Porch Living

The happy space nestled betwixt nature and nest.

Nostalgic yet modernly apropos, Porch Living provides the venue of venues to grasp the goodness of both the home and garden. From the contemporary yet classically rooted outdoor fabrics and furnishings that make porches chic and cherished, to the hanging baskets and planters chock-full of seasonal delights, today's porches offer comfort and elegance, and, most importantly, an addition to the home and garden. Whether jettisoned boldly into parterres aplenty or delightfully diminutive, a grand outdoor salon or sleeping nook, the porch represents how we live and how to gloriously live hinged to and romantically suspended in the home and garden.

James T. Farmer III is the author many books celebrating garden living and entertaining including A Place to Call Home, A Time to Plant, A Time to Cook, A Time to Celebrate, Dinner on the Grounds, Sip & Savor and Wreaths for All Seasons. His company, James Farmer Designs, specializes in landscape and interior design. James is a proponent of weaving the bounties of the garden into daily life. He has appeared on the Today show and is a regular contributor to Southern Living. Find him at www.JamesFarmer.com. He lives in Kathleen, Georgia.

James T. Farmer III is the author of A Time to Plant. His company, James Farmer Designs, specializes in landscape and interior design. James is a proponent of garden living and entertaining, or weaving the bounties of the garden into your daily life. Find him at www.James.Farmer.com. He lives in Kathleen, Georgia.

Helen Norman is a nationally renowned photographer whose images regularly grace the pages of magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, Southern Living, Country French, Renovation Style and Veranda. Helen is an avid gardener and home decorating enthusiast who lives on an organic farm in Maryland with her husband, Mark, and two children, Peter and Patrick. This is her fifth book celebrating the beauty of homes and gardens.

Sit back a spell (on a porch, if possible) and savor gorgeous photographs by Helen Norman that illustrate just how easy and elegant outdoor living can be. Whether with a pretty tabletop or a swinging bed, this book inspires with hundreds of ideas for America's favorite room-the porch.--Amy Elbert "Traditional Home July August 2012" (7/1/2012 12:00:00 AM)