How to gain more square footage with what you already have
It is officially fall and with that we can finally get out of the house and enjoy the crisp air that the new season brings. Enjoying time outdoors, relaxing or entertaining, is one of my most favorite things, but what does that have to do with the square footage of your home? By expanding your living space onto your porches or patios, you can design them like they are a part of your everyday living spaces.
The question that you may have, how do I decorate a porch to make it feel like the inside of my home. Let’s start with the basics, clean everything, yes even the windows and get it prepped for all the fun new things coming its way.
Like with any room on the inside of your home, start with the bones get the main pieces you need, ex. seating, tables, lighting or even a fire pit. Place them where it makes the most sense of space and usability and then build upon it. If entertaining is high on your list, then you need to look at seating, seating and more seating.
If you have the room, it is good to have a couch and a couple of chairs with footstools. The stools can be pulled away from the chairs and used as a seat when extra guests are visiting. You can also use a couple of chair ottomans as a coffee table with a basket across the top and pull them apart for extra seating. Invest in some great oversize pillows or outdoor poofs for the just-in-case guests who show up unannounced. Once seating is taken care of, find some great smaller tables to use as end tables and decorate them just like you would inside the home.
Use fun, outdoor friendly, plants or small items like games or books to sit around to keep your guest entertained while they visit. And who says lamps are only for indoors? If you have some older lamps laying around paint them a fun accent color and place a solar light as the bulb and bam you have nice soft lighting outdoors too! Add a rug and some comfy pillows and you are set.
When it come to the square footage and always getting the biggest bang for your buck, utilize all you can. If you open your home up (weather permitting) to the outdoors, it will feel bigger and you will be able to enjoy your whole home even more. So, open the doors, raise the windows, and expand your living spaces. The decks and porches and patios of our home is a visitors first impression of our homes, so include these key areas in your living spaces and enjoy all your home has to offer.
Article by Molly Cooper, Interior Design Coordinator with Cooper & Co., a division of Honest Abe Log Homes.
