5 Easy Backyard Porch Ideas!

written by Laurie C Peters, nutritionist and SEO/SEM content writer and marketing strategist

5 easy backyard porch ideas? Skip to the steps or read on!

TOP FIVE TIPS TO CONSIDER WHEN IMPROVING YOUR Backyard Porch

Could your outdoor space use some sprucing up? Have you run out of back porch ideas?

After a summer outside, or because one lives with year-round sunshine, it’s not uncommon to notice room for improvement in our backyards, literally. Skip the headache with these easy tricks to transform any outside area into an entertainment paradise. 

From high-tech open-air entertainment systems to cozy family retreats, here’s my top five picks to get the job done! These easy tricks transform your backyard patio set or back porch decor, into an entertainment paradise.

Establish a central theme for your backyard porch 

1. VISUALIZE:

All great creative projects start with a dream, a desire, a mood, an idea… something hoped for that will serve both in a practical, but also, pleasing way.

What is the goal of this space? Do you want a covered porch? Open-air porch? What will it be used for?

Many people envision having their morning coffee on their back porch. They imagine a large outdoor dining table with a beautiful ceiling fan perfectly hung from their porch ceiling. And all of these outdoor porch decorating ideas and plans can become a reality with the right tools.

Use a floor planner app to sketch out different backyard porch ideas

Using an app like Homestyler can help you visualize the seating area. Or, where to place a small bench or create a cozy outdoor living room. It can even help to imagine multiple areas for different entertaining purposes. Most importantly, you need to assure you have enough space to accomplish the various activities you hope to enjoy in your outdoor living space. This includes enough seating should you be housing a traditional table and chairs, or a fire pit. 

Once you’ve laid out a floor plan, it’s time to determine your design style!

Backyard porches come in many different styles. Determining your “must-have” items is key to understanding the aesthetic goals you’re striving for. Would you be wanting your outdoor space to compliment your home’s interior or do you wish it to be a grand departure from this style? 

Get Playful with the myriad of outdoor backyard porch options!

From a bed swing like this cool one from Sorbs, that’s a crisp, clean, yet cozy nest to colorful Adirondack chairs, the skies are the limit when you exit your back door! Assessing your key porch features means understanding what you intend to do there. Will you be spending leisure time on lounge chairs, sipping mai tais in the hot sun? Perhaps you want it to be a place where people come to watch movies, listen to music, and experience the latest in smart features? Maybe it’s a more low key, escape from it all kind of environment you’re after. 

What do you want your backyard porch to be?

Determining what you want from this area is crucial to not only product purchase–everything from paint color to sound systems–but also product placement; will you need to build an overhang? Will your neighbors complain about noise reverberation? You can read more about that here.

2. FUNCTIONALITY:

If the projector is facing towards the living space, but still gets a glare from the sun, will you need a sun protector? If you enjoy nights on the veranda, but can’t stand mosquitos, do you need a bug zapper? Does the sound of traffic interrupt the tranquility you seek? Maybe you need a water feature. I discuss these issues and more here. 

3. LANDSCAPING:

It’s a whole lot more than shrubs these days. Nowadays, landscaping can involve light scaping, food scaping, and even homesteading! Making an intricate garden or simply an outdoor area rug and adding a trellis can bring many perks, including an increase in your property value.

*Outdoor speakers strategically placed in the foliage offer excellent sound for movie night or music.

4. FURNITURE:

Choosing the right furniture like these options from ACE involves assessing numbers 1-4 and then selecting pieces that work within the boundaries of each. If you’re going for a sleek, cocktail party ready ambiance, you are going to want monochromatic colors such as white or beige, and materials rocking chairs that are structured in cast aluminum or stainless steel. Of course, if you are aiming for a rustic look, then you may go for crafted White Cedar log swing chairs and decorative throw pillows in burlap or vintage prints on non corded material.

While we are on the subject of furniture al fresco, this 7-piece set is only $399.00 and stain resistant! That’s a good thing because the number one complaint Janna gets from her clients that stops them from fully enjoying their great outdoor spaces is keeping their furniture clean!

Why do they get dirty? Three keys: location, material, and maintenance.

That’s why Janna came up with a simple three-step guide to purchasing outdoor furniture:

—Establish a location free from tree shedding while also not in the line of fire for sun fade.  You need shade, you say? Consider a Sunbrella before ignoring this important rule. If you don’t, you will be cleaning up falling chestnuts, pine needles, and sap until you give up and watch your furniture deteriorate. Of course, Janna still suggests you have a designated broom and dustpan on hand. Learn about sap and dirt removal.

—Choose weather and stain-resistant fabric to ensure durability, thus longevity for your patio settings. Here’s Janna’s Top Eleven Pros and Cons of Fabric Choices.

—A maintenance schedule is key to any great outdoor space. Upkeep is something many people don’t prioritize or even think about. It is important to turn over your outdoor pillows often, fluff and brush them regularly if not daily. It’s also helpful to have the right cleaning agents for the job. Remember, these items live in nature and are subject to more than stains; think, bird droppings and rust. Investing in plastic coverings is not a bad idea.

5. UPGRADES

It’s not just about adding a swimming pool or tennis court, though those are certainly nice features. Upgrading outdoor dining area might mean something as simple as fixing broken pavers or adding a noise

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