Porch Ceiling Ideas
A porch is such a wonderful addition to a home. You have the benefits of being shaded while you rest outside, but accessible to your home comforts indoors. It’s a privilege to sit out on a porch swing and watch the sun go down in the evening.
You may wonder how best to decorate your porch to give it some designer oomph. You may also also be surprised at how important the color and the material of the ceiling is in enhancing the look and functionality of your porch.
You’ll need to think about the materials and theme of your house and how to balance the decor of your porch. You might find some solutions you hadn’t considered just for that knock out touch.
Classic White Shiplap Porch Ceiling
When we think of the classic American porch, we probably think of a wood deck, shiplap walls and a white shiplap ceiling. Wherever you are, this is a great look for any porch.
Clean and elegant, painted white is keeping with most properties. White paint matches well with wood flooring and you can paint the vertical beams. This look needs to be smooth so prepare surfaces well.
A ceiling fan is such a practical addition but there’s no getting away that they can look cumbersome. So look out for an on-trend simple black lightweight fan to enhance the look of your porch.
A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop, Porch Bamboo
If you are building a brand new porch you can do some brand new thinking about what you can use to construct your porch ceiling.
Bamboo neatly installed as a porch roof can be an unusual, interesting alternative to your porch ceiling. Bamboo has natural fire resistance making it a safe material to use. It is also lightweight but very strong.
Bamboo ceilings can be vulnerable to insect and fungus attacks. So check if your bamboo is pressure treated against infestation.
This is a cool look for hot weather and offers a touch of the exotic to your porch. It looks great with a neutral color palette with an inviting spa feel.
Warm Wood Porch Ceiling
A ceiling that conjures up thoughts of the heat of the deep south is a warm wood, slanting ceiling. So even if your home is further north, you may like to try this look for instant heat.
Teamed with white pillars and a large plant, this ceiling will keep you cool on long, hot nights, particularly if you add a fan. And you can shed some light by adding pretty glass light fixtures.
Dark Wood Luxury
For a traditional farmhouse porch, you may have white walls and railings but to introduce sophistication, how about a deep, dark ceiling.
There is a feeling of luxury in the way an almost black wood contrasts with white. So you can use a dark wood stain or paint to replicate this look. Perfect for sitting out for some al fresco dining.
Slanting Metal Ceiling
An utterly charming, romantic porch ceiling is a dark sloping metal. At night, it can be lit up with glass lantern ceiling lights.
If you are adding on a porch or you need to replace your roof, think about choosing this traditional farm material. This works well for those who like an industrial finish in their home interiors.
Metal and Wood Porch Ceiling
As well as a slanted ceiling, you can construct an atrium style metal ceiling with chunky timber supports. A zinc, silvery metal can look pretty with a simple chandelier and some blankets over chairs.
On a practical level a metal ceiling is durable, lasting more than fifty years. It is energy efficient, reflecting the sun’s UV and infrared light rays which can result in a reduction in cooling costs.
It’s also environmentally friendly as metal roofs usually have high recycled content, and are also 100% recyclable at the end of their life as a roof. This sounds like a great choice for your porch ceiling!
The Glass Ceiling
A glass porch ceiling is a gorgeous material to choose. Giving you a better look up to the skies, and allowing more light, this is great if your porch is in a shadier part of your home.
White painted wood and glass has a classic appeal and can be dressed to be traditional, or with soft furnishings to modernize the look.
Woven Porch Ceiling
If you’re curious to try the unusual, a material that looks amazing but which is quite unusual is a woven cane ceiling.
If you like the boho retro aesthetic, this is the best look for your porch. Working well alongside a warm wood trim, cane is also kind to the environment, and is great in all weathers.
Add Shape to Your Porch Ceiling
If you have a lot of space in your backyard, you can go for it in terms of the size of your porch. You can also choose a shaped design. So instead of a lean-to porch, you can build out and have a geometric shape to your porch.
Wood slats are uber trendy and contrast beautifully with white pillars. The slightly darker ceiling gives you a little more shade so you can enjoy the hot weather out on your porch.
Overarching Ideas For Your Porch
For quite a phenomenal frame to your outdoor view, choose a curved wood frame to your porch ceiling. A light oak looks fresh and modern while also working as a classic if you choose an ornate balustrade.
Having a feeling of enclosure, you can even sit outside while the rain pours down and makes that delightful sound above on the roof. Snuggle with a blanket and enjoy the showers.
Blue Painted Porch Ceiling
A most popular color for shiplap porches is a pale blue. It’s not surprising as it just works so well. Echoing the color of the sky and looking warm against wood, this is a great way to add a burst of color to your porch.
Choose a satin paint finish to best reflect the light. And to really make the blue pop, choose coral color decoration and accessories.
Bright Yellow Porch Ceiling
Against slate tile walls, to inject an instantly happy ambience, paint a wood ceiling in a gorgeous buttery yellow.
Yellow feels endlessly happy and sunshiney, no matter the weather. To add some lighting, choose a trendy black metal with glass lightshade.
Shades of Blue
Let’s go back to the blue. If you love a blue color on your porch ceiling but like something a little more decorative and unusual, how about installing stepped planks and then painting each one in a different shade of blue.
This is a fun, eclectic idea that looks classy with off-white shiplap walls and a gorgeous traditional metal chandelier.
Paneling on the Ceiling
For truly charming homestead decor, choose an ornate balustrade in white and opt for a paneled ceiling. Very popular on walls, this is simple to also add to a wood ceiling.
Evoking history and tradition with a contemporary bias, keep the look clean and simple by painting your ceiling in a cold white and adding a traditional black colored ceiling fan.
In Summary
From traditional white painted shiplap and bare timber porch ceilings, you might also want to consider more unusual materials such as glass, metal and bamboo.
Look at the advantages offered by each kind of construction and take into account your local climate, and the kind of light you want, as well as your budget.
Painted ceilings are a great way to update an existing porch. Different colors evoke different feelings. And lights tend to be fixtures of metal and glass.
But to keep things super cool add a ceiling fan in a trendy black to make sure the hot weather is kept at bay. Then you can enjoy sitting on your porch with an icy cold drink watching the world go by.
