A verandah is more than just an entryway to your home. A roofed and open, or partly open, portion of a house, it offers a sheltered outdoor space you can enjoy all year round. Here you can converse with neighbours, dine with friends, and even while away the day in a hammock or swing chair. A well-planned verandah will complement the architectural design and style of your home, and provide a smooth transition from the outside to the inside. Read on for more ways to best execute your verandah design.

What style of verandah should I add to my home?

This will be primarily dictated by your budget, space and overall style of your home. If your garden and house exterior are classically styled, then a timber or wrought iron verandah may be the way to go, while glass and metal verandahs better suit contemporary tastes. Flat or skillion-roofed verandahs are popular home additions because they can be shaped to fit most house plans, or extend out to other zones, like a pool, for example. A pitched/gabled or curved roof will give you more height and a more open feel, while a concave roof looks best on a verandah attached to a period home. You can choose to have either a supported veranda with posts, similar to a pergola structure, or a cantilever veranda that protrudes from a wall of your house without support via posts to the ground.

How do I decorate my verandah?

Your verandah decor should reflect your personality and lifestyle, but most importantly, how you will use the space. If you want it to encourage lounging and people watching, add a hammock, swing chair or daybed – the more seating you have, the more likely you are to use it with friends. Get more from your verandah by including a dining table and chairs, with some feature pendant lighting to draw attention to the zone. You could also go beyond seating, by adding the likes of a console or planters. If you’re spoilt with a view, you can also keep it utterly simple with just two comfy armchairs to sink back into. Add colour through wall hangings, potted plants, pillows and rugs, but remember to opt for fabrics that are waterproof and fade-resistant.

Whether you want inspiration for planning a verandah renovation or are building a designer verandah from scratch, Houzz has 133,023 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including The Stone Man and Houghland Architecture, Inc.. Look through verandah photos in different colours and styles and when you find a verandah design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful verandah ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.