Porch and Patio Decorating Ideas

I’m ready for summer! Today I’m sharing my summer porch decor plus unique patio ideas for decorating your own outdoor spaces.

Spring is always busy with preparation for the warmer weather and outdoor living that comes with summer. Recently, I spent time freshening up my porch, styling my deck, and planting lots of flowers so today I thought I’d give you a look around and share some creative patio ideas to add style and fun to your outdoor living area.

In this post, I’m also teaming up with my Seasons of Home friends. So, if you’re looking for even more ideas or going for a different style, I’ve linked all of them below. This is a group of exceptionally talented decorators, so I recommend clicking through to see all of their stunning patio ideas, porch decor, and outdoor style.

In addition, I filmed a short video tour of my porch. You can watch it below or join me on my YouTube channel to watch it or any of my other videos.

However, before you check any of that out, let me show you around my porch!

Porch and Patio Summer Decorating Ideas:

As some folks may know, I decorated this space for the first time not long after I moved into my home last year. Since that time, I’ve come to LOVE this space. As much as I enjoy my deck and its openness to the sun, a covered porch is a nice alternative when you want to stay out of the sun, wind, and rain. Because it’s somewhat protected from the elements, it’s also possible to have a bit more fun with decor and styling without the fear of weather quickly destroying things.

I kept the layout and lots of elements the same as last year. (You can check out how I styled the space last summer here and how I styled it for fall here.)

Some of the changes include this new rug I found at Target. I’m still on the fence about having a rug. The rain often blows onto the porch, so the rug stays wet. Last year I had problems with mold. I figured I’d try a rug again and power wash it if mold appears again.

I also decided to use this vintage wood bench. Previously, it was in my dining room. And before my bedroom got its big One Room Challenge makeover, the bench was in there. I really like the bench on the porch because the length suits the couch.

Speaking of my couch-and outdoor furniture, I’m happy to report that it’s held up well. (This is the collection of furniture I purchased last year.) I stored the cushions inside over the winter but left the wood frames on the porch. This spring I applied a quick coat of teakwood oil to bring them back to life. I think they look as good as new.

The cushions do have a few marks on them from dirt and pollen, but they’re hardly noticeable. I may power wash them once the spring pollen has passed. (And since someone may ask, this is the power washer I have. I love it!)

Beyond that, I used most of the outdoor pillows I had out there last year. I did add striped ones I recently picked up at HomeGoods.

I also kept my hanging lights up all winter. They looked beautiful at Christmas and added a little sparkle and magic in the summer. and fall. The lights are inexpensive ones I purchased from Amazon, but they seem to work great! They are almost a year old, and I haven’t had to change a bulb yet.

Unique Patio Ideas and Porch Decor:

The biggest new addition is the vintage chicken crate, which I posted about last week. It’s my new favorite find. I can’t wait to see how it looks when all of the vines and plants start trailing out. A few are popping out already.

I also picked up a couple of these vintage benches last year. They were looking a little rough then (which I didn’t mind), but the winter left them looking more distressed. When getting the porch ready for summer, I gave them a quick sanding and added a fresh coat of paint. I found the ducks at a local antique shop. They match wonderfully and provide the perfect amount of quirkiness. What do you think?

I also created this cute little container garden in the mulch which I’m calling, “Buddha and Begonias.”

In case you are wondering, the white pots in this space are from HomeGoods. They have a great selection of ceramic and clay pots at unbeatable prices. Most of my pots are white, basic terra cotta, or cement. I pick up a few each year so it’s even more affordable.

By the way, this is how the space looks 95% of the time. I thought about styling it with throws, fresh flowers, magazines, glasses of sangria, etc. And as much as I LOVE a beautifully styled shoot, I also wanted to show you how things actually look on a day-to-day basis. This is it. I am working on a fun entertaining shoot with HomeGoods, so I’ll have some more “styled” shots to share with you soon should you prefer that perspective.

As it is, everything in this space can get wet, dirty, etc. It all cleans up nicely.

Oh, and I should also mention, you also might have noticed a strange “structure” behind my porch. That’s my new garden! It’s nothing fancy. One of my goals was to get a small garden planted, and I figured out something that worked in my yard and was manageable with a limited budget. I’ll be sharing more about that soon.

Porch and Patio Ideas at Night:

Now, before you click away, I thought you might like to see my porch at night. I was outside as the sun was setting so I plugged in the string lights and snapped a few photos.

It’s amazing how much magic, warmth, and coziness a bunch of inexpensive lights can give an outdoor space.

So pretty, right?

 

Side Porch Source List:

Outdoor Sofa and Chairs
Outdoor Rug
String Lights
Round Wood Side Tables
Watering Can
Lanterns (Target – no longer sold)
Bar Cart (Target – no longer sold)
Planters – HomeGoods and locally sourced
Green Glass Citronella Candles – HomeGoods

Thrifted items:
Wood benches, ceramic ducks, vintage chicken crate

VIDEO: Porch and Patio Decorating Ideas:

Because many people seem to like my video tours, I thought it would be fun to do one of my porch and patio ideas. You can watch it using the video player below. If you are so inclined, I would love to have you join me on YouTube. There you will find all of my video content. You can even subscribe to my channel so you’ll never miss when I post a fun new video!

Hope you enjoyed my summer porch tour and picked up a few patio ideas for transforming or refreshing your own space for summer. As always, thank you so much for joining me. And remember, if you want more outdoor decor inspiration and beautiful porch and patio ideas, check out my friends below.

Happy decorating!

Seasons of Home Outdoor Patio Ideas:

Ella Claire & Co. | Zevy Joy | Inspired by Charm

City Farmhouse | Rooms for Rent | French Country Cottage

Maison de Cinq | Boxwood Avenue | Home Stories A to Z

My Sweet Savannah