Home & Garden
The Art of the Sleeping Porch
Wind down with flair in this nostalgic summertime haven

photo: Brie Williams
Back before air-conditioning, the Southern sleeping porch served not only as a novelty, particularly for children who thrilled to snoozing outside, but as a necessity. On summer nights, when the air inside a home became stifling, families retreated to these welcome spots—often repurposed screened-in porches—to drift off to sleep in makeshift seasonal beds. Sleeping porches have even appeared in such films as 1991’s Louisiana-set The Man in the Moon, in which a young Reese Witherspoon stays up late in just such a structure with her character’s older sister to muse about life. To keep the tradition from fading into the HVAC ether, you don’t need much more than a few key ingredients.

photo: Brie Williams
Bedding
Crisp white sheets with a subtle, menswear-inspired charcoal stripe by Matouk (from $225; matouk.com), handmade coverlets by Texas-based Vaeven ($1,250 each; vaeven.com), macramé bed skirts by Serena & Lily (from $138; serenaandlily.com), and a wildly colorful cotton throw by the artist Olivia Wendel ($170; ggfieldshop.com) lend a light and cool look to nestled twin beds.
Side Table, Lamp, and Stereo
The designers at Worlds Away in Memphis dreamed up this gunmetal-gray side table with clever storage concealed behind caned-panel doors ($1,215; worlds-away.com). The sturdy piece also offers a handy perch for a vintage-style lamp by Schoolhouse Electric (from $329; schoolhouse.com) as well as a Bluetooth stereo in a decidedly retro package by Tivoli Audio ($899; huckberry.com).
Stools, Rug, and Fan
Keep things casual with relaxed organic materials like those used to craft both the woven-water-hyacinth stools by Mainly Baskets Home ($258 each; mainlybaskets.com) and the quirky jute area rug by Serena & Lily ($148; serenaandlily.com). An old-school standing fan by Hunter ($90; sylvane.com) maintains a steady breeze in the still of the night.
Tray, Carafe, and Drinkware
A bamboo tray like this one from Dear Keaton ($34; dearkeaton.com), stocked with a carafe and water glass set from Fieldshop ($66; ggfieldshop.com) and enamel tumblers by Crow Canyon ($10–$22 each; crowcanyonhome.com) that you can fill with chilled cocktails, makes for an easily movable hydration station.
Related Stories:

Homeplace
A Laid-Back Lake Austin Retreat
A relaxed lakeside spread in Texas unveils its party persona

Homeplace
Uptown Funk: Inside a Designer’s Colorful New Orleans Home
Penny Francis brings a rich gumbo of design eras to a century-old Crescent City house

Gardens
Beth Macy Gardens Her Way Home
For decades, the Virginia journalist Beth Macy has chronicled some of the toughest true stories in Appalachia. To see the world and her writing from a new perch, she need only step into her yard
Trending Stories:

Arts & Culture
A South Carolina Seafood Company Reveals a Piece of Forrest Gump History
How much shrimp is required to create a movie classic? About six thousand pounds, apparently

Food & Drink
7 of the South’s Tastiest Breakfast Joints
Heavy on the classics

Due South
Exploring the Hidden Florida Keys
A lollygagging road trip off the main drag of Florida’s overseas highway