Porch of the Week: An Inviting Space for Outdoor Entertaining
A new porch in Atlanta features an outdoor kitchen, a dining room and a living room with a fireplace
This busy Atlanta-area family loves to hang out outdoors, and they often entertain in their yard. But their existing back deck couldn’t accommodate the large groups they like to have over after their kickball tournaments and more. So they hired local design-build firm Renew Properties to add a large porch that would serve as a comfortable spot between the yard and the home’s interior.
“They have a kid in high school and a kid in middle school, and we had recently completed a renovation of their first floor. So part of it was wanting a space that wouldn’t require so many people to be hanging out inside the house,” project manager Lindsey Parker says. The new space features an outdoor kitchen, a beautiful fireplace and comfy spaces for dining and lounging.
“They have a kid in high school and a kid in middle school, and we had recently completed a renovation of their first floor. So part of it was wanting a space that wouldn’t require so many people to be hanging out inside the house,” project manager Lindsey Parker says. The new space features an outdoor kitchen, a beautiful fireplace and comfy spaces for dining and lounging.
After: The expansive new porch, measuring 20 by 26½ feet, replaced the deck. There is a dining area next to the outdoor kitchen, bar seating that overlooks the yard and a lounge area around a fireplace. Steps next to the outdoor kitchen lead down to the yard.
The homeowners already were familiar with their contractors, who had recently renovated the main floor. The contractors shared other projects on Houzz with them to give them a sense of the materials they might want to use. “They wanted it to have the feeling of a living room,” Parker says. “This meant making it refined, airy, comfortable and livable.” The elevated style comes in through the finishes. These include a tongue-and-groove ceiling with recessed lighting, white painted brick and premium treated wood decking stained to look like natural white oak. “We custom-mixed a stain to keep red and orange tones at bay,” Parker says.
The family also wanted to be able to extend porch season as long as possible. An infrared heater helps warm the porch during the colder months, while ceiling fans provide breezes in the summer.
Infrared heater: Infratech Comfort Heaters
Find a local design-build firm on Houzz
The homeowners already were familiar with their contractors, who had recently renovated the main floor. The contractors shared other projects on Houzz with them to give them a sense of the materials they might want to use. “They wanted it to have the feeling of a living room,” Parker says. “This meant making it refined, airy, comfortable and livable.” The elevated style comes in through the finishes. These include a tongue-and-groove ceiling with recessed lighting, white painted brick and premium treated wood decking stained to look like natural white oak. “We custom-mixed a stain to keep red and orange tones at bay,” Parker says.
The family also wanted to be able to extend porch season as long as possible. An infrared heater helps warm the porch during the colder months, while ceiling fans provide breezes in the summer.
Infrared heater: Infratech Comfort Heaters
Find a local design-build firm on Houzz
“We placed the outdoor kitchen at the edge so that any smoke from the grills would go out toward the yard,” Parker says. The homeowners’ wish list included a Big Green Egg grill, a propane grill and stainless steel accouterments like a wine cooler, a trash pullout and drawers.
A white brick built-in base around these elements matches the home’s exterior. The countertops are outdoor-rated quartz that resembles leathered granite. It’s UV-rated, which means that its dark color won’t fade in the sunlight.
Countertops: Caesarstone
A white brick built-in base around these elements matches the home’s exterior. The countertops are outdoor-rated quartz that resembles leathered granite. It’s UV-rated, which means that its dark color won’t fade in the sunlight.
Countertops: Caesarstone
Hai bisogno di un professionista per il tuo progetto di ristrutturazione della casa?
Troviamo i professionisti più adatti a te
Troviamo i professionisti più adatti a te
At the opposite end of the porch is the outdoor living room. A stone fireplace serves as a beautiful focal point. It has a cast-stone surround and a limestone mantel and hearth.
Wall-mounted lanterns on either side of the fireplace add a soft lighting option. And the copper patina brings warmth to the space. Interior design firm Linen & Flax helped the homeowners choose furniture and accessories. A mix of textures, including weathered wood, wicker, concrete and linen, gives the porch an organic look and a relaxed feel.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture
Wall-mounted lanterns on either side of the fireplace add a soft lighting option. And the copper patina brings warmth to the space. Interior design firm Linen & Flax helped the homeowners choose furniture and accessories. A mix of textures, including weathered wood, wicker, concrete and linen, gives the porch an organic look and a relaxed feel.
Browse outdoor lounge furniture
“We had painted the brick exterior of their home white during a previous renovation phase, so they wanted a white brick element on the porch,” Parker says. She gave it to them in the form of beautifully curved walls that flank the chimney.
These were one of the more challenging elements to construct, and they required footings to be poured beneath them for support. These walls provide privacy from the house next door while allowing for air and views through the openings. And their curves contribute to the porch’s refined look.
These were one of the more challenging elements to construct, and they required footings to be poured beneath them for support. These walls provide privacy from the house next door while allowing for air and views through the openings. And their curves contribute to the porch’s refined look.
The bench seats along the fireplace wall flip up so that pillows can be stowed away during pollen season. To the right, a slim bar serves as a drink ledge. This is a good spot for watching any activity going on in the backyard.
Here is the plan for the new porch. At the bottom, you can see the stairs to the backyard. The fireplace is on the right side, and the outdoor kitchen is in the lower-left corner.
More on Houzz
Browse thousands of porch photos
Read more stories about porches
Hire a local general contractor
Shop for your porch
More on Houzz
Browse thousands of porch photos
Read more stories about porches
Hire a local general contractor
Shop for your porch
Porch at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Dunwoody, Georgia
Size: 530 square feet (49 square meters); 20 by 26½ feet
Designer and builder: Renew Properties
Interior designer: Linen & Flax
Before: The existing deck was located off the back of the house. It wasn’t large enough to accommodate the groups of adults and teenagers the homeowners like to host.
“This family wanted an extension of their main living space with an indoor-outdoor feel and an elevated design,” Parker says.