Porch Decor Tips from an Expert

You are in for a treat today.

We have professional porch decor tips from our friend, Bohnne Jones, who is a Certified Interior Decorator and President of INTERIORS by Decorating Den of Nashville. Bohnne and her staff provide residential interior decorating services throughout Middle Tennessee.

We had the opportunity to ask Bohnne about her thoughts on decorating porches. So, sit back and enjoy our conversation with Bohnne and the beautiful porch pictures she shared with us.

Mary: Bohnne, you're a professional residential interior designer and I know that many of our site visitors would enjoy some porch decor tips from you. Would you share with us a bit about your background and how you became interested in interior decorating?

Bohnne: I became interested in interior and architectural design at a very young age. My first commercial project was for a night club when I was still in high school!

Mary: How can homeowners reflect the interior of their homes in their exterior living areas - porches, in particular?

Bohnne: The trend of ‘bringing the outdoors in, and the indoors out’ is very popular right now – there are so many wonderful outdoor fabrics for furniture, cushions and draperies available. Many of them are reversible – which can give you a wonderful contrast look.

Mary: What kinds of accessories do you recommend for personalizing and warming up porches?

Bohnne: Area rugs! Make sure they are rated for outdoors. Outdoor lamps, both floor and table varieties will also warm up the porch. And of course – plants & flowers.

Color - the most emotional element

Mary: How big a role does color play in decorating a porch? How do you recommend that homeowners incorporate color in their exterior decorating scheme?

Bohnne: Color is the most emotional element in design – so the first step to selecting a color is to decide what mood you want to evoke on your porch. Do you want a ‘festive’ look, a ‘calming’ look, a take off your shoes and relax look, or something with a touch of formality or grandeur?

Whatever you choose for a scheme – make sure that the style is in keeping with the style of your home; if you don’t, you risk feeling disjointed every time you look at the porch.

Mary: Do you have some suggestions on furniture placement that our porch friends could incorporate into their outdoor sitting areas?

Bohnne: First, make sure that the size of your furniture is in scale with the space, and that you have room for you to move around. Next, what will you be doing on your porch: games, coffee, talking or as a purely personal space? If you are going to be sharing the space with other people, you’ll want to set chairs at comfortable angles to one another, so that it allows for conversation.

[Read more of Bohnne's furniture placement ideas.]

Mary: What about wall art? What kinds of art can be used on a [covered] porch?

Bohnne: Always be sure that your art is water or weather proof. Manufacturers will indicate if their products are safe for damp area use.

Mary: What are some decorating trends you can share with us to help keep our porches looking fresh and current?

Bohnne: One of the biggest trends in outdoor decorating is ‘portieres’ or outdoor draperies hung in a doorway or an opening to help block the wind or divide spaces. Sunbrella® fabrics are great for this – we, also have outdoor sheers that can create a breezy fresh look for your porch, too.

Mary: Anything else you'd like to add about your decorating business and services? We'd love to hear.

Bohnne: Decorating Den Interiors has been making the world more beautiful, one room at a time, for over 40 years. We come to you with wonderful products – all selected to suit your design style and budget. And because we work directly with the manufacturer, we’re able to offer the best value without sacrificing quality.

Find your own personal decorator at www.decoratingden.com.

Meet Bohnne

We really appreciate Bohnne sharing her talents, expertise and creativity with us.

If you need a professional residential interior decorator in the Middle Tennessee area, Bohnne would enjoy hearing from you.

Beautiful porch decor begins with the basic decorating concepts of color, furniture placement and understanding the true purpose of your porch.

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