How-to Turn Your Porch to an At- Home Oasis ... It's Easier Than You Think

The porch is more than a place to put a few rockers or Adirondack chairs. The space can become an outdoor living room, a center for meditation or a place for a mid-day nap. “You can follow a certain style, like country, or have a great many green plants around, or you can just find a few mismatched pieces of furniture, update them with some paint, and your porch is ready,” said Eric Nerhood from Premier Property Buyers. 

Potted Flowers Pep Up Your Porch Decor

It’s so easy to liven up your porch with potted plants. ”Combining different pots and plants, you can either make your porch friendlier or add a mysterious note to the entrance of your house,” said Bryan McKenzie is a landscape designer and co-founder of BumperCrop Times family blog. “The plant options include seasonal flowers that bloom through spring-autumn or evergreen plants that can remain the same all year through. And did you know that potted outdoor flowers are one of the biggest landscape design trends this year?”

The desire for potted plants (aka container gardening) started elevating in 2020 more influences (and us regular people) began regularly posting such greenery on social media. Arranging beautiful plants in stylish containers—like classic clay pots and sleek, high-tech looking varieties—was fun and easy to do. “You can make your garden much more diverse if you bring warm-loving plants outside during the warm season and hide them inside when it gets cold,” said McKenzie. “It's a double benefit.”

Make sure that you care for your potted plants properly. That means more frequent watering because the soil is more prone to drying out when it is windy or hot. You should also regularly deadhead your flowers, removing dying blooms to encourage new buds.

Add a Water Element for That Zen Feeling 

Imagine the gentle sound of bubbling water blocking out the usual neighborhood noise—especially traffic. Closed cycle garden fountains work well for porch decor since they don't require a connected water source. You can put a small-sized fountain on a table, or choose a bigger one for a corner, and create a calm oasis for yourself.

Fountains are great because they are quick and easy way to add a calming element to any space whether you want to meditate or just create a personal refuge. Small fountains are portable—so you can try a variety of looks—and good for apartment patios as well as porches.

Old Outdoor Tiles and Rugs - Classic and Colorful

Retro is in … and an easy way to bring this look to your porch is through tiles. “Similar to outdoor pottery, this design element can be combined with a variety of exterior styles, including classic American suburban homes, European-style houses, constrained high-tech facades, and more,” said McKenzie.

You can experiment with all types of options. Best of all, lots of old times are found on eBay. Imagine where you’d like to travel: Italy, Greece, France, where ever. Then look for tiles with color schemes and styles that match those destinations. Make sure that whatever outdoor tiles you choose are resistant to temperature fluctuations, and can weather any season. Choose something, too, that is easy to walk on and won’t be slippery.

Rugs also work well on porches—either on top of the tiles or placed on the concrete or wood floor. “Neutral outdoor rugs can be combined with any type of tiles, but it's better to look for brown braided rugs if you choose retro tiles and wish to achieve an authentic look,” advised McKenzie.

Selecting Rugs

When selecting rugs, there is a lot to think about like color and texture. When it comes to colors, there are some you should definitely not choose, said Ryan Jones, marketing manager of Land of Rugs Online, like bright ones such as greens, yellows, blues and reds. “They will take focus away from your existing décor in your porch area such as potted plants,” he suggested.

“The general rule of thumb is to choose a color that is very similar to the front (or back) door,” Jones recommended. “This way you can be sure the rug is not going to clash with the existing décor.”

With texture, low pile rugs work better than shaggy ones. A porch area faces lots of foot traffic and you’ll need a texture that can sustain that without getting flattened.

Don’t Forget Accent Pillows ... and a Hammock

Accent pillows add color, comfort and style to any porch. They are personal and simple to change every season or holiday. You can start with colors to celebrate Memorial Day and then swap in red, white and blue ones for July 4^th before bringing back the pastels for August.

The pillows look good on a hammock, too … and will make all those summer naps oh-so comfortable. Whether you place a metal hammock on your porch or one from the ceiling, this relaxing addition makes the space perfect for napping and reflecting.

So spruce up that porch as soon as you can … so you can start enjoying the space all season long. You might even find it so inviting, you’ll install a heater for winter!

All porch photos provided by Bryan McKenzie.

N Series Parabole Water fountain photo provided by Soothing Company.

For more on porch decor, see our "Perfect Porch" post.