It comfortably sleeps six…usually teenagers, often has sweeping water views and requires the same amount of space as a large bedroom. The sleeping porch is a classic example of “what’s old is new again.”

The second floor sleeping porch was fairly common a century ago especially in the sweltering South before the advent of air conditioning. Today, as more homeowners seek sustainable design features and coastal homeowners prefer open windows to air conditioning, the sleeping porch is gaining in popularity.

There are two types of sleeping porches: year round and the fully screened seasonal porch.

Our firm designed this year round room with banks of large windows that create the feeling of a screened-in porch but provide the utility of a four season room. Oversized window seats with comfortable cushions create sleeping space and storage space below the seats. The room also functions as the family’s TV room. The screen drops down from a soffit above the windows making it a multi-function room.

The fully screened sleeping porch can feel like a tree house but has limitations including the need to cover furniture to protect against rain.

We designed pulley style awning windows that open up from an adjacent bedroom in this Watch Hill house. The fireplace extends the sleeping porch’s use to a three season room.

When designing a sleeping porch consider the room’s exposure, lighting and ceiling fans and bed locations.