Design ideas for stylish loggias and verandas
The Italian concept of the loggia (pronounced ‘lodger’) is all about leisure. In its original form this space was used by the Romans as a walkway around a courtyard garden, and you can still see examples of this style in Pompeii. When the principles of classical architecture were revived during the Renaissance, loggias often occupied the upper floors of buildings, with one side open to the air, supported by columns or arches. Similar in nature is a veranda, a long open room with a roof that may extend around several sides of a building, or round the entire house. Whatever you choose to call a space like this, it's a delightful thing to have, allowing you to experience all the charm of sitting outside, but with protection from the worst of the weather.
There are many different styles of loggia and veranda, each originating in different periods of architecture and geographical locations. It's not uncommon for English country houses based on Palladian principles to include a stone loggia, while lighter wooden verandas are more reminiscent of Indian, American or Australian architecture. Whatever style you have (or choose to build), they're the perfect place for sitting outdoors, and a wonderful alternative to a totally open area of patio or decking. As a space for outdoor dining, they're incredibly useful, since they eliminate any worries about rain or harsh sunlight, and they also protect your garden furniture from the worst of the elements.
Most loggias and verandas are fairly simple, informal spaces, and many of the examples on our pages make stylish use of rattan or wooden furniture, deckchairs, loungers and even hammocks. It's perfectly possible to make them extremely glamorous though, with painted walls or even fabric-covered walls and ceilings for extra sumptuousness. They're a great place to set up some plant pots and make a small container garden, bringing the lushness of the garden into the space. And If you plan to entertain in a loggia, make sure you have some electricity and lighting installed, so that it can be used in the evenings as well.
Andrew Montgomery1/24Lines of plump box balls in the Upper Pool Garden of this Devon garden draw the eye towards a gap in the beech hedge, which gives views across the Lower Pool Garden and a generous loggia, complete with a fireplace, to the house.
Paul Massey2/24In the loggia of this Bahamas house by Tino Zervudachi, the Indonesian carved and painted wall panel, kuba cloth cushions and Walters Wicker furniture introduce earthy tones and texture. It is open on one side, with a roof and stone pillars and offers an effortlessly elegant area for relaxing, dining and entertaining outdoors. Here, there is ample room for large family gatherings, where handsome white metal chairs with Kuba cloth cushions are mixed with sturdy rattan ones. There are comfortable sofas, white ceramic side tables and lamps, and an ancient Indonesian painted wood panel on one wall. ‘Even when it rains, it’s a delicious feeling to sit here, protected and dry,’ says Tino.
Ngoc Minh Ngo3/24In the Moroccan garden of writer, garden-maker, collector and aesthete, Umberto Pasti, potted plants almost completely cover the chequerboard marble floor of the veranda. “To bring order to the chaos, limit materials and keep the pots consistent – for example use all terracotta, or all zinc.”
Paul Massey4/24Never one to rush things, Emma Milne-Watson has gradually breathed new life into a centuries-old rectory in Sussex, respecting its history while creating a distinctive home for her family by effortlessly mixing classic and contemporary elements. Added to the back of the house a few years ago with the aim of making it appear more streamlined and symmetrical, this handsome structure has a panelled ceiling and pillars in ‘Down Pipe’ by Farrow & Ball, providing a strong backdrop for cane furniture from Hadeda.
Anya Rice5/24At designer Robert Carslaw's secluded house a few miles from Falmouth in Cornwall is a delightful outdoor dining space, formed by the granite columns that support the first-floor bathroom extension. It provides shade for the ‘sitooterie’ with its Australian all-weather rattan furniture. The lush planting includes Trachycarpus fortunei palms in terracotta pots and Camellia sasanqua.
Nathalie Krag6/24A Mondrian-style mural on the wall adds a touch of character to the loggia of late architect Bruno Sacchi's Florentine tower abode. The seating creates the feel of an outdoor living room.
Oivind Haug7/24At Rocca delle tre Contrade in Sicily, the portico, left in its original state, has an outdoor seating area with furniture from Flamant; it faces the Ionian Sea. The shaded veranda is the perfect place to escape the heat and enjoy the views.
Alessio Mei8/24The loggia at Riad Enija provides a sheltered place from which to sit and enjoy the play of light and shade, the scent of flowers and foliage, the gentle trickle of the fountain and the chatter of a multitude of birds.
Simon Upton9/24Passing down through inheritance for nearly 400 years, Holker Hall has a rich history resulting in an interior that combines comfort with charm. Former House & Garden editor Susan Crewe grew up there, and remembers enjoying many summer meals in its wonderful loggia.
Britt Willoughby Dyer10/24An open loggia with a southern European flavour is host to Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’ in a Cotswolds garden designed by James Alexander Sinclair. The steps are flanked with clipped holly, Verbascum chaixii ‘Album’ and Geranium ‘Brookside’ and there is a seating area under the shade of the roof.
Elsa Young11/24In Victoria von Westenholz's strikingly pretty Battersea cottage, one wall of the kitchen is made of sliding glass panels that can be fully opened so that the dining area and garden come together seamlessly. It has the dual benefits of extending the space in both the kitchen and garden and allowing for al fresco dining whenever the sun shines.
Paul Massey12/24The veranda of this holiday home in Cap Ferret was designed by its architect Jonathan Tuckey as the main dining space of the house. 'This was an ideal spot because it leads from the kitchen and has a wonderful view,' he says. Below reclaimed pendant lights from Retrouvius, the 4.3-metre-long table is set before a built-in bench. 'Because the table is so long we wanted to avoid the clutter - both visually and physically - of having 12 chairs, which would have left little space. The owners wanted to make sure they could seat large numbers of people, and a bench allows guests to squash up to add extra places.'
Lucas Allen13/24At Mount Algidus in New Zealand, opportunities to use the loggia, swim in the pool and stroll in the box-bordered parterre are limited to a few summer months. The stylish loggia features lanterns from Vaughan.
Simon Upton14/24A loggia adjoining the private wing of Bowood House provides a quiet seating area in summer - the woven wicker furniture has cushions covered in Colefax & Fowler's iconic Bowood print.
Montse Garriga Grau15/24At her holiday house in the mountains of southern Spain, English interior designer Susan Wyndham has brought together furniture, lighting and fabrics from all over the world to create interiors with an exuberantly layered aesthetic. On the terrace, simple green tableware and chairs covered in a Bernard Thorp stripe balance the exuberant floral print of an Indian tablecloth .
James Fennell16/24A small concrete seating area, surrounded by a pond, offers views of the garden and tea estate at this spectacular Sri Lankan house.
Simon Upton17/24This covered loggia has blue and white furniture and overlooks the town and outdoor dining area. Anne-Marie Midy inherited this house in the south of France and has since lovingly restored it to refresh the interiors without losing the charm of the space. Anne-Marie Midy and her husband own the Mexican furniture company Casamidy.
Richard Powers18/24A pool house in the garden of a Provençal stone house in the Luberon has the familiar aspects of a sitting room. A sectional sofa and lamps make their way outdoors for this garden room with a touch of wit, and a spectaclar view of the pool and the valley beyond.
Ngoc Minh Ngo19/24The pool at the Playa Grande is flanked by two lattice-framed cabanas. In this one, locally made tiles, designed by decorator Celerie Kemble, cover the floor. The metal garden furniture has been painted white and finished with pale blue cushions. Interesting and unusual wicker work in the shape of cocao hangs from the ceiling. The overall effect is pure vintage elegance.
Simon Brown20/24Richard Parr moved his family from London to this Cotswold farmhouse and developed it into an inspiring setting for his architectural practice. This front porch dining area is the hub of the house in the summer months. The porch was once used, as it is now, as the heart of the building, giving protection to both people and produce; to the right was a cellar, and to the left was room formerly used to make cheese and beer.
21/24In this alluring Californian loggia, designers from Rios Clementi Hale Studios have used graphic stripes to evoke a bygone Hollywood era while reflecting the indoor-outdoor nature of the space. Its focal point is the 'Carousel Lantern', £2,880, from Charles Edwards.
Paul Massey22/24Fashion designer Katherine Hooker and her boyfriend, architect Dimitri Konstantidis's, shady terrace on the Greek island of Patmos is a little slice of heaven. Every morning the pair have breakfast at the table - made from reclaimed marble pavement that was rescued from Athens - before going for a swim at a nearby beach.
Lucas Allen23/24The screened porch is typical of traditional 'Shingle'-style houses. It is a place to sit and be cooled by cross breezes in the summer, the folding, louvred shutters acting as sunshades. Located on a plot of farmland on the Atlantic coast of Long Island, interior designer Veere Grenney masterminded this barn-style holiday house with Manhattan architects Leroy Street Studio.
Ngoc Minh Ngo24/24The veranda at the Playa Grande Beach Club proves that exteriors can be as gorgeous as interiors! Following the vintage scheme, the veranda is littered with vintage rattan peacock chairs, is fitted with pendant lights and finished with glossy tiles.
