Shed Porch Ideas and Inspiration

A porch is an excellent addition to any shed, providing a versatile and functional space that can be used for a variety of purposes. With a little creativity and inspiration, you can transform your shed porch into a beautiful and inviting outdoor oasis. In this article, we’ll explore some shed porch ideas, designs, styles, and benefits that can help you create a space that perfectly fits your needs and preferences.

Shed porches can be added to your preexisting sheds. If you are looking to get a new shed with a porch, see what options of sheds and cabins you can order from Esh’s Utility Buildings.

Styles and Designs for Shed Porches

What are some shed porch designs?

Porches can be added just about anywhere on a shed. This includes the front, side, or even just as an inset. Additionally, one could choose a wrap around porch, or a combo porch, which is an L-shape porch set at the corner of the shed.

Front Porches give the shed a welcoming touch and can have many uses, including a shelter for tools, a potted plant area, or a relaxation zone. These shed porches often add charm to a shed, providing a more comfortable, dimensional appearance to your backyard and decreasing the rigid style that sheds can have. Both extension porches and inset porches add great character.

Side Porches are often longer porches that surround a side entrance door. They can extend the entire length of the building or merely a specific area. Like front porches these porches can add variety to simplistically designed sheds, being either an extension or built into the side. 

Combo (Deluxe) Porches are porches that combine the idea of a side and front porch, resulting in an L-shaped porch at the corner of the shed. This design of porch adds even more of a creative, unique look than a front or side porch. It is also a great way to diversify the amount of light your porch gets throughout the day. 

Wrap Around Porches are perhaps the biggest upgrade to your shed. They provide limitless porch area for storage or relaxation. They are, understandably, the most popular porches, as they add great opportunity for creativity, as they completely transform the feel of your shed.

What are some styles of porches that a shed can have?

Enclosed Porches offer extra protection, crossing indoor advantages with a breathable outdoor environment. One can avoid insect annoyances and some weather inconveniences by simply adding screens or panels to your porch area.

Half Enclosed Porches can be advantageous in several aspects. A railing allows you to have a safer place for children or pets to roam, or discourage unwanted critters and animals from entering your porch area. Half-enclosed porches can also add style to your porch.

Overhang porches may only consist of an extended roof with a patio type base underneath it. If small enough, support pillars may not even be needed. However, the majority of the time it is both necessary and more appealing. These porches retain overhead protection while allowing plenty of air movement, and maximum space to move around.

Uncovered porches lack any overhead protection, simply acting as either a pleasant patio space, or a way to keep appliances off the bare ground.

Additions to shed porches include benches, swings, decorative pillars and railings, and ramps. If you are planning to use your shed porch for a lounge area, complimentary chairs, benches, and tables are a great way to upgrade your porch. Permanent additions like decorative pillars and railings or porch swings are a lasting, durable style additive. Practically, installing railings or a ramp can increase the ease of accessibility to your shed.

Popular Decorative Ideas for Shed Porches

Plants

Potted plants are a great way to add life and a creative, welcoming atmosphere to your shed porch. Some use their porches for the very purpose of providing a protected or shaded area for optimal plant growth. 

Analyze the placement of your shed porch and make sure you take into consideration the amount of light that the porch or areas of the porch receive. Combining hanging plants, pots, vines, and colors of plants can add attractive variety to a plant-filled shed porch.

Rustic

Shed porches are a great way to make an impression. A rustic aesthetic gives a traditional, vintage impression and capitalizes on creativity. To achieve this popular aesthetic, focus on exposed rough or stained wood. Add decorative pieces and plants to curate the rustic feel of your shed porch to your liking. The rustic aesthetic can be presented in the form of more traditional, weathered, antiques, or in the modern, sleek sense. 

Soft lounge

Some shed porches are specifically designed to be a morning/evening relaxation zone. This is often characterized by cushioned furniture and matching accent pieces. Many different aesthetics can be used in outdoor lounge areas so creativity is unlimited, but all focus on comfort and stylish relaxation. Above is an example.

Seasonal expression

Shed porches are often used to decorate for various seasons and holidays. This can be evident in small accents like wreaths, banners, or signs, or in completely changing the aesthetic. Popular holidays to portray on a shed porch include Christmas/Winter, Thanksgiving/Fall, Fourth of July, and Easter. 

Evening Retreat

Shed porches can serve as a great hang out for evening get togethers. Therefore, people often style them with decorative lights, torches and maybe even a small fireplace. Some even outfit their shed porch (especially if it’s enclosed) with a small bar or drink stand, or perhaps even a small fridge or beverage cooler.

Keep it basic

Keeping your shed porch “bare-bones” is perfect if you want to use it for more storage purposes or for a very small entryway that doesn’t have much room. Storage shed porches or business office porches are a good example of this.

Benefits

Why a shed porch is popular:

1. Relaxation area: As already mentioned, shed porches can be a perfect lounge space. For morning coffee, evening relaxation, company entertainment, and much more, a shed porch can be a wonderful addition. 
2. For a small house or she shed, a nicely decorated porch can greatly enhance the quality feel of the building.
3. Backyard hangout: As an overhang extension of a shed, a porch can serve as a wonderful outdoor hangout for a family or company. Complete the space with tables, chairs, fireplace, etc.
4. Pool-side shade: Adding a porch to the side of a pool house can provide a convenient shaded lounge area, upgrading your pool area.
5. Porches attached to a storage or garden shed can act as a basic open air storage space, or a temporary work area.
6. Across the board, porches serve as an upgrade to the design and appearance of a shed, adding attractive variety and usefulness.

Examples of Shed Porches on Different Styles of Sheds

1. Barn Shed
2. Gable sheds
3. Modern (slanted-roof) shed

Possible Disadvantages to having a Shed Porch

In short, Shed porches can potentially take up too much space.

• If it is an inset porch, then it could decrease interior space of the shed more than what is wanted.
• If designed as an extension from the building it could decrease the open area of the property more than desired.
• A shed porch could also be considered a “frill” that is not necessary or convenient for a storage shed unit.
• Further, the roof of the porch could be a potential annoyance as it limits the head room of the entrance to the shed.

Regardless, in general, the benefits of a shed porch are going to outweigh the disadvantages.

Conclusion

Shed porches are a useful upgrade to virtually any shed and provide its owner with endless creative opportunities. We hope this article gave you some ideas in either upgrading your shed porch, or deciding whether or not to add one. If you are looking for a shed with a porch, check out our custom-built sheds and customizable shed options at Esh’s Utility Buildings. Or, check out our Ultimate Guide to She Sheds. To learn more about some Awesome Cottage Shed Styles read this article. And if you’re curious about building a porch on your tiny house shell, we’ve got it taken care of!