13 Pretty Sleeping Porches You'll Want to Duplicate

Suspend swinging daybeds on the porch of this DeBordieu, South Carolina, beach house capitalize on the stunning vie w, shade, and waterfront breezes. We recommend opting for mattresses with washable slipcovers and pillowcases in outdoor-safe fabrics. Here — Photo: J. Savage Gibson

What's better than a porch by the sea? One outfitted with a hanging bed, perfect for sleeping or soaking up a beach read. That's the magic of the sleeping porch—an old-fashioned Southern staple that's as at home on the coast as it in the mountains. It's hard to compete with the comfort of dozing off for an afternoon siesta while listening to a bay breeze, waves crashing, or trees rustling. So why not bring one to your slice of the South? From the traditional sleeping porch to its more modern cousins, there are plenty of ways to create your own little sanctuary. Peruse these dreamy decks and screened porches for all the inspiration you need.

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Take Inspiration From the Sky

The sleeping porch at our Cinnamon Shore Showhouse in Texas features a custom hanging bed that’s ideal for afternoon naps after a day at the beach. Designer Bailey McCarthy—a bedding whiz (she has her own line of sheets, pillows, throws, and more at Biscu — Photo: Tria Giovan; Styling by Rachael Burrow and Liz Strong

You've probably seen Southern porches with light blue ceilings. Why not apply the shade to your walls and upholstery? The sleeping porch at our Cinnamon Shore Showhouse in Texas features a custom hanging bed that's ideal for afternoon naps after a day at the beach. Designer Bailey McCarthy—a bedding whiz (she has her own line of sheets, pillows, throws, and more at Biscuit Home)—made the space extra soothing by outfitting it in varying shades of sky blue. If you keep the colors similar on the cushions and walls, you won't overwhelm even the tiniest poorch.

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Suspend Your Bed with Steel

This open-air retreat may just be the definition of breezy. The large white bed is suspended from the ceiling with steel cables for a sleek look, but you can use marine-grade rope or chains for an equally sturdy and good-looking result. Fuss-free bamboo b — Kim Cornelison

This open-air retreat is the epitome of breezy. The large white bed is suspended from the ceiling with steel cables for a sleek look, although you can use marine-grade rope or chains for an equally sturdy and attractive result. Fuss-free bamboo blinds can be rolled up or down depending on the sun's position and your desire for shuteye.

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Hang Two Beds Face-to-Face

This Seaside, Florida, sleeping porch is the ultimate coastal hangout. It’s screened and curtained for comfort and features both hanging daybeds and a pair of wicker chairs with plush cushions. The hanging beds are outfitted with a thick cushion the size — Jonny Valiant

This Seaside, Florida, sleeping porch just might be the ultimate coastal hangout. Not only is it screened and curtained for comfort, but it also features two hanging daybeds, perfect for lounging with a friend. Each is outfitted with a thick cushion the size of a twin-bed mattress, and the thick ropes add a nautical note. Borrow the dune-grass green and watery blue palette for a coastal nod that enlivens an otherwise serene environment.

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Embrace Easy-to-Stow Cots

blue-white-sleeping-porch — Photo: Annie Schlechter; Styling Rachael Burrow

A pair of cots outfitted with gauzy throwbeds (thin microfiber-and-feather cushions that stretch the length of the bed) create a comfy spot for alfresco snoozing on this Chesapeake Bay farmhouse's screened-in porch. "Cots are pretty in their simplicity, but are also easy enough to fold up and stash away if you need the floor space," says Richmond-based designer Janie Molster. With rattan side tables and a pair of peacock chairs, the area doubles as a cozy lounge.

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Incorporate Natural Texture

Off the first-floor master bedroom in this Asian- and Mediterranean-inspired abode in Rosemary Beach, Florida, the homeowner doubled her relaxation space by suspending a hanging bed. Its simple form—a wood palette topped with a mattress, pillows, and a th — Colleen Duffley

Off the first-floor primary bedroom of this Asian- and Mediterranean-inspired abode in Rosemary Beach, Florida, the homeowner added visual interest to her relaxation space by suspending the bed. Its simple form—a wood palette topped with a mattress, pillows, and a throw—melds beautifully with the room's clean aesthetic. The bed and ropes echo the hues of the cypress ceiling, doors, and shutters, while the Dominican shellstone floors keep the space from feeling too heavy. The potted plants break up all the natural tones.

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Add an Iron Headboard

With views of a serene pond beyond, this screened sleeping porch, off the rear of a renovated Long Island beach cottage, is a plum spot for enjoying the salt-spiked air and a beach read. The antique iron bed, blue-green-painted wood floors, and rattan furnishings create a vintage-meets-laidback vibe. Look for a headboard with a little whimsical flare to bring a touch of the unexpected to your outdoor space.

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Borrow the Colors of the Ocean

Suspended daybeds on the porch of this DeBordieu, South Carolina, beach house capitalize on the stunning view, shade, and waterfront breezes. To maximize the life of your soft goods, we recommend encasing your mattresses with washable slipcovers and covering your pillows in outdoor-safe fabrics, ideally in colors inspired by the landscape. Here, an indoor/outdoor rug and metal side tables make the porch feel even more like an outdoor living room.

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Frame Your Space with Drapes

Instead of chaises, these homeowners chose beds with minimalist geometric frames that conjure the stylish vibe of a swanky hotel pool deck. Gauzy drapes add a whimsical touch, while rich red side tables provide a rich pop of color. — Paul Costello

Instead of choosing the expected chaises, these homeowners outfitted their porch with beds that flaunt minimalist geometric frames, conjuring the stylish vibe of a swanky hotel pool deck. Gauzy drapes help define the space and capture the breezy mood of the Caribbean, while red side tables provide a rich pop of color.

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Move an Actual Bed Outside

If you choose to enclose or screen in an open-air porch, keep the alfresco feel alive by leaving the home’s facade as-is. Architectural details such as siding and painted shutters make for interesting design accents, and serve as a symbol of your home’s e — Jean Allsopp

Who says you can't set up a spare bed on your porch? If you choose to enclose or screen in the space, keep the indoor/outdoor feel alive by leaving the home's facade as-is. Architectural details such as siding and painted shutters make for interesting design accents and serve as a symbol of your home's evolution over time. Here, a clean, uncluttered room contributes to the restful atmosphere.

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Anchor Beds to the Walls

A breezy corner sleeping porch is outfitted with custom cedar beds, which are secured to the siding and suspended with rope to "float" above the floor. — Photo: Brie Williams; Styling: Liz Strong

This breezy galley-style sleeping porch saves space with custom cedar beds secured to the siding and rope supports that let them "float" above the floor. The wall lights, rope accents, and blue tones are the perfect nautical nod in this coastal oasis. We're envisioning lots of afternoon naps and summer campouts in this space.

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Don't Be Afraid to Go Dark

The catbird seat in this Lowcountry guest house? This pillow-bedecked swinging bed on the porch. Surrounded by the fish camp-inspired cottage’s dark-wood, clapboard-clad exterior and a stand of pine trees, it’s a bookworm’s dream and the perfect place to — Colleen Duffley

Although sleeping porches tend to skew light and airy, dark-wood columns and clapboard-clad exterior walls give this space serious gravitas. The pillow-bedecked swinging bed softens the angular architecture, beckoning guests of this fish camp-inspired lowcountry cottage to settle in with a book or gaze at the stand of pine trees. Balance out dark walls with a simple sisal rug.

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Make Room for Several Sleepers

Ginny Stimpson's Bay House Sleeping Porch in Fairhope, AL — Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Situated on the gorgeous Mobile Bay in Alabama, this vacation-friendly house undoubtedly receives lots of visitors. Its 100-year-old sleeping porch crams in five twin beds, perfect for sibling or cousin sleepovers. Matching bedding keeps the decor streamlined, while ceiling fans promote air flow on sticky summer nights when the porch is fully occupied.

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Bring the Outdoors In

White Porch Swing Day Bed with Green and Yellow Pillows — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Grass green pillows, a driftwood side table, rattan furniture—the nature-inspired accessories in this space create a collected, unfussy look that will convince guests to put their feet up and relax. Since the ceiling and floors are both unpainted wood, soft touches like a plush throw and lots of pillows are needed to keep this sleeping porch cozy.

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