A gentle rocking motion has been known to calm the nerves and prepare the body for sleep for as long as there have been babies in cradles. So if you have decided to make the most of your outdoor living space by upgrading that screened-in porch to make it a sleeping porch, why not go all the way and add a swinging porch bed to your list of amenities? Add a Bay breeze and you might catch the best batch of much-deserved zzz’s you have had in a while. (Photo: Magnolia Porch Swings)
Visit any outdoor living retailer or website and you will no doubt find many styles of swinging porch beds to choose from—from simple to sublime. But if you’ve got a D-I-Y, one-of-a-kind design in mind, here is some advice for making the dream a reality.
DIY Swinging Porch Bed Safeguards
When it comes to design, you will only be limited by your imagination, but you will want to focus on three basic precepts when building your own swinging porch bed: safety, strength and practicality. (Photo: Coastal Living)
Safety: Before building, it is essential that you consult with a building professional to determine that the structure you will be hanging it from is sound enough to support its own weight and the weight of its users.
Strength: Ensure that you have all the right tools and materials to do the job properly, with durability and longevity in mind. A project checklist and more instructions follow below.
Practicality: To get the most out of this amenity, ensure you have the proper space and that it is situated correctly on the porch for ease of use. You may want to take advantage of particular views, and/or not obstruct views from the inside of your home. Consult with a design professional if you are not certain about placement.
On average, with an intermediate level of construction expertise, it takes two days to build a porch swing bed. More helpful hints and full instructions are available at wooditsreal.com.
Repurpose Those Fun Vintage Finds!
All along the Eastern Shore nostalgia is in the air this summer—along with the scent of a little Old Bay, of course! The practice of re-purposing vintage finds has taken on greater meaning and we see signs of this everywhere. (Literally, we do…reviving old road and product signs are even in fashion!)
The swinging porch bed above uses a rather simple design that is enhanced when using re-purposed shutter panels for the side arms and back rest. (Photo: HomeBNC) The brightly painted and salvaged glider below is quite the cottage-themed conversation piece and is made all the more functional when contemporarily combined with a gathering of pillows. (Photo: Pinterest)
When we think of outdoor décor, we may want to remember the old adage about trash and treasure, especially here along the Bay where there are so many ways to pay homage to our area’s rich heritage. A purposely placed vintage canvasback decoy, a weathered and regionally significant advertisement or perhaps even a collage of aged oars and buoys hung on a porch wall is not just a colorful display, but tells a story of lives once well lived on the Chesapeake. (Photos: Pinterest)
Memorial Thanks!
Rotary of Kent Island would like to thank all the individual and corporate donors from the Flags for Heroes program who purchased a flag to honor their heroes and the Boy Scouts who helped them with the Memorial Day weekend display! Our special thanks also to DiDonato Property Management for donating the space for the flag display and APG Media and Bay Times for their support.
Contact Lundberg Builders at 410-643-3334 for more custom build and design solutions 410-643-3334, or visit lundbergbuilders.com. Lundberg Builders, Inc. is located at 314 Main St., Stevensville, MD.
