These 5 easy ways you can decorate a covered porch will help you plan your outdoor space.

This September will mark my family’s one-year anniversary in our new home. Much of this past year was focused on the interior of the house, decorating and arranging our living spaces. As soon as spring arrived, I began planning to figure out how to decorate a covered porch. Until now, this space has been completely overlooked. Its main use has been a landing pad for muddy sneakers, sports equipment, and random backyard items. (I’m looking at you badminton racquet!)

Having a small yard has made optimizing outdoor space a priority. I knew our covered porch would be the perfect spot to escape the blazing summer sun and relax in the shade. My ultimate goal was to create a cozy spot for my family to gather and lounge all summer long. At the top of my wish list was a large outdoor sofa, where the kids could sit and read after a long day of swimming and bike riding. However, when it came to pulling the space together, I was drawing a blank.

So, I did what anyone else looking at an empty, blank, space would do – I got busy trolling Pinterest for a few (hundred) images that I could recreate. Here are a few of the best ideas I found.

5 Easy Ways You Can Decorate a Covered Porch

1. Outdoor Seating
   

   Decide what you intend your space to be used for. I personally wanted the largest sofa I could fit in my space, knowing that I wanted to be able to seat multiple children and adults. Measure your space carefully before investing in a new piece of furniture. There is nothing worse than being unhappy with your purchase after you add it to your space.

2. Outdoor Rug

   I added an outdoor rug to this space as an afterthought. Everything looked like it was floating on the porch and the rug really helped define the seating area. Outdoor rugs are also perfect for covering a less than desirable floor. If you hate the color of your flooring or want to cover up a crack or stain – outdoor rugs are perfect!

3. Ottoman or Coffee Table
   

   Whether to choose an ottoman or coffee table is a matter of personal preference. Knowing that I was planning on a lot of lounging taking place on my porch, I wanted everyone to be able to put their feet up and relax. If you plan on doing a lot of eating and drinking on your porch, a coffee table would be the better way to go.

4. Plants
   

   Aside from the outdoor plants that I plant in the spring, I like to bring my indoor plants outside as well. As long as I keep them out of direct sunlight, my indoor plants love to spend the summers outside. I always feel like they grow amazingly in the fresh air.

5. Lighting
   

   Typically, overhead porch lighting is pretty unattractive. Until I can replace mine with an outdoor fan, I’m using lanterns and fairy lights to help light the night. Sitting outside at night, surrounded by warm candlelight and twinkling fairy lights is a perfectly peaceful way to end the day.

I hope these tips on how to decorate a covered porch prove useful to you when planning your outdoor space!

Do you want more ideas like the ones found in 5 Easy Ways You Can Decorate a Covered Porch? Check out the following articles!

• den ideas: 3 simple ways to decorate with things you love
• 5 decorating ideas for a boys room
• small entryway organization ideas

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