Welcome to my perching porch! Calling it a porch is a misnomer; it’s technically a deck, but I call it a porch because I’m southern and calling it a deck sounds unsouthern. And I would hate to be anything but southern. 😉 It’s a perching porch because it’s pretty high up from the ground. I can take my place and perch up here like a bird in the tree tops surrounded by swaying tree limbs and breezes in the leaves.
The perching porch is our intimate outdoor space. I enjoy leisurely sipping my coffee up here on the weekends; my hubby will eventually emerge from his late snoozing and join me. Sometimes we eat a weekend brunch out here or just bring our supper plates from the kitchen and have a low key summer supper with plates in our laps. It’s a cozy little space with seating for just a few, yet feels so open to be so high up.
The key to a cozy outdoor space is setting it up like you would any other conversation area in your home. An outdoor rug defines the space, giving an anchor to where your conversation area will truly be. I added a sofa and pair of chairs to complete the seating arrangement. A small oval coffee table provides a place to prop your feet and your beverage. Another outdoor design tip–don’t be afraid to mix and match textures of your outdoor furniture. It can be so tempting to buy a matching set, but mixing colors and materials will give your space a more home-y feel. Just like mixing materials inside does as well. For example, my outdoor sofa is a metal frame but I paired it with resin wicker chairs. The coffee table is natural wicker and the bar cart is white metal. The ceramic garden stool adds another material and pillows add softness and texture.
Like all the spaces in my home, this outdoor room came together through several seasons of collecting and curating. I’ve had the sofa for several years and the bar cart is a vintage one my parents found at an auction.
True to my style, I’ve layered in lots of color! Colorful chairs, vibrant pillows, a touch of teal…. I’ve searched for individual pieces so you can achieve the layered look or just add that special POP to your own outdoor space.
As we’ve been spending more time in our homes, it’s felt so good to have rooms feel completed and home-y. The outdoor space should do the same thing! What playful pop will be the finishing touch to your perching porch?
