5 Keys to an Aesthetically Pleasing Back Porch

Your back porch can be furnished so that it functions as an extension of your living space, a relaxation retreat or as additional entertainment area. Your porch design should be whatever best fits your lifestyle or makes life more pleasurable for you.

Creating a Functional Space

Regardless of whether you plan to entertain on your back porch or use it as a relaxing retreat, an absence of clutter is key to an aesthetically pleasing space. Multi-purpose furniture can help you maintain an organized function living and dining area on the porch. It’s best not to over-crowd the porch with furniture. Keep the arrangement simple with an unobstructed flow from one side of the porch to the other.

Porch Lighting

In order to enjoy your porch in the early morning or evening hours, you’ll need to include some type of lighting on the porch. Recessed lighting is an attractive option for a back porch. String lights are available in a variety of designs. They can create a lively or a mesmerizing atmosphere on the porch. Wall lanterns and pendant lights are also an attractive choice of lighting for a porch. Including a ceiling fan with lights provides you with a gentle amount of air circulation and enough illumination to read or entertain.

Creating a Relaxing Retreat

If your goal is to create a relaxing oasis on your back porch, the elements you include in the design should be conducive to your personal definition of relaxing. If lounging in a hammock with a table nearby to set your drink on is your idea of a relaxing escape, then that’s what your back porch design should include. If a chaise lounge is the epitome of comfort to you, include one in your furniture arrangement. Many people find a hot tub to be an excellent place to relax. If a hot tub is the main feature of your back porch design, it’s essential that you take steps to properly maintain it. The spa chemicals you need to have on hand can be stored out of sight in hot tub storage steps or in an attractive locking cabinet.

Back Porch Accessories

The accessories you choose can enhance the aesthetics of your back porch design. You want enough accessories to make the porch attractive and functional but not so many that it looks cluttered. A large rug can unify your seating arrangement. Pillows can add beauty and comfort. Accent tables that provide storage space or are designed with an open base for storage baskets are ideal on a porch. Wall art can also enhance the beauty of your back porch. Potted plants and the containers they are in can enhance the aesthetics of your back porch design. The porch is an extension of your interior space and should be furnished and decorated in a style that is complementary to your interior décor.

Creating Privacy

The manner in which you create privacy on your back porch can impact the aesthetics of your porch. You can add elements to your landscape design such as trees or shrubs that will block the view of your porch. Lattice or a trellis can provide some privacy. You can grow climbing vines on either of these to increase your privacy during the warm weather months. Outdoor curtains, exterior blinds or louvered shades are a good, year-round privacy feature. Tall potted plants placed around a hot tub or sitting area can also provide some privacy.

A back porch designed in accordance with your lifestyle and personal preference can be one of the most enjoyable features of your home. There’s a uniquely pleasing transformation that occurs in one’s mood and in the atmosphere when transitioning from the indoor living space to the exterior living or relaxation area of a home. A well-designed back porch can be aesthetically pleasing, physically relaxing and emotionally comforting.