed swing to make it inviting. I laid down a rug to cozy up the area where my kids would sit on the floor to play. Putting textiles outside does require maintenance. We bring the cushions, pillows, and such inside when there’s severe weather and over the winter. There are so many great choices for outdoor textile options that are UV resistant, water resistant, and more. For example, the carpet tile I recently installed is meant for outdoor applications. Adding in textiles softens your whole space and elevates the porch decor!
Plant Decorations
With any porch, you should decorate with plants. This is a space that’s meant to be a transition between indoor and outdoor, and plants just make sense! You might find, however, that when a porch roof shades the space 100% of the day, it’s hard to get any live plants to grow. Here I would recommend hanging planters that you can hang from eye screws in your porch’s header. I custom-made mine out of scrap wood, so the pots are easily removable. Another idea is to use faux plants. I am impressed by how realistic some faux plants are! My big red geraniums are so convincing. Don’t forget to do the landscaping around your porches as well (mine could use some work but, I’m getting there).
These porch decorating ideas have transformed these two spaces into features of my home that we enjoy so much! My front porch even got swanky screens, which you can learn about here. I hope this was inspiring for you and filled you with ideas to decorate your porch.
