What Is a Lanai? An Exotic Home Feature That’ll Make Your Summer
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The term, Hawaiian in origin, describes an open-air porch that’s furnished for comfort, with couches, ceiling fans, and—on the design side—tropical flair.
Not surprisingly, lanais are par for the course in homes across Hawaii, but their popularity has caught on throughout many warmer climes, from Southern California through Florida. Even homes located in temperate zones can have a lanai that can be used during the warmer months.
So if you love spending your summers lounging on your porch with a cocktail in hand, you’ll likely love it even more if you turn this outdoor space into a lanai. Here’s what you need to know about this fun home feature, so you can decide whether you want one of your own.
What to know about a lanai
A lanai usually has a hard, patiolike floor and a covered roof. It may have walls on one or both ends and typically opens up to a patio, pool deck, or backyard.
In some climates, a lanai might be screened to keep out bugs, or it could have removable panels made of glass or plastic to keep cooler air out when the temperature drops. A ceiling fan is a common add-on that helps stir the breeze and keep bugs at bay.
If your lanai gets too much sunlight at certain times, installing blinds can cut the glare and curb the heat.
Photo by Bella Luna Services Inc.
Benefits of a lanai
If you love to entertain outside, this spot can be a boon, especially if it’s located off the kitchen or near the backyard grill.
This covered porch also keeps you dry in the rain, and sheltered from the sun—and brings you closer to nature, since you can enjoy backyard plants and flowers as well as your pool, which is sometimes situated within a lanai. If this is the case, you’ll do less work with the skimmer as you remove leaves and other debris in the water.
And even if you live in a more temperate zone, that doesn’t mean a lanai is a waste of space.
Photo by Peter Vincent Architects
“A covered lanai can be especially beneficial if you live in a colder climate, because it can offer maximum sun exposure—for plants and people—when it’s installed in the right spot,” points out Cedric Stewart, a real estate agent with Entourage Residential Group at Keller Williams Capital Properties in Washington, DC.
It all boils down to the direction your lanai faces: If it’s looking south, it will likely get sun for most of the day and be very hot, even if it’s cold out, acting like a greenhouse of sorts. East- and west-facing lanais will only catch rays for part of the day, and be a bit cooler as a result.
Lanai decorating ideas
Photo by K2 Design Group, Inc.
As with any kind of outdoor space (patio, porch), you’ll need to choose furniture that can stand up to the elements. Wicker and rattan are pretty durable and will play up your lanai’s warm-weather vibe, though acrylic pieces with all-weather cushions in a floral or fruity print (think hibiscus or pineapples) will also fit the theme. Or you could pick up a set of peacock chairs, which hit both boho chic and tropical notes at the same time.
Two other easy ways to set a sultry lanai-like vibe: Choose vivid colors for pillows or outdoor rugs, like minty green, turquoise, or melon, and consider a ceiling fan with palm-leaf shaped paddles. All it takes, really, are a few tropical details to mentally transport you to a more relaxing state of mind.
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