• Porch swings are a place where touching family moments take place.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Porch swings inspire intimate moments between family and friends. Add personality to your front porch area with a swinging seating area. Thoughtful porch swing designs fill covered patios with a warm and inviting style. If you can imagine how the porch swing will look, you may be moved to build one yourself or hire a skilled carpenter to execute your plan. Review porch swing parts as you come up with a plan for a new porch swing.
  
  

Seat

• Start designing your porch swing by imagining its seating area. Its length and depth are key considerations. The size of your porch swing seat should fit the porch area without creating an obstruction to doors and porch access areas. Once you have established a suitable porch swing width, address how deep it should be. Try sitting on several porch seats before settling on an acceptable size for your own porch swing's seat. A porch swing that's long enough for three people to enjoy is an deal porch seat size.
  
  

Backrest

• Your porch swing's backrest should be tall enough to remain comfortable while leaning back. Add decorative style to your porch swing backrest. Craft rows of wood slats that resemble a picket fence, for example. Or envision a backrest area with a graceful center arch. Match your home's architectural style to effectively integrate your porch swing into your porch area. Choose a backrest style that blends into your porch area in a complementary way.
  
  

Arms

• Smooth and beveled arms make porch seats comfortable while captivating pieces of natural wood have a striking presence. Select appealing arms, arm supports, braces and brackets. These parts are often reinforced with long screws and glue. Porch arms are points where the porch swing may be suspended from its support system.
  
  

Support

• Springs, heavy ropes or thick chains create a porch swing's support system. Your swing may hang from your porch's support beams. It may also have a support frame, which allows the porch swing to move. Dock rings, carriage bolts, screw eyes, stiffeners and braces provide support for the porch swing as well. Choose porch support parts that complement your home's design. Homes without covered porches are candidates for all-in-one porch swing suspension systems.