A few summer days it is hard to imagine a more magical place where to see the world go by than a porch swing. Inviting and cozy, porch swings seem to quietly beckon one to slow down and relax for a while. And as seen here, this can be a strong tradition in the southern portion of the United States. These ideas can you help you make the most of a swing.
Frederick + Frederick Architects
Be inspired by historical properties. “Our inspiration was that the Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island, Georgia,” says Jane Frederick of Frederick + Frederick Architects. “They have huge swinging porch beds that are the perfect place for napping on a hot, lazy summer day.”
MCM Layout
Make the most of the opinion. “This hanging bed is located in the tower of a villa in Jumby Bay in Antigua, West Indies,” says Robert Moreland of MCM Architects. “Jumby Bay is a level island, so the tower provides a fantastic vantage point to miss the island and the ocean. There is also more of a breeze up the higher you are, so the idea of placing a hanging bed here seemed perfect for enjoying the cool breeze while being gently rocked as you nap or read a novel”
Wright Design
Combine in with your environment. “This home is located in a cove on Lake Keowee, South Carolina,” says architect Brad Wright of Wright Design. “The porch pavilion was extended out from the home so as to capture a mountain perspective observable through the mouth of cove. The clients and I agreed that this was the ideal place for a bed swing. The cushions and finish were selected to blend seamlessly with the forest setting and other natural substances utilized on the porch. From the swing, the homeowners can enjoy views of the lake in addition to the remote mountains.”
Group 3
Take a peek from the South. What does each Southern porch want? “A swing, a glass of sweet tea and a dog,” declares Rick Clanton of Group 3, in South Carolina. “If that is not the answer to any question, it should be.”
RSVP Design Services
Make it as large as a bed. “Our clients wanted a porch swing out their master bedroom that has been the size of a double bed mattress,” says Rhonda Vandiver-White of RSVP Design Services. “We made it to their size specifications and had it locally constructed, and utilized outdoor fabric on the pillow and pillows. It looks out over a beautiful English garden, and the owners love relaxing after a hectic day.”
Grounded – Richard Risner RLA, ASLA
Create a Zen retreat. “The inspiration for this design really flows from the design,” says landscape architect Richard Risner of Grounded. “The residence has been designed by architect S. Scott Emsley, also that I desired the outside living spaces to blend seamlessly with the home’s interior and total architectural feel.”
The home is in Southern California, so “we’ve got the opportunity to enlarge our livable area beyond the walls of the home,” he adds. “And for this project I created spaces for my clients to entertain, play, relax, and self-reflect. The result was a modern-style landscape using a slight Japanese influence.”
Soorikian Architecture
Construct your very own little perch. “In the temperate climate of Atlanta you can use a screened porch nearly year-round,” says Karen Soorikian of Soorikian Architecture. “This porch was constructed from the home’s large kitchen/dining area and sits a level over the backyard”
Soorikian was inspired “from the beauty of the deep woodland-like property,” she says. “I expected to give the porch the feel of a perch surrounded by lush trees. It is ideal for lazily lounging in a porch swing, especially in the summertime.”
Coggan + Crawford Architecture + Design
Enhance what you are already obtained. “When we bought the house that the swing was there, and we simply repainted the porch ceiling and floor,” says Annie Coggan of Coggan + Crawford Architecture + Design. Both colors are conventional Southern porch colors. The blue for the ceiling is traditional and practical since blue repels wasps, so the lore goes. The gray floor is porch gray, which hides dirt and pollen in the spring”
Coggan’s favorite color is orange, “so pieces of it are constantly placed about the home we live in, and this chair was a gift from a friend,” she says. “This photo was shot in the first fall during harvest year in a rural Southern community, thus the bucket of gourds.”
HBF plus Design
Help it become sunset prepared. “What could be more satisfying and romantic than appearing out into the sun setting on a water perspective from an expansive porch?” Inquires Bruce Finkelstein of HBF plus Architects. “Maybe only doing it while sitting on a porch swing. It harkens back to more relaxing and gracious eras.”
More great ideas for your porch