21 Ways to Revive the Lost Art of Porching
Before air-conditioning and television lured people indoors, front porch sitting was a bona fide American pastime.
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Let's be clear: There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to whiling away the day on a porch.* Whether you're looking to decorate, eat, party, or relax, consider these loose guidelines—polite suggestions—for making the most of your patch of shade. *No porch? No problem! Most of these ideas apply to patios, decks, and plain old backyards.
How to Decorate
Hang plants from the ceiling as opposed to sticking to the perimeter. On this Andrew Howard-designed porch at The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell in Round Top, TX, a perfect shade of haint blue (Yarmouth Blue by Benjamin Moore) sets a "Good Times Only" vibe.
Bring on the Blues
In the Gullah culture of South Carolina, a watery-green shade of paint was said to keep evil spirits, known as haints, from invading the home. These days, "haint blue" ceilings can be found in and beyond the Lowcountry, but you can try your luck with a smaller dose of the shade. (Just don't say we didn't warn you.)
Clockwise, from top left: Garden Tote, $29; target.com; Freemont Lantern, feiss.com for stores; Arrow Art, $19; mysugarblossom.etsy.com;
Metal Side Table, $49; hayneedle.com
Gussy Up a Screen Door
CL Crafts Director Charlyne Mattox tricked out a plain door ($22, homedepot.com) three ways.
EASY-ISH (left) Using a chop saw, Charlyne cut two 36-by-¾-inch square dowels (homedepot.com) at 45-degree angles and placed as shown. Cost: $7 (Our handyman quoted us $80 for the labor.)
EASIEST (middle) Charlyne glammed up this one using nothing but screws and corner brackets and headers (vintagewoodworks.com). No saw or drill needed! Cost: $135
EASY (right) Using a hacksaw, she cut ¾-inch square dowels to create panes and attached 4 fan brackets to make a circle. She added a gallery rail and spandrel for horizontal strips (vintagewoodworks.com) . Cost: $185 (Our handyman quoted us $40 for labor.)
B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Breezes)
When Mother Nature won't cooperate, this galvanized pick ($379; ballarddesigns.com) will give it a whirl.
Meet the Rocker of All Rockers
We searched high and low (and to and fro) for the perfect chair, and when we couldn't find it, we made one ourselves. The Country Living Happy Hour Rocker features an arm designed specifically to accommodate a standard 16-ounce mason jar, and the all-weather material looks like wicker but better withstands outdoor elements—it's also easier on the back than stick-straight slats. Unlike un-treated wood, the powder-coated aluminum frame won't rust or splinter, the roomy 20-inch-wide seat won't leave you feeling like you're sitting in the porch equivalent of coach, and the rounded edge won't poke you behind the knees like slats. Plus, 34-inch runners provide just the right amount of rock. (Yes, there's a science to it.) Available in Grass [shown], Haint Blue, and Bark), $189; peakseasonstore.com/collections/countryliving
Pile on Pillows
Gloomy days, begone, thanks to these cheerful accents.
Clockwise, from left: Threshold Pillow, $20; target.com; Nobelia Butterfly, $40; potterybarn.com; Shibori Pillow, $60; bluecoastcollections.com; Ebba Pillow, $56; luluandgeorgia.com; Embroidered Pillow, $35; pier1.com
Pick a Perennially Stylish Planter
Because even if the plants die, they'll still be sitting pretty.
Clockwise, from left: Goose Planter, $59 for 2; pizzazzhomedecor.com; Rolling Planter, $178; shopterrain.com; Hanging Planters, $53 for 2; overstock.com
What to Eat
Porch fare needn't be fussy. Here are a few secrets to an easy-breezy al fresco feast.
1. No utensils, please. Finger foods such as Sweet Pea Green Goddess Dip and Apricot-Prosciutto Focaccia mean that standing room-only guests won't have to fidget with flatware.
2. Think seasonal. Porching embraces the great outdoors, and therefore so should the cuisine. Summery standouts like Tomato-Manchego Tartlets and Chile-Lime Corn Wheels reinforce the one-with-nature vibe.
3. Serve something on a stick. No, really. Humans are hard-wired to enjoy food on a stick. Mozzarella,Red Pepper & Bacon Skewers—embellished with lucky horseshoes (sideshowpress.com)—are classier than corn dogs, less melty than Popsicles.
4. Don't overdo dessert. Blame it on the beer or bourbon, but porch grazers tend to reach for the savory. Still, you can satisfy the sweet-toothed with Cookiewiches. Simply sandwich two store-bought cookies (peanut butter, for instance) with a favorite jam or spread (marshmallow fluff, shall we?) and roll the outer edges with a crumbly coating (crushed banana chips will do) for decorative texture.
Pictured: Melamine plates, $30 for 4; furbishstudio.com. Melamine oval platter, $39; ballarddesigns.com
Serve in Style
Blue-and-white servingware is summer's saving grace. It's classically country on its own, prim and ladylike when paired with pastels (think brunches, garden parties), and downright patriotic when mixed with reds (Memorial Day, Fourth of July). Set placemats down the length of a table for a mismatched runner that sets a come-as-you-are tone. These paper napkins ($5 for 15; casparionline.com) offer all of the charm of French tea towels (and none of the laundry-doing).
How to Party
An outdoor bar cart ($190; wayfair.com) is basically a portable party. Pre-made punches mean you won't have to play bartender all night, while nugget ice is the perfect crunchy addition to summery sippers and—who knew?!—you can buy it by the bag at Sonic Drive-Ins (sonic.com for stores). Heavyweight acrylicware minimizes party fouls ($50 for 4; pubware.com), and you can create reusable party-ready bunting with summery fabrics like ticking stripe and Swiss dot.
Deal Out a Vintage Deck
Nothing conjures up the days-gone-by charm of porch sitting like a jovial round of bridge around a wobbly card table. Vintage decks, whether collected over time or in one fell swoop, offer style in spades. Try your hand at regional decks that pay tribute to your state or city, opt for outdoorsy, no-wilt florals, or offset a cutthroat game of poker with perky puppies. You can go fish for "vintage playing cards" at standbys like Etsy and eBay, or try the luck of the draw at kardwell.com.
Cue the Toe-Tappin' Tunes
Singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen ("The Front Porch Song") shares his go-to playlist.
"Big City" Merle Haggard
"Gentle on my Mind" John Hartford
"Soak up the Sun" Sheryl Crow
"Summer Breeze" Seals and Crofts
"Someday Soon" Judy Collins
"Carey" Joni Mitchell
"Streets of Bakersfield" Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens
"Poet Game" Greg Brown
"Dust My Broom" Freddie King
Pictured: Crosley Speaker, $120; bedbathandbeyond.com
Learn from the Pros
Known as "Mississippi's Giant Houseparty," the Neshoba County Fair (July 22-29) started in 1889 as a two-day meeting of local farmers and is now an eight-day event featuring rides, livestock shows, and concerts. But the real action takes place on the porches of 600 family-owned cabins lining sawdust-covered streets. No wonder Mississippi is the Hospitality State. neshobacountyfair.org
Make Room
Because a swing only seats so many…
Clockwise, from top left: Woven Stool, $98; serenaandlily.com; Bucket Stool, $225; houzz.com; Camp Stool, $35; omerohome.com; Patriotic Pouf, $206; annieselke.com
How to Relax
The adjustable back of this porch swing folds down so that you can go from sitting to snoozing in seconds. From $1,650; porchco.com
Read a Better Book
Richard Howorth, owner of Oxford, Mississippi's Square Books (which features an 80-foot porch overlooking the town square that Faulkner made famous) says "the best porch read is something you can pause from to take in what's around you." For example…
A BOOK OF POEMS.. "Felicity, by poet Mary Oliver, has been on the indie best-seller list for months—and for good reason."
…OR SHORT VIGNETTES… "Most of the one-pagers in Joy Williams' fabulous 99 Stories of God [out in July] aren't really theological, but they're thought-provoking, whimsical, and funny."
…OR A CLASSIC, REVISITED "I'd reread Walker Percy's 1961 novel, The Moviegoer, which won a National Book Award."
All books also available at amazon.com
Pick Your Perch
It's rightly called porch sitting, not porch standing. Whether you want to hang, glide, lay, swing, or, yes, sit, each of these options is well-designed for lazy days.
Clockwise, from left: Hammock Chair, $42; overstock.com; Porch Swing, $190; comfortrocking.com; Adirondack Chair, $130; worldmarket.com; Retro Glider, $200; amazon.com
Be One With Nature
What's that sound? Oh, it's just some good old-fashioned tweeting courtesy of your more migratory pals.
Clockwise, from top left: Fifth Wheel Birdhouse, $25; songbirdstation.com; Cottage Birdhouse, $38; anthropologie.com; Humming Bird Feeder, $29; pottedstore.com; License Plate Birdhouse, $25; our3gcs.etsy.com
Perfect Your "Hey, Neighbor" Wave
You may be spending the day solo, but porching is a social activity nonetheless. Every passing neighbor/mailman/dogwalker merits a wave. Here's how to do it.
STEP 1: Look up from your book/crossword/you name it.
STEP 2: Raise your arm and flick your wrist in a casual diagonal motion. No left-to-right, pageant-y wave required.
STEP 3: If desired, add a "Hey, Bob." (Assuming, of course, his name is Bob.) If you don't know the person's name, a jovial "Hey, Neighbor" will do.
Curl Up With a Crossword
Crossword wunderkind Joel Fagliano sold his first puzzle to The New York Times at 17, and now the 23-year-old creates 5" by 5" minis for the newspaper's digital outlets—find them at nytimes.com/crosswords.
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