14 Inventive Ideas for a Perfect Porch

When it comes to iced tea, lemonade, or summer cocktails, nothing gives a finishing touch to a beverage better than fresh herbs! And the freshest herbs are the ones you grab and place right into your glass. This clever hack drops a window box-style planter right into the center of a coffee table—and right within arm’s reach. The best thing: Since they'll be sitting on a covered porch, your herbs will be better protected from the elements than your typical outdoor plants.

Related: 10 Tiny Gardens You Can Grow on Your Windowsill

Add a pergola above your porch area to get gorgeous, filtered light and create a structure for plants to climb. As you can buy a stand-alone pergola at the big home improvement stores, this is also a way to retrofit a porch area onto your home without incurring major construction costs. Paint the pergola the same color as the trim on your home for a built-in look. The result: A shady spot to relax under.

Instead of painting your porch ceiling the same color as the rest of the space, try staining the wooden planks in a rich, natural hue. Letting the natural grain show through, especially in contrast with painted trim, is a smart way to add interest and texture to the porch without introducing a new color. This is a great option for people who love neutral spaces—or want a flexible canvas that lets them get wild with colorful textiles on their furniture.

Related: 6 Steps to a Budget-Friendly Porch Makeover

White wooden shutters are a warm-weather staple that create shade while still letting a breeze through. These oversize shutters are a great way to turn a porch into a true outdoor room: They can block wind or rain, filter the sun, and give you privacy from the neighbors too.

A gentle breeze makes sitting on the porch in the summer a lot more comfortable—so if the wind isn’t blowing, why not create a little cool air? These large matching fans with wide blades also provide a decorative flourish. Finished in the same wood tones as the ceiling and floor, with great-looking oil-rubbed brass accents, they do double duty as both focal points and functional elements.

Related: 18 Design Ideas to Make Your Deck a Destination

Painted a perky periwinkle—but any other bold pastel would be just as fun—this brightly hued floor gives the porch a playful personality. Using the same color on the floor, door, and other accents creates a cohesive palette that's great for a beach house.

Related:  9 Simple Porch Ideas to Steal from Real Homes

Forget window boxes—set your planters at ground level if you want to grow a wall of greenery. A staple at venerable universities and wineries alike, climbing vines can give your home a sense of heritage, even if it’s new construction. And all those leaves make a porch feel like an extension of the outdoors, because you’ve invited nature right inside the room's four walls.

Even if you've got your heart set on hardwood flooring, it's worth considering the alternatives. Sometimes, materials that only look like wood can be just as good as—or even better than—the real thing. Explore your options now!