Anyone who lives in the South knows just how uncomfortable the summer can be. Most of us don’t venture outdoors until very late in the day when the heat finally begins to subside. The homeowners for this project had just recently completed an expansion of their deck and added a roof over the whole area so they could enjoy their pool with family and friends. They had a lot of furniture scattered around, several grills, and big ideas about how they wanted the area to feel and function.
Space planning for outdoor living areas can be a little tricky because they are often expected to serve several functions. The homeowners wanted a dedicated dining space, a home for their 3 grills, a conversation area that would also look out onto the pool, an area for sunbathing, AND a spot for early morning coffee and reading.
Just Keep Moving
We began the process by editing some of the furniture. The deck is large, but there was way too much furniture. Next we worked to find just the right furniture arrangement so the porch could function the way they wanted it to. We placed the furniture in the layout the homeowner thought she wanted, and she realized that it was not quite what she had in mind. We tried about a dozen layouts until we finally found the one that worked.
Pretty Comes Next
Once the furniture was in place we could focus on making the porch pretty and inviting. The renovation was a costly project, so she and her husband did not want to spend a lot of money on decorating. We brought the cushions they purchased a few years ago out of storage and placed them on the furniture. They were in great shape, and the bright green was just what the gray porch needed.
Next we “shopped” their basement for other items to add color, texture and interest. We found tobacco baskets for the walls, a lot of little knick-knacks, a bird cutout she had purchased but never found a place to use, and a large ficus tree.
Get Creative
A back porch might not be where you would think of putting an artificial ficus tree. They also aren’t as stylish as they once were, but we used it anyway. It worked great as a visual divider for the dining and reading area. We attached the bird cut-out to a tobacco basket for a “customized” wall hanging. The tree and the wall decor made a nice “backdrop” for the reading area.
Make It Personal
As we were digging through boxes of decor we discovered a little blue bunny. It was a favorite piece that had been put away and forgotten. My client was so excited to find it again! She wanted to use it on the porch, but she was afraid it would look out of place. The color worked well with the greens and blues in the pillows and it was a piece that made her happy. I encouraged her to give it a try. When we placed it on the table by her reading chair we both knew it would stay.
Goals Accomplished
We created a porch that is pretty, comfortable and functional. It’s great for entertaining guests, but it’s also a quiet place for my client to enjoy her coffee and devotional. Small items that are meaningful to her helped make the space feel more special. We also accomplished all of homeowners’ goals for how the space would be used. We gave them a dining and cooking area (and he didn’t have to give up a single grill), a conversation area, a reading chair, and a spot for lounging in the sun. All this was accomplished with a decorating budget of $0.
