Collection · 38 ideas

Porches made for sitting a while.

A porch is the room that belongs to both the house and the street: a place to wave, to wait out a storm, to drink coffee before the day starts. These designs cover front porches with columns and swings, deep back porches with fans and fireplaces, screened porches that keep dinner mosquito-free, and sunrooms that bring the garden inside all winter.

Front porches Screened porches Back porches Sunrooms Swings & rockers At night

Front Porch with Pale Blue Ceiling Modern

Shingled Front Porch with Tapered Columns Classic

Brick Front Porch with Wooden Rockers Mid-century

Wraparound Porch with Hanging Swing Bed Coastal

Wraparound Front Porch with Swing Bed Colonial

Wraparound Porch Featuring a Rustic Swing Bed Mountain

White Farmhouse Porch with Rocking Chairs Farmhouse

Stucco Front Porch with Glowing Lanterns Mediterranean

Illuminated Front Porch with Rocking Chairs Desert

Screened Back Porch with Clerestory Windows Mid-century

Screened Porch with Cedar Shingle Siding Classic

Screened Porch with Timber Dining Table Colonial

Screened Porch with Stone Fireplace Coastal

Screened Timber Porch with Stone Fireplace Mountain

Terracotta Screened Porch with Swing Bed Mediterranean

Lakefront Screened Porch with Swing Bed Modern

Screened Timber Porch with Swing Bed Classic

Covered Back Porch with Outdoor Kitchen Colonial

Timber Back Porch with Weathered Swing Mountain

Brick Back Porch with Wooden Swing Farmhouse

Mediterranean Back Porch with Suspended Swing Mediterranean

Collections within porches & sunrooms

Narrow it down

Front Porch Ideas 14 ideas

Screened Porch Ideas 10 ideas

Back Porch Ideas 12 ideas

Sunroom Ideas 8 ideas

Porch Swing & Rocking Chair Ideas 15 ideas

Porch Lighting Ideas 8 ideas

About porch design

What makes a great porch.

As you browse, notice ceiling height, depth and how each porch meets the yard — steps, railings and planting are what make it feel welcoming. Save the porches whose proportions suit your house.

What to look for as you browse

Depth — eight feet for chairs, ten or more for a table or a swing
How the steps and railings meet the walk and the yard
Ceiling: height, material and whether a fan or lights are built in

Good to know

Common questions

How deep should a porch be?

Eight feet is the minimum for chairs and a walkway; ten to twelve feet lets you add a dining table or a swing without blocking the door.

Screened porch or sunroom?

A screened porch is a three-season room with air moving through it; a sunroom is glazed and can be heated for year-round use. Screens cost far less; glass adds living space.

What flooring works on a porch?

Painted tongue-and-groove fir, composite boards, brick or tile all work. Choose something that drains, dries fast and matches the house's trim.