Many Florida homes have a covered lanai — a warm, welcoming patio that provides the perfect space for entertaining guests, enjoying outdoor meals, or relaxing in the beautiful Florida sun.

However, since Florida lanais offer such a well-balanced mix of indoor and outdoor space, figuring out how to decorate them can prove challenging! Fortunately, our local Florida staging team is here to help. Below, we’ll dive into some of our best Florida lanai decorating ideas to help you create your dream outdoor space for relaxation, entertainment, and fun.

What’s a Florida Lanai?

First things first — what is a Florida lanai?

A lanai is a covered patio that can serve as an outdoor living space for your Florida home. To be considered a lanai, this ground-level space must be located at the back of your house, covered by your home’s roof, and be open to the outside on at least one wall. The “open” wall might be screened in to add protection from bugs and rain (which is often the case in Florida).

Unlike a covered patio, a lanai is usually more enclosed with full or partial walls and is more similar to a screened porch or Florida room.

Creative Florida Lanai Decorating Ideas

1. Choose Weather-Resistant Outdoor Furniture

Although most lanais feel pretty well enclosed, it’s crucial to choose furniture pieces that are built to withstand the elements.

Generally, furniture made from resin wicker, teak, aluminum, wrought iron, or steel is best for an outdoor living space, like a lanai. Lightweight wicker and teak are excellent choices for a Florida lanai because they embody the state’s easy, breezy beach lifestyle.

2. Create an Al Fresco Dining Area

With such gorgeous weather all year, a Florida lanai is the perfect place to enjoy al fresco dining with family and friends.

The addition of an outdoor dining set, complete with a dining table and chairs, makes your Florida lanai the perfect place to host an evening cocktail hour, a refined dinner party, a weekend brunch, a garden tea, or a casual barbecue after a day hanging out in the pool.

3. Install an Outdoor Kitchen

The only thing better than having an outdoor space for dining with friends and family is having an outdoor kitchen to cook your meals in, too!

If you have a bigger lanai and can build in a full kitchen without feeling cramped, complete with a wet bar, countertops, cabinets, a refrigerator, and a cooking range—that’s great! However, even a grill, griddle, or pizza oven is a fun addition to a lanai for aspiring chefs with limited space.

4. Add Sparkling Outdoor Lighting

One of the best ways to set the mood in your lanai is with well-placed, proper lighting. Since a lanai is primarily enclosed, pre-wired lighting, like a chandelier or a ceiling fan with an overhead light, is always a great choice. A ceiling fan is especially smart for keeping the air circulating in your lanai since we all know it can get hot during those Florida summer months!

However, if you’re trying to add ambiance to your lanai, incorporate accent lighting, like string lights or outdoor lanterns. With the touch of a button, you can instantly transform your lanai into a spot for a romantic date night or an enchanting dinner party.

5. Include Options for Sun Protection

As we just mentioned, the Florida sun can be unrelenting, so adding shade options to your Florida lanai is a must. Although your lanai should be primarily shaded by the roof, during certain points of the day, like sunrise or sunset, a retractable shade or umbrella might be nice to have to block the sun’s glare.

6. Showcase Tropical Plants

Since a Florida lanai is partially enclosed but still receives plenty of natural sunlight, it’s an excellent spot to decorate with plants and flowers. Depending on your lanai’s layout and style, you can incorporate a mix of hanging plants, colorful plants and flowers as table centerpieces, potted plants on the lanai floor, or beautiful wall gardens.

Pro Tip: Plants that might not thrive indoors but will require more shade than they would receive in the full sun of your backyard are perfect for your lanai. Some ideas include palm trees, bougainvillea, hibiscus, caladiums, and birds of paradise.

7. Create an Accent Wall

Since lanais only have one or two walls — be sure to make them count!

Consider painting a fun pattern or colorful, tropical mural on one wall for something eye-catching and unexpected, or hang some wall art that can be easily removed or changed as your style changes. For something more subtle, consider a stone veneer wall or a board-and-batten wall. You can also showcase practical appliances or electronics on these walls, like a mounted TV or built-in fireplace.

8. Create a Cozy Seating Area

A seating area with comfortable furniture in your Florida lanai is a must.

A small loveseat is an excellent choice if you only plan to have a few people on your lanai at a time, but a sectional couch with throw pillows and comfy cushions is a better choice to accommodate larger groups. Consider putting an accent table next to the seating area as a convenient spot to place drinks.

9. Decorate with Coastal Vibes

If you live near the beach, like in Clearwater or St. Petersburg, decorating your Florida lanai with coastal decor is a good choice.

Instead of kitschy beach motifs, like seashells and driftwood, consider toned-down nods to the seashore, such as a blue and white color palette, shiplap walls, decorative lanterns, natural wood and linen outdoor furniture, tropical plants, and gauzy curtains.

Leave Decorating Your Florida Lanai to the Professionals at THE STAGING COMPANY

Do you need additional tips or expert help to decorate your Florida lanai? If so, contact our experienced local team of interior decorators at THE STAGING COMPANY!

We specialize in helping homeowners and property owners across Florida, from Tampa to Orlando, embellish their beautiful Florida homes with modern, eye-catching interior design. Contact us to learn more about our interior decorating services so we can start creating the tropical outdoor oasis of your dreams!