Inviting Porches and Verandas

Late spring and early summer days draw us outside to entertain or just relax with a drink and a copy of FLOWER magazine. We’ve gathered more than two dozen idyllic porches and verandas featured in our pages to inspire your outdoor space refresh—or maybe just your daydreams.
Front porch with outdoor furniture by Kinglsey Bate. The rug is by Couristan, and the throw pillows are Home Couture.

On this Raleigh, North Carolina, front porch, Nellie Howard Ossi brought in outdoor furniture by Kinglsey Bate. The rug is by Couristan, and the throw pillows are Home Couture. See more from our interview with Nellie. Photo by Dustin Peck.

Bright viridian green furniture fills an old fashioned sun room that opens to a bountiful flower garden.

The cheerful vibe of Grey Gardens’ sunporch was achieved through a finely tuned collaboration. Architects Richard Bories and James Shearron of Bories & Shearron drew the plaster palm trees, and Mark Ferguson of Ferguson & Shamamian helped with restoring the diamond-patterned windows to the original smaller size with restoration glass. “I wanted the famous Marella Agnelli Bonacina 1889 rattan furniture, and Mark [Sikes] combined it with a bit of Soane rattan,” says Liz. Window treatments and pillows are made from recently introduced Botanica Trading floral fabric. The green seat cushions and yellow accessories were contributed by Jonathan Adler. See more of Grey Gardens colorful restoration. Photo by Michael Mundy

Covered space of front yard courtyard

In the covered space of Courtnay Tartt Elias’s front yard courtyard, the designer transformed traditional French-style indoor furniture using a fabric combination of jaunty stars and stripes. Photo by Claudia Casbarian for Julie Soefer Photography. See more of Elias’s front yard courtyard.

wisteria-covered outdoor dining terrace

The wisteria arbor off the back of the house is landscape designer Lisa Bynon’s favorite place on this Hamptons property. “I sit under this arbor for hours each day,” she says. Photo by Tria Giovan. See more of this Hamptons home and garden.

Photo the screened porch at McCurdy Plantation. Designer James Farmer chose a gray floor and light blue ceiling, and furnished it with two rocking chairs and a bed swing covered in blue pillows.

The screened porch at this 1845 home in Oak Bowery, Alabama epitomizes Southern style. Designer James Farmer chose a gray floor and light blue ceiling, and furnished it with a bed swing made in South Carolina and  pair of rocking chairs from Georgia. Photo by Emily Followill. See more of this farmhouse renovation.

mountain house decor ideas from this screen porch include a sofa and chairs in a light upholstery. Throw pillows and an afghan bring in a punch of bright orange that complements the muted teal millwork. A large white-and-neutral striped area rug and a pair of chevron-print throw pillows add visual interest through pattern. And though upholstered in a light fabric, a curved upholstered bench with deep, plush tufting makes a bold statement. An antique, simple wood desk holds a chunky glass lamp and a large copper pot holding a green plant. A large modern coffee table with a wood top and streamlined metal base, along with wood variety of stools and small side tables, complete the space.

The raised hearth of the Tennessee fieldstone fireplace makes the perfect perch for toasting marshmallows on cool evenings at this mountain house in Cashiers, North Carolina. A pair of candelabras carved from tree roots and an antique Belgian Black Forest plaque add to the porch’s enchanted forest vibe. Photo by Emily Followill. See more of this Cashiers home. 

a furnished covered porch lines the side of a Hamptons home. The columns and trim are muted teal. The panel ceiling and floor are natural wood.

The Moraine was christened on a magical summer night that ended with dancing on the porch, which remains a favorite gathering spot. Photo by Tria Giovan from Jennifer Ash Rudick’s book, Out East (Vendome, 2017). See more of this Hampton’s home.

hamptons houses

The dining area of Bayside Cottage is tucked into a corner of the screened-in porch overlooking Davis Creek. Vintage batik fabrics cover seat cushions and decorative pillows. Photo by Tria Giovan from Jennifer Ash Rudick’s book, Out East (Vendome, 2017). See more of this Hampton’s home.

meg braff home

A covered porch decorated by Meg Braff offers a comfortable grouping of rattan furniture in vibrant blue. Photo by Tria Giovan. See more of Meg’s designs.

hamptons houses, porch

Wisteria vines envelop the front porch of this Hamptons farmhouse. Designer Jeffrey Bilhuber had the porch floor painted in jaunty high gloss stripes. Photo by Tria Giovan from Jennifer Ash Rudick’s book, Out East (Vendome, 2017). See more of this Hampton’s home.

A two-level white columned porch from the pages of Renewing Tradition: The Architecture of Eric J. Smith

A Dutch Colonial home’s generous upper terraces offer views of the Long Island Sound. The firm of Eric J. Smith Architect expanded the home’s back porches and terraces, providing indoor-outdoor living space along the entire length of the house. Photo by Peter Margonelli from Renewing Tradition: The Architecture of Eric J. Smith (Rizzoli New York, 2019). See more of Eric’s designs.

Back porch with white columns, ceiling fans, white furniture, and hanging baskets of flowers

“The back porch, with its view of the garden, is our favorite place to spend time,” says Suzy Currey of her 1843 Greek Revival home in Sparta, Georgia. Photo by David Hillegas. See more from the Currey farm.

At Good Dogs Farm in the Berkshires, Maria Nation’s screened dining porch is surrounded by plantings of hostas and chelone. Photo by Kindra Clineff. See more from Good Dogs Farm.

Screened porch with white wicker furniture, colored pillows and garden stools on a blue and white rug.

For this screened porch, Maggie Griffin gave the client’s existing outdoor furniture a fresh look with colorful pillows and garden stools. Photo by Brian Bieder. See more of this 1940s cottage makeover.

Interior of screened porch with wicker furniture painted red.

The original screened porch of this Bellport, New York remained intact structurally but Phillip Thomas gave it updates of fresh paint, pillows, and new flooring and rug. Photo by Michael Mundy & Aydin Arjomand. See more of this home makeover.

Back porch with bench, column pedestal with large flower arrangement, metal candle lanterns, and a large round mirror.

“On the back porch, we hung a mirror so either coming or going, you can see how you look. Everybody looks in the mirror when they come in or out of the house,” says Bunny Miller of the FLOWER Atlanta showhouse’s rear porch. The round form of the mirror she selected from Ballard Designs echoes a round window in the gallery. Photo by David Hillegas. See more of Bunny’s spaces at the showhouse.

Covered porch spanning the length of the house, Flower Showhouse

Brick floors add a textural element to the front porch of FLOWER‘s Brierfield farm showhouse, which features Adirondack chairs for taking in the views, vintage suzani pillows by B. Viz Designs, and Cotton Exchange lanterns by Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights. Photo by David Hillegas. See more of the Brierfield farmhouse.

Off the kitchen, a classic covered porch serves as an extension of the FLOWER Palmetto Bluff showhouse’s entertaining space and offers vistas of the surrounding water. “One of the best things about living in the South is that the weather allows for outdoor living most of the year,” says designer Phoebe Howard. Photo by Adam Kuehl. See more from the Palmetto Bluff showhouse.

Dallas Highland Park house, covered porch swing

From the cheerful, flower-lined pathway that leads to the front door to an old-fashioned porch swing that overlooks a lush backyard, the grounds and architecture of this Dallas house set the tone for its beautiful and welcoming interiors designed by Denise McGaha. Photo by Stephen Karlisch. See more of this Highland Park home.

The screen porch features wood tones and other earthy hues, with a rough-hewn wooden table for 8. Francie Hargrove’s choices for mountain house decor on the porch include moth orchids in a copper pot, faux bois candlesticks and plant stand with fern, a large pottery jug with a dark glaze, an orange afghan with white fringe, a white curtain panel, and 6 leather upholstered dining chairs with grommets that compliment that pair of Appalachian hoop chairs at earth end of the table.

“Having dinner on the porch is like eating in a tree house,” says interior designer Francie Hargrove, who paired Appalachian hoop chairs with classic European antiques on the porch of this Cashiers, North Carolina home. Photo by Emily Followill. See more of this mountain home’s decor. 

dining terrace

The grotto-like dining terrace of Martha Stewart’s summer home in Maine, with its vine-clad arbor and hanging ferns, provides respite on warm days. Photo by Claire Takacs. See more from Skylands.

Calder Clark's covered porch and outdoor fireplace.

“At home we keep it cozy, but usually alfresco, with lots of bubbly, and ending with s’mores by the fire,” says Charleston event designer Calder Clark. Her covered porch and outdoor fireplace are the perfect spot for gathering. Photo by Julia Lynn. Get entertaining tips from Calder.

Dining area on the terrace at Frances Schultz's Bee Cottage

The patio, here set for dining, was the most lived-in space of the house from April to November, says Frances Schultz of her former East Hampton’s home. Photo by Tria Giovan. See more of the Bee Cottage.

Wicker furniture with blue and white striped cushions on the porch at Bucktucket, at Nantucket home and garden.

The porch of Laura and Bill Buck’s Nantucket cottage is furnished in Lloyd Flanders all-weather wicker dressed in striped fabric, and offers garden as well as coastal views. Photo by Kindra Clineff. See more of this Nantucket home and garden.

Richard Keith Langham's porch with salmon colored accents.

On the porch of Richard Keith Langham’s South Hampton home, antique wicker furniture, painted to match the exterior of the house, sports cushions in a lively salmon stripe. Photo by Michael Mundy. See more of Langham’s home.

Pair of chairs on a columned side porch with views of the garden and hills beyond in fall color.

At this property outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, a columned side porch with a pair of swivel chairs provides the ideal spot for morning coffee and taking in the fall color. Photo by Erik Kvalsvik. See more of this Virginia farmhouse.

A cozy hanging seat on the deck looking over a snow covered mountain.

The family room of this Big Sky home connects to the outdoors by a slate terrace. The designers created a cozy moment with a Dedon hanging swing layered with a cashmere throw and fur pillow. A side table also by Dedon makes it easy to cozy up with a warm drink or a cocktail. Photo by  Annie Schlechter. See more of this Montana mountain retreat.

A cream colored lattice is the backdrop for a covered porch.

For the covered porch at FLOWER‘s Baton Rouge showhouse, designers Will Huff and Heather Dewberry wanted to create the look and feel of an indoor room that has been transported outside. “We call this our ‘Latticed Lanai.’” Photo by Paul Costello. See more of the Baton Rouge showhouse.

Green furniture with pillows on the front porch of a house.

“Having a front courtyard with seating groups for conversation feels like such a gracious way to enter this house. I love the way sunlight moves across the fretwork pattern on my outdoor furniture, creating shadows that are just magical,” says Susan Hable of the FLOWER Baton Rouge showhouse front porch. Photo by David Hillegas. See more of the outdoor spaces at our Louisiana showhouse.

Produced by Jason Burnett