How To Make The Most Of Your Front Porch

Front porch were perceived to be popular hangouts in the 1980’s and they seem to be making a powerful comeback after being completely overlooked and neglected for so long. In the last few years, people would just hang a few plants; keep the porch painted so that they looked welcoming to the guests. It fulfilled the purpose of enhancing their overall space and inviting people to a warm and beautiful home. The benches that were still decorating the porch went completely unused.

The neglection of the front porches can be assigned to several factors such as the modern living conveniences which drove the owners indoors. With the emergence of air conditioners, media sets as well as backyard decks, the porch only functioned as a ‘beautifying’ accessory where outsiders/neighbours enjoyed its quaint beauty way more than the homeowners. However, they are now being revived and restored as a functional outdoor living area.

According to an article, “Experts estimate more than 60 percent of today’s new single-family homes are built with what The Wall Street Journal is calling ‘the friendliest place in a house’– the porch. Only 42 percent of homes had a porch in the floor plan 20 years ago.”

The porches have been designed to provide a way from the outdoor world to the inner sanctuary. They are built as a functional accessory to the house that is used for rest, relaxation and spending quality time with oneself/family/friends. The porches create a very de-stressed atmosphere as one gets to unwind at the end of a long day or make a fresh start with a cup of morning coffee. It is also space where one connects with the neighbours making the social surrounding feel warmer and friendlier.

Porches can be used in many different ways. When following these tips, it’s important to choose options that are specific to your needs.

First things first – create a spacious front porch:

Your porch doesn’t need to be as large as your indoor rooms, however, you must leave enough space for circulation. The benefit of having a large porch is that you can put out furniture for your whole family. It just becomes an expansion to your house – with some more space to build a new living room.

If you prefer small porches, that’s absolutely fine as well. You can add a small sofa or a rocking chair which can be used at the end of a long day to unwind with a book or a cup of tea.

Add that additional/functional comfort:

The furniture is a significant embellishment to the porch that can be built by BluEnt’s professional millworkers. You must ensure that they are functional and provide a layer of uses. Using a mix of solo and family seating options will serve various purposes. Ensure that all the seaters are comfortable and durable making it more alluring for you and your guests to sit and relax. Space can be then used to dine, socialize or even as a hideout to destress and relax. Adding pillows on the sweaters will give you that much-needed comfort.

A porch swing can be a quintessential addition – looking at one or swinging on it induces relaxation and daydreaming. Having one with proper support can be a great accessory to your porch.

Put creation of a garden area on your to-do list:

A front porch is an outdoor area and hence should reflect so – making it relaxing and fragrant. You could use the space to place vases of flowers, plants or even decorative trees – surrounding the porch. Plants and flowers will add to the charm of the space. While unwinding or before starting your day, you could sit with your cup of tea and admire the blooms.

Having a low-maintenance garden will keep the mould from growing and will make it easier for you to clean the porch deck. The way you can do this is by growing fresh herbs in hanging pots or planters on the railing.

Enhance the feel of the space with an outdoor sound system:

Music is key to creating a very relaxed, comfortable or a jovial environment – basically, it has the ability to set the ‘right’ mood. If you love music or you are a routine entertainer then you should definitely consider the sound system for the porch. It will make your social gatherings more comfortable and help in avoiding the awkward silences between people. Don’t forget though – it is crucial to incorporate this early in the design process.

However, it is always good to switch off the media sets and enjoy the outdoorsy nature – it will help you de-stress and wind down as and when you need to.

Enliven up the walkway to create a warm welcoming effect:

Spicing up the front porch with lightings such as pathway lightings or tea light lamps can give the space a warmer appeal. You can even add candles or long strands of twinkle lights. As they say, there can never be enough of mood lightings. However, to create a warmer effect you must use a softer form of lightings.

Enlivening the walkway can excite your guests and completely change the feel of the porch. You can even use a subtle décor for your entry door by adding door-hangings or monogram using vintage letters made of metal or wood. This will help you set your house apart from the neighbours.

Make a porch that is seasonally inspired:

Creating a porch which you can be used throughout the year and as per your need will make the hangout more functionally useful. Having a covered porch will enable you to sit around during blazingly hot days to light rain shower evenings. It will give you an option to add ceiling fans, drapes or overhangs.  A great advantage of having fans or drapes is that they can act as simple mosquito repellant solutions.

You can think about having bonfire pits that could keep you warm during winters. You could have it on the side or as an extension of your porch.

BluEntCAD, a professional millworker can help create the most tasteful and functional outdoor living area for you, your family and your visitors to enjoy. Connect with us to tap into more ideas, create custom millwork drawings and build an artistically pleasing and useful front porch.

Maximum Value. Achieved.