Veranda

A veranda is a roofed, open-air porch or gallery attached to the exterior of a building, typically extending along one or more sides and supported by columns or pillars. The word entered English from Hindi via Portuguese during the colonial era, and verandas became a signature architectural feature of tropical and subtropical homes where shade and air circulation were essential for comfort. Grand verandas graced plantation homes across the American South, colonial bungalows in India, and Queenslander houses in Australia, always serving as a transitional zone between the controlled interior and the natural outdoors. In modern residential design, the veranda has experienced a revival as homeowners rediscover the appeal of covered outdoor living spaces that protect from both sun and rain. A veranda differs from a simple porch in its greater depth and length, often wrapping around corners of the house and providing enough space for furnished seating areas, dining, and even outdoor sleeping on warm nights. Contemporary verandas may incorporate ceiling fans, outdoor curtains, recessed lighting, and weather-resistant furnishings to create fully appointed outdoor rooms that function as extensions of the home's interior living spaces.