Lanai seems to be a term agents like to use a lot. It means... a veranda ( or verandah ) or roofed patio often furnished and used as a living room. The origin is Hawaiian around 1865-1870. I think it is a term that not many people are familiar with. It tends to be a catch all term when the word porch or patio would probably be a better description.
I think of a patio as cement and level with the ground and I think of a porch as raised up. The dictionary defines it as an outdoor space for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is often paved. Hmm, I was right. :-) ..Or, a roofless inner courtyard, typically found in Spanish style dwellings.
A courtyard yard is an open space surrounded by walls or buildings. That one's easy.
If you are a Southerner, then you may refer to your front porch as a "stoop" . Why? I don't know. But hey folks, I looked it up. Here it is....a small raised platform, approached by steps and sometimes having a roof and seats, at the entrance of a house; a small porch. Hey, I learned something. It actually is a word. The origin is American around 1670.
Back to verandah. ...which is the way I tend to spell it. The dictionary says it can be spelled veranda as well. It is used, it says, chiefly South Midland and Southern US and is a large open porch that is usually roofed and partly enclosed by a railing and often times extends across the front and sides of the house. The origin is Hindi around 1705-1715.
Then, there is piazza, which is a very interesting word with several variations of meanings. ....A public square in an Italian town. ...A public square with rooms for pedestrians. ...A roofed and arcaded passageway. ...A large porch on a house. I think of the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy. It's the famous square in Venice you see a lot.
There is also Gallery which is probably a less used term. I think of a gallery as being on the front or rear of a house that gives the appearance of having been a porch at one time and now closed in and usually with lots of windows. In dictionary terms, it is a porch along the outside of a building and sometimes partly enclosed. Gallery is also a roofed promenade along the wall of a building and supported by arches or columns on the outer side. Also defined as a long enclosed passage. This word has the most variation of meanings as you can imagine.
And lastly deck, which is well.....a deck. ..made of wood. A deck is a deck. No ifs ands or buts. That one's easy, aye.
Being knowledgeable about architectural terms will help you to paint an accurate picture when describing a house. I saw a Southwest Home described as Mediterranean in the MLS. Yikes. Big difference. I think I will do some follow up blogs on architectural terminology.
So, here you have porch, patio, stoop, verandah, lanai, deck, courtyard, piazza, and gallery. Who knew? ....you could have so much fun with words.
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