Simple back porch ideas


25 Back Porch Ideas For the Ultimate Backyard Oasis

Design by Marie Flanigan Interiors / Photo by Julie Soefer

The front porch is all about welcoming and curb appeal, designed as much for guests and passersby as for yourself. But the back porch is an intimate space designed exclusively for you and yours, tailored to your lifestyle and preferred ways of passing time in the privacy of your own backyard.

A back porch can be anything from a an outdoor dining area for family meals and entertaining to a romantic spot for unwinding with your partner, to a solitary spot for contemplating the view. Your back porch decor can be minimalist and designed to blend into the background, or packed with outdoor furniture and accessories that rival your interior or look like an extension of the inside of your home.

Whether you're designing a space for getting more enjoyment out of your weekends, staycations, or the warm carefree days of summer, check out these back porch ideas that explore some of the endless possibilities for creating your own stylish and private backyard oasis.

15 Super Simple Back Porch Ideas

Sometimes all you need is a no-nonsense plan to make things happen. And if you’ve been struggling on what to do with your outdoor space, we’ve got you covered. Here are 20 super simple back porch ideas that will have the area cleaned up and styled without any fuss or frustration.

If you check out this YouTube video, you’ll be introduced to the most beautiful and relaxed back porch space. Perfect for families and evenings in the summertime, sometimes all you need is a crisp landscaping job and furniture that works for the outdoors but that’s plush enough to be comfortable too. And you get all of that in this home.

If you’re looking for something equally as simple and easy but with a sprinkle of rusticism too, here’s a space to take a second look at. All wood everywhere and a pop of greenery in the corners, this back porch didn’t take much to put together but it does a lot for the covered area. Thanks for the inspiration HGTV!

Designing Domestically knows that simplicity is key. This quaint covered back porch has a delicacy about it that works well with furniture that includes more feminine lines. Wicker or slim legs, they’ll compliment this pretty space without overpowering its romance or girlish charm.

The Handmade Home mixed up a funky combination of colors and furniture pieces. You get a personalized view of the family’s vibe by just peeking of this mix up. A place to sit and relax or a place to grab an evening bite, there’s something for everyone in this eclectic scene.

Amy Spencer Interiors showcased this colorful contemporary scheme. Popping tones highlighted by black furniture, it’s a good mix of personality and traditional appeal. This space is covered but keep in mind this kind of styling can stand on its own outside as well. The black foundation works all year round and gives the versatility to change out colors and patterns within the changing of the seasons.

Here’s another great example of how a little can go a long way. This back patio is perfectly styled for fall without too much coming out of the bank account or too much fun. Creatively Living provides us with a personalized design that’s doable for everyone and incredibly easy to replicate if inspired.

If you’re more of a minimalist, here’s an idea for you! Simple gray and white rocking chairs lines up on the patio is really all you need. A side table or two to hold your iced tea along with the right amount of sunshine will certainly set off this easy style.

Here’s another covered patio idea that we’ve become inspired by. And because it’s a smaller space, it’s being utilized in all the right ways. A table with some seats is all you need to enjoy the area. Summertime evenings or brunch on Sunday mornings can be spent right outside the door in the fresh air and sunshine.

Garden Design has a lot of great ideas and inspiration, including this spread. With its very Zen flavor and Tuscan-touched style, we instantly fell in love with the ease of the area. A rolling cover for when the weather takes hold, lounge chairs and a wood foundation, it’s got a natural vibe and a no-fuss feel. The greens accents enhance the organic essence that it seems to be creating as well.

If you’ve got a wraparound porch and you have no clue what to do with all the space, have no fear! You don’t have to fill it all up with “stuff” or furniture pieces. Instead, check out this easy idea from Interior Ideas. Metal or vintage benches, a few plants and cushions, that’s really all you need to create some outdoor comfort.

World Market showcased a beautiful fall scape as well. The wicker rocking chair is offset by autumn potted plants and pumpkins! It’s really that easy. Just grab some things that are inspired by the season and refresh your patio with its presence. You don’t have to have it all filled up with “stuff,” instead, simplicity and homage the time of year works!

Adding a swing to the back porch mix seems like a good idea, don’t you think? Maison de Pax gave us the idea with this gorgeous set up! You can keep things simple but still add a bit of luxury. Extra lush greenery and some rocking chairs to accent the swing, it’s truly all you need to make a dream right outside your backdoor.

If you’d rather go lighter and brighter, then check out this swing-inspired space! Minimal and romantic, all you need is some wicker furniture and a bit of fabric to recreate this in your backyard. A throw pillow and blanket or two wouldn’t hurt either. It’ll become your favorite part of your home, a space to take afternoon naps or catch up on your reading.

Southern State of Mind created a back porch area with simplicity, ease and a bit of color too. It’s the perfect kind of space for entertaining the family – as well as the friends – while not giving anyone too much fuss either. Some potted plants to add warmth and some twinkle lights for summertime nights, there’s not much to this design.

Finally, over at Worthing Court, you’ll find another traditional setup to become inspired by. There’s ample seating area, a section to enjoy evening meals and enough greenery to create a serenity and simplicity all in one. Neutrals keep with that cozy, easy feel as well without creating too much interest or kitschy chaos.

Wooden porch - a photo gallery of ideas for a private house. How to arrange a porch of a private house: TOP ideas

Content

  1. Functional and beautiful porch
  2. Foundation
  3. Building a metal porch
  4. Square with closed walls
  5. How to decorate the porch: Decor ideas and decor Classic
  6. Russian style Russian style Russian style Russian style
  7. Country
  8. High tech
  9. Plant decor
  10. Porch with steps and railing
  11. Wooden porch for a private house
  12. Landing at the door
  13. Steps and railings
  14. Canopy
  15. Design and original ideas
  16. Basics of building a wooden porch
  17. What material can be made from?
  18. Finishing and design
  19. Classic
  20. Eternal classic in design
  21. Country style porch
  22. Russian style porch
  23. Finnish porch
  24. French charm
  25. 0006
  26. High-tech porch
  27. Stylistic orientation
  28. Classics
  29. Russian
  30. Loft
  31. European
  32. DIY WITHOUT WORK
  33. 9000 A little about awnings
  34. Russian style
  35. Porch ideas with photos
  36. Choosing wood and related materials
  37. What breed to use
  38. Related materials
  39. Porch canopy installation
  40. Materials used

Functional and beautiful porch

In addition to beauty, the porch can become a very useful and functional space near the house. So, the covered version protects from rain and during a thunderstorm you can sit in an armchair under a canopy and contemplate the majestic natural phenomenon. One has only to look at the photo of the porch with wicker furniture, flowering petunias in hanging planters, and you will be overwhelmed with delight. nine0003

Porch designs can be very diverse and in many respects it all depends on the design idea of ​​the house itself:

Very comfortable porch options with a seating area. How convenient it is, because the place of comfort will be located near the house, which means that everything you need is nearby. In fact, you can equip three in one - a porch, a gazebo and even a summer gallery for indoor flowers. Here you can drink coffee, look at the stars, take air baths, read books, chat and much more. nine0003

Foundation

The porch is installed on the foundation. Various options are used for it:











The correct depth must be calculated when making the base. The foundation must run below the freezing depth. It is necessary to decide whether the foundations of the porch and the house should be connected. This decision is influenced by the type of construction and the characteristics of the soil. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

If there is no connection, frost heave can result in structural cracking and misalignment. When the ground thaws, it may return to its place, but this is not always the case. nine0003

If two foundations are connected, this can prevent deformation due to freezing or settling. But if it is too strong, cracks can form in the porch structure or at the junction. The connected foundation is convenient in cases where the porch is heavy and massive.





Building a metal porch

Metal porch is mainly made for summer cottages or small private houses. This type of porch is the most popular and popular, second only to wood. Knowing all the required dimensions, such a porch can be pre-welded, and then the finished structure can be delivered directly to its destination. nine0003

If there are no decorative elements made of forged metal in this design, then its cost will be much less than that of concrete or wood. Therefore, although the wrought iron porch is very beautiful and has a stunning view, it is quite expensive and also very difficult to install.

For such a porch, it is allowed to lay the foundation of a lighter version, since the metal is a rather elastic material, therefore, the impact on its soil does not have any effect. And in some cases, for such a design, the foundation is completely unnecessary. nine0003

Steps for this design can be made entirely of metal, or you can additionally make a wooden step, it all depends on your fantasy and imagination.

Platform with closed walls

As a rule, this type is installed on low elevations, where special fences with railings prevent falls. At the same time, the fences and railings themselves can perform not only a protective function, but also a decorative one. nine0003

How to Decorate a Porch: Design and Decor Ideas

The choice of decor depends on the style of the house and yard. Plants will always be appropriate: flowers in pots or tall vases, in pots on the railing or at the entrance. Furniture can be placed on the porch-terrace: wicker or leather chairs (rocking chair), a deck chair, a small table, decorative dishes or candlesticks, napkins, blankets.

Classic

Indicates strict lines and moderation in jewelry. Wood, natural stone are used as materials. Columns, massive railings, a gable canopy are appropriate. Classical style - severe, serious, monumental, durable. It creates the feeling of building "for the ages". nine0003

Russian style

Antique stylization assumes wood as the main material: with elaborate thin, reminiscent of lace, carvings, platbands, columns, decorated with a pattern. If you look at any Russian folk tale, you can see many examples of entrance groups in the Russian style. The wood is not painted with colored paints, but covered with a colorless protective composition that does not hide the structure of the wood.

Country

Country style. He welcomes bright colors and decorative elements - fruits in baskets, flowers in bright pots, bouquets, rugs and armchairs. nine0003

Hi-tech

Hi-tech means rigor and minimalism: clear lines, metal, glass, nothing superfluous. This style welcomes artificial materials, polycarbonate and plastic will be appropriate here, but everything should be sustained in one (minimalist) color scheme.

This style is characterized by a closed entrance group, protected from external conditions and made on a common foundation with the house.

Plant decor

The right plants can transform any porch in an amazing way. Climbing plants have proven themselves to be excellent, from which, if desired, you can create a “wall” at the porch.

Wooden boxes or deep ceramic pots with flowers planted in them will bring bright colors. Decorative greenery gives coolness and freshness.

Bouquets can be collected in vases, flowers look great in pots and stands, it is important to choose buds according to color and flowering time. nine0003

Porch with steps and railings

If the house has a high foundation and steps can be installed that will lead to the main entrance, the installation of railings will be relevant. This design will make the exterior of the building appear safer and more stable, and will also serve a very specific function and help residents and visitors enter the house in bad weather.

This is the traditional design of the entrance to the building. It can be combined with a canopy or canopy, as well as additionally decorated with various designs to make the composition look complete. nine0003










Wooden porch for a private house

Among the many ways to decorate the porch of a private house, wooden options remain the most popular. They are simple in execution, light, cheap and diverse in variations. It can be both box-shaped models and variations with gaps between the steps, as well as massive log structures. A wood porch pairs best with a wood, adobe, and siding home. nine0003

If you have your own private house, then you can try your hand at equipping it with a homemade porch from edged boards. In addition, there are a lot of drawings on the Internet, and in this article we will consider a drawing and a sequence of work for one of the simplest porch designs.

To make the porch beautiful and comfortable, you need to correctly calculate the dimensions of each element. The determination of these parameters is directly related to how functional the structure will be.

Platform at the door

Porch steps must not be attached directly to the front door of the house, because for climatic reasons the structure may shift in height. So, the porch may become lower or higher than the lower level of the door, in the second case, the entrance to the house may be blocked. It is most convenient to have a spacious area between the door and the stairs. It can be both a purely practical part and a decorative one.

The person standing at the door must take a step back without falling off the edge of the platform. The fact is that otherwise, how to take a step back, open the door is not possible. And to enter the door, there should be a comfortable space on the sides of it. Of course, the dimensions of the porch are determined by building standards depending on the parameter of the door:

If the height of the steps is decent, then it is better to slightly overestimate the indicated standards. Fire safety regulations recommend making the porch 5 cm below the level of the front door. They are different from those that equip inside the house. You need to understand that they walk on the outer steps in shoes, so their tread should be at least 30 cm, and the ideal height of the steps is from 15 to 20 cm.

If there are more than 3 steps, then it is necessary to install a railing 80-90 cm high so that the entrance to the houses is non-traumatic. Photos of the railings show how skillful their execution can be.

Canopy

The canopy must be at least 30 cm wider than the porch on each side. Do not forget that you need to equip the porch with a lamp on a relay or switch. Entering the house in the evening, you will avoid difficulties with opening the door in pitch darkness.

Design and original ideas

Wood is a very convenient and easily processed material, therefore it can be used for the most free design solutions for decorating a wooden house. A wooden porch can be decorated with various carved elements of cornices and gables. Wood can be used to make chiseled and carved poles supporting the canopy and balusters (vertical railing posts), as well as the railing itself. An interesting porch for a wooden house will turn out if you use wicker mats made of reeds, vines or willow twigs for fences. A porch for a country house made of metal is suitable for almost any building, buy in this option both a classic no-frills design option and beautiful products with hand-forged fences with floral or abstract ornaments. nine0003

Wooden Porch Construction Basics

Making a DIY wooden porch is a time-consuming task, especially if the owner plans to save on everything to create a porch, including carpentry and proper wood processing.

Wood itself is an affordable material, but very laborious in terms of preservation. If you process the tree incorrectly, then you risk ruining all the work.

The wooden porch is the most affordable, so don't skimp on materials. To begin with, before planning the building, you should take a closer look at the appearance, since the porch should be as convenient as possible for approaching, and also protected from rain if the construction of the house requires it. nine0003

The basis of the foundations will not be the steps for you, but what is under them. The thing is that if you put a wooden porch (its step) on clean ground, it will constantly be in contact with dry and wet ground. This will inevitably affect the service life, so before planning, take care of arranging the so-called "pillow".

For the manufacture of a pillow, a small area up to 40-50 cm deep is usually used with a layer of sand, crushed stone and pouring concrete, for reliability. nine0003

If there is no desire to equip the porch in this way, you can turn to the most common design "Komour", which has been practically used for centuries by our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers. The essence of the design is that the support beam contains corner cuts, on which the steps are mounted.

This design is easy to assemble, does not take much time and is a rush for originality and creativity, as it is possible to apply decorative elements of carving and metal in one design. nine0003

We bring to your attention the main ideas and projects based on the photo “do-it-yourself wooden porch to the house”.

As you can see, quite simple and interesting.

Hardwood is the best choice. Why? Such a tree is more resistant to damage and can resist moisture.

Tip: If your stair blank is ready before concreting, then during its installation, the lower ends of the stringers are “inserted” into the concrete, and this way you get an excellent base and support without additional reinforcements. nine0003

What material can it be made from?

All porch options can be conditionally divided into those made of wood and all the rest. Indeed, most often they are made of wood: the finish does not stand out from the general appearance of a wooden house and is in harmony with the facades. Yes, and they are much easier to make than any other.

Other advantages of wood:

Wood has few drawbacks - natural material is afraid of moisture, fungus, fire and insects. Therefore, it requires coating with special protective compounds, antiseptics before assembling the porch and during operation. In addition, wood serves much less than metal or concrete.

As building materials suitable: edged and unedged boards, beams, beams. Choose lumber that suits your style: for example, a flat finished plank will suit a modern home. To the traditional - cylindrical logs. nine0003

Other building materials are also possible, but make sure they don't look alien:

  1. Metallic. The second most popular porch for a wooden building. The base is welded, decorated with forged fences, complemented with a suitable visor. Metal porches are strong, easy to maintain, durable and do not require a bulky foundation (piles are enough). If supplemented with wooden steps and handrails, they will fit into the exterior design without any problems. nine0006
  2. Concrete. Concrete is cheap, easy to use and durable. All that is required is to properly assemble the formwork and knead the mortar. Suitable if the basement of the house is finished with stone.
  3. Brick. A brick porch is also easy to assemble with your own hands, it does not require additional protection, it lasts a long time, and it looks beautiful. To visually combine with the facade, use wood in the finish - for handrails, supports, visor.

The photo shows a finished wrought iron staircase

Finishing and design

When decorating your porch, pay attention to choosing a quality finish. The most common types of finishing materials: