Sleeping porch - This Cottage Life

I’ve always loved the sleeping porch concept.

A sleeping porch is an enclosed deck or balcony that is well-ventilated, often with windows or screens on two or three sides, and has one or more beds or similar furniture for sleeping during warm weather. Screened-in sleeping porches allow people to enjoy the feeling of sleeping outside in the cool night air without being bothered by bugs or having to worry about rain. A sleeping porch can be on any level and any side of a home. These porches are often furnished to resemble a cottage or cabin. They can be used during the daytime as places to rest, relax, read or otherwise enjoy one’s self.

They seem so relaxing, comfortable, fresh. Inviting.

Sleeping porches were especially popular during the early 20th century, before the advent of air conditioning for homes. Many people at that time, including many healthcare professionals, believed that sleeping in fresh air could help ease respiratory problems such as tuberculosis. (The Mayowood Mansion here in Rochester has a sleeping porch on the second level.) In cities, many houses were built with one or more small sleeping porches on the second level. In rural areas, homes such as farmhouses often featured large, enclosed sleeping porches on the ground floor where the entire family might sleep during warmer weather.

One day last week I was looking at yet another picture of a sleeping porch in my Country Living magazine when I had one of those “doh- hitthesideofyourheadwithyourpalm-ahamoments”.

The Cottage has a “sunroom” — which would make a perfect “sleeping porch”!
This was step one:

Now it looks like this:

I’m looking for a wall mount reading light with a shade to put over the bed. Something vintage. like this, but for much less doughrayme. Funny thing is, I had a light like that growing up. I even like this one. I actually bid on this one. Please don’t bid against me 🙂
If you happen to have one of these sconces in your attic that you don’t need, let me know!

The sleeping porch. We’ve already had someone spend the night out there. I snuggled up with a magazine for an hour one afternoon. The next warm afternoon, I’ll be taking a nap on the sleeping porch … if I have time.