30 Back Porch Ideas to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space

Shaded Back Porch

Make use of the roof overhang from your home to provide shade for the back porch. This design also includes fans installed in the ceiling to help circulate cool air. Though the space isn’t large, a couple of comfy rocking chairs against the exterior home walls form a simple seating area.

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Back Porch with Fireplace

With a built-in fireplace, your porch doesn’t need to be enclosed to enjoy it year-round. This covered back porch idea is almost like an outdoor living room thanks to the shelter and shade provided by the roof. The larger space also leaves plenty of room for an outdoor loveseat andcoffee table as a seating area to soak up warmth from the fire.

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Colorful Back Porch Inspiration

Sunroom with sliding glass doors — Adam Albright

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your back porch design! This porch is enclosed with a farmhouse-style sliding glass door, which opens up more possibilities for furniture and decor. Bright blues, oranges, and chartreuse create a colorful, quirky design tied together with hanging glass jar light fixtures.

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Cozy Porch Swing

A porch swing is a great budget-friendly seating solution for a small back porch. Suspended from the ceiling, the swing takes up less space than an outdoor loveseat or sofa, making the porch feel more open. A coffee table with a few poufs also provides more versatile seating.

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Spacious Enclosed Porch

If you have a lot of back porch space to fill, like this enclosed porch, consider setting up multiple functional areas. A dining table placed toward the back of the porch is a great spot to gather for family meals. There’s also plenty of room for relaxation thanks to a seating area with swivel chairs and a comfy couch.

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Covered Back Porch

The wood ceiling covering this back porch adds cooling shade and style to the design. It’s also a great opportunity to add decor, such as the hanging lantern lights near the wall of the house. If your back porch has a sturdy covering, it can even anchor furniture, such as the hanging egg chair in the corner of this patio.

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Casual Southern Decor

Southern style back porch — David A Land

Evoke Southern style with this simple back porch design. The light blue ceiling is reminiscent of many porches throughout the South, and is complemented by the blue and white striped area rug. A wicker loveseat, chaise, and chairs keep the feel of the porch relaxed and casual.

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Outdoor Furniture Arrangement

A long and narrow back porch provides more options for arranging furniture than you might think. This design places simple wood rocking chairs down the length of the porch. However, you could also place a loveseat along the wall of the home, or even a hanging porch swing.

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Create a Sunroom

Enclosing a back porch with windows is a great way to add a sunroom or three-season room to your home. Tall windows let in lots of natural light, making the room seem larger. A mix of chairs, a sofa, and a pouf also provide plenty of seating choices.

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Screened-In Back Porch Ideas

Porch with Navy Cushioned White Rattan Love Seat, Natural Colored Rattan Chairs with Cream Cushions, Neutral Rug, Lamp, and White Woven Basket; Potted plants by chairs and sofa at porch — David A Land

A screened-in back porch lets in fresh air, but keeps pesky bugs out. This small back porch has floor-to-ceiling screens that maximize natural light and the size of the space. Fresh air and light from the screened windows also allow potted flowers to thrive on the porch.

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Outdoor Rug Ideas

A white back porch has the advantage of making the space seem more open and airier. But if you want to add color, you don’t necessarily need to repaint. This back porch decorating idea uses a brightly patterned area rug and chair cushions to bring complementary colors into the space.

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Decorate with Foliage

Add lushness and life to a back porch with lots of houseplants and outdoor planters. Tall green foliage plants help break up the white and gray colors of the porch. Against the porch swing, several plants provide color and serve as a stunning, live backdrop.

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Rustic Back Porch Design

This small porch idea uses distressed wood floors to create a rustic look. A small overhang from the house adds shade, while string lights make the space usable after dark. A wooden rocking chair and small loveseat complete the farmhouse-style porch.

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Breezy Screened-In Porch

Let breezes in while protecting your porch from the elements. This large screened-in back porch offers beautiful, unobstructed views of the backyard. The open space also allows for multiple seating areas, including a sectional and round dining table.

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High Wood Ceiling

Outdoor porch dining — Kritsada Panichgul

Highlight natural elements of your back porch, like wood floors and ceilings, with a simple design. This basic back porch decorating idea places a long dining table down the center of the space. Folding chairs offer seating but can be easily packed up and moved when needed.

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Outdoor Dining Area

Add texture to a porch covering with this casual wooden ceiling. It offers a place for a hanging pendant light, but also matches the relaxed feel of the mismatched dining table and chairs. Ivy and other vining plants growing up around the porch also offer extra shade.

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Small Back Patio

Turn the corner of a small back porch into a cozy reading nook. Though this porch doesn’t have a lot of space, it’s maximized with two simple outdoor chairs. Placing an area rug and a large potted plant actually help break up the space to make it feel a little larger.

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Modern Back Porch Decor

Modernize your back porch with a neutral color palette. The white ceiling and fencing lighten up the space more than natural wood, while gray flooring and an abstract pendant light help achieve a modern look. However, the space is still casual thanks to string lights and bench-style seating paired with chairs at the dining table.

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Cozy Screened-In Back Porch

Create a dreamy space to relax with a screened-in back porch. The light green color helps ground the higher ceiling in this back porch, while also complementing the natural wood. Hanging string lights throughout the space also makes it feel more casual and comfier.

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Outdoor Kitchen Area

Built-in grill back porch — David Patterson

Turn the back porch into a central gathering area for both cooking and dining. A built-in grill on the porch makes it easy to barbecue for dinner, while a long dining table adds lots of seating for family and guests. Tall shrubs and plants around the perimeter of the porch also create privacy.

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Hang Outdoor Curtains

porch with couch and ottoman — Victoria Pearson

If you need back porch ideas on a budget that can provide privacy and protection from the elements, look to curtains. Much more budget-friendly than installing glass windows or screens, simply hanging curtains at the edges of the porch can update the decor while also adding shade. The rich blue curtains on this porch complement the dark tones of the wood floor and ceiling.

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Rustic Back Porch

Embrace natural elements on your back porch, like a wood ceiling and floors. This rustic design keeps it simple with just a long dining table and chairs in the middle of the space. The tall centerpiece in the center of the table helps draw the eye upward to highlight the attractive wood ceiling.

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Built-In Benches

Neutral back porch decor — Robin Stubbert

Cool gray tones help modernize this large back porch. Built-in bench seats with cushions also maximize the space provided by the corner of the porch. The neutral color palette used for this back porch decor makes it easy to change up with seasons, adding colorful plantings or other decor items such as patterned blankets and pumpkins.

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Back Porch Seating Ideas

Enclosed back porch — Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Placing a large sectional in the corner of the porch adds lots of seating without overwhelming the space. A low coffee table in the center also provides a space to set drinks or food when relaxing on the porch. A large cushion on the floor even adds a comfy spot for furry friends to relax.

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Decorate with Hanging Plants

Back porch hanging plants — Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Depending on which direction your back porch faces, it can be a great opportunity to add life with hanging plants and planters. Boston ferns hung around the edge of this porch make attractive decor. A small gardening table set against the house also adds a convenient area to water and repot outdoor plants.

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Vintage Back Porch

white screened in porch with rattan sofa and purple cushions — Laurey Glenn

If you have an enclosed back porch, use it as an opportunity to show off thrifted finds. The retro wicker furniture in this porch has a colorful facelift thanks to pastel purple cushions. The bright colors update and modernize the furniture to help fit the modern white walls, curtains, and ceiling in the space.

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Outdoor Vaulted Ceilings

back porch covered patio with outdoor fireplace and outdoor kitchen dining room — Jared Kuzia

Vaulted wood ceilings give this back porch a stunning, dramatic look. The large outdoor living space is anchored with a stone fireplace against one half-wall. It also helps divide the dining area from the wicker furniture facing the open backyard.

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Rustic Screened-In Porch

Rustic screened-in back porch — John Bessler

Natural wood and slightly vaulted ceilings immediately give this screened-in back porch a rustic feel. A hanging daybed matches the causal design of the porch. For back porch ideas on a budget that add extra seating, consider placing just a few folding chairs in the space.

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Small But Bold

Even when a space is small, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to shy away from bold design choices. This small back porch features a striking black-and-white painted floor. Since the porch is uncovered and open, the graphic pattern doesn’t overwhelm the space, and instead helps modernize it.

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Modern Screened-In Porch

Country home back porch — Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Upgrade an old-fashioned screened-in back porch with modern design choices. Sleek pendant lights over the table and a dark gray area rug add contemporary appeal to this back porch. Built-in shelves with potted plants also add color and life to the room.

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