A covered front porch is considered a major asset to a home – one that many buyers would be willing to pay more for. The indoor/outdoor and public/private qualities that a front porch provides can add to the overall enjoyment of a home.
The detailing of a porch can also greatly impact the look of a home’s exterior. The combination of the porch’s roof-line, rails, and columns are of great importance; And determining the right proportions and styles of each of these elements can be tricky, especially if you are starting from scratch.
If you have an older home that has since lost it’s porch, you may simply need to see some historical photographs of similar homes to get a good grasp of what the proper detailing should look like. You can also take cues from these historic examples if you are designing a new home – but you may have more leeway on what might be deemed appropriate. You may need to play with a few different ideas before you land on the styling you prefer.
VISUAL EXAMPLES OF FRONT PORCH DESIGN
I will use the porch of our home, Arrow Hill Cottage, as an example of how a front porch can greatly impact the look of a home’s exterior.
Obviously, I have been going more for a ‘cottage’ look while designing the exterior – But the truth of the matter is that our home is basically a simple rectangular shape. It’s the porch that helps it come to life.
Because our porch is only 14″ off of grade, we will not be required to install a railing around it. Instead we will incorporate a large planter box to help define the space. I can’t wait for my husband to build it for me (wink, wink). The columns are doubled up and positioned on stone bases that match the height of the window sill.
I would like to show you some other examples of what the house might look like with different porch detailing. First, lets take a look at this same house WITHOUT it’s porch.
THAT’S A VISUAL SHOCK!
Insert all of the sad emoji’s here. Can you see how much character was lost with the elimination of the porch? The entire facade looks flat and uninviting. The entryway is not defined and the windows seem to have little balance. I think it’s clear that this house needs it’s porch!
The use of thinner columns and the elimination of the stone bases would have created a look that has a bit more of a Colonial styling. This set up might have looked more appropriate with a railing. For us, it wasn’t the right fit.
A thicker column profile atop brick bases might have given the house more of a Craftsman/Bungalow look. I personally love craftsman detailing; But I felt that with the steep pitch of the roof, they wouldn’t complement the house correctly either.
Color can also play a role. Stained brown columns may have given the house more of a Modern Farmhouse vibe. Lovely, but not what we were going for.
All of these options are unique and none would be considered ‘wrong’ in this situation. Our choice came down to a matter of a styling preference.
If you have a home that could benefit from a front porch, but aren’t sure what it might look like – please contact me about doing a MAKEOVER TAKEOVER for you! I would be happy to offer up some options that could really make your house shine!
