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Porch ideas for houses


50 Front Porch Ideas to Elevate Your Home’s Curb Appeal

For a house that needs a refresh, implementing front porch ideas is a smart way to add curb appeal without spending like crazy. Still, designing a front porch is not a task to take lightly. If home is where the heart is, then the front porch is where the soul resides. Each front porch is not only unique to your house, but it’s unique to your style. “This is a place where you can express yourself and your creativity,” says Jennifer Hunter, owner of Jennifer Hunter Design in New York. “No matter the type, a porch provides the ideal opportunity to add seating and decor so you can play with the aesthetic and blend it in a way that connects your interior with the outdoors by using weather-friendly materials.” Before you dive into designing, consider the type of porch you have. Is it front entry or wrap around? Does it offer space for ample seating? Should you add greenery or a sculptural element, or even a new doormat?

What are the different types of front porches? 

Some of the most popular styles of front porches include open porches and bungalow porches. Open porches, also known as farmer’s porches, have strong support from the ground and can run along the front or wrap around the sides of the house. This type of porch can be elevated or rest close to the ground. “They often have a broad opening to the attached green space and usually don’t have roofs,” says Linda Mauck Smith, co-owner and designer of BLDC Design in Shaker Heights, Ohio. “A bungalow porch acts as an extension to the front of a house and typically is built with columns and are finished with a roof or a pergola.” Both open and bungalow porches can also be screened, to make the area bug-free. A portico, a porch that covers a front entry, is usually on the smaller side. It’s also roofed to protect anyone entering or leaving the main entry. A gable roof porch, which has a triangular structure overhanging it, and a front entry porch, which is a small slab of concrete directly outside the front door, are two other popular front porch designs.

How do you style a front patio? 

Style a front porch just as you would any other room in the house, but consider the materials used—much like you would when designing an outdoor patio. ”It’s best to style with wood, metals, and fabrics that are waterproof and fade-resistant,” Mauck Smith says.

If your front porch or patio has enough room, seating is essential. “A front porch is the perfect place for socializing,” Hunter says. “It is a space that is meant to be savored. Create a seating area with chairs and side tables.” A comfortable seating area will not only allow you to spend time on your front porch, but it makes the home appear more inviting overall.

How can I make my front porch look good?

“Avoid clichéd signage and stick with [items] that you might normally be more likely to use indoors,” Hunter says. To make the front porch look good, and perhaps the envy of the neighborhood, make the space a continuation of your interior design. “It’s a great space to have some fun and add outdoor-friendly accessories,” Hunter continues. “Be inventive with your styling by grouping a collection of potted plants on a coffee table or a single fern on a garden stool.   Lanterns or hurricanes are a great way to not only bring in decorative elements but also candlelight. This completely transforms the mood and allows you to entertain past daylight.”

Ahead, 50 front porch ideas—big and small—to transform the home entrance into anything from a favorite new book nook to a happy hour hotspot. Here, everything you ever wanted to know about front porch design.

60 Warm and Welcoming Front Porch Ideas

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto 

Your front porch is your home's best chance to make a good first impression. No matter how big or small it might be, whether it is showy or unassuming, and regardless of the style of architecture, your front porch deserves as much attention to design and decor as your interior space.

A front porch can function as nothing more than a pass-through space or double as a second outdoor living room. It can create a convenient landing space for comings and goings, or simply sit there looking pretty, inviting passersby to wonder what else you have going on inside.

Whether you are looking to enhance your home's curb appeal, create a welcoming portal for both you and your guests, or make life a little more pleasant for all of those hard-working delivery people who visit your doorstep every day, check out these front porches in a range of layouts and sizes that don't skimp on style for some clever ideas on how to beautify your own outdoor space.

How to decorate the porch of a private house

The porch is an obligatory element of the entrance part of the building and its “visiting card”. The desire to decorate your own home, taking into account fashion trends and personal taste preferences, is inherent in almost everyone. The design of the porch of a private house should emphasize the integrity of the entire structure and make it more attractive. There are many options for decorating the entrance part of the building, so we suggest that you consider the most popular and interesting of them. nine0005

Wooden porch

The most popular option is the installation of wooden decking on the porch. In most cases, such structures are made from pine wood, as the most inexpensive and popular natural raw material. If the porch is properly sealed, varnished and painted, it will look attractive for many years.

This is an up-to-date way of decorating a country-style façade. This design can be supplemented with wood-based porch decor, which will bring the atmosphere of a country cottage. Wood can be supplemented with stone, which is relevant not only for country style. In suburban private buildings, these two materials look quite harmonious together and are suitable for finishing scaffolds, doors and use as a decor. nine0005

Concrete porch

Concrete is considered a versatile material that is inexpensive and reliable, and is also optimal for making a porch. This is a monolithic structure that will not begin to stagger over time, which is sometimes inherent in wooden products. In addition, it can be easily repaired and decorated with any decor. Do not forget that the concrete porch can be of various shapes, which will not particularly affect the price and the amount of time to complete the task. nine0005

Concrete structures can be decorated with tiles, such as clinker tiles. There are options trimmed with stone, and also painted with paint, and processed with other materials. In modern buildings with a facade of wood, brick or siding, a concrete porch can be left without additional coverage. This allows you to emphasize the features of the texture of the walls and their colors.

Brick porch

A brick porch is a more expensive option than the previous ones, but it also looks attractive and is considered a fairly reliable solution for decorating a house. Installation of the structure may take more time and require serious effort, but in the future the work will pay off with a vengeance, since it does not require additional care. nine0005

Often, a brick porch has a concrete base or a step covering based on other materials. There are options with laying tiles on the steps. It looks at home, inspires confidence and adds reliability to the building. But be careful, as any step covering you choose should not be slippery, otherwise this area will become potentially dangerous in the cold season due to snow and ice.

Stone porch

Natural stone is considered a classic option. Such raw materials are durable, presentable and durable, which is especially important. There are many varieties of stone, with some suitable for the base, and a number of others for creating decorative elements (and the raw materials for making the base will cost much more). Although, in general, all types of stone are able to withstand adverse weather conditions, and it will not require additional maintenance for a long time. nine0005

If the building is made of stone, then you can fit a porch with columns into the overall structure. Natural stone can be combined with monumental elements. Such a composition will look harmonious.

Metal and wrought iron porch

Usually, when talking about a forged or metal porch, they mean decorative parts of the structure - canopies, railings, steps, which are made on the basis of metal. But sometimes a completely metal porch is installed in a private house. nine0005

The main advantage that such designs have is increased strength and durability. However, you will have to constantly paint and treat the porch so that it does not deteriorate due to corrosion. Moreover, the metal floor will be cold enough, so it is not suitable for arranging a terrace. The latter option requires a concrete base or wood flooring on a metal base.

Porch with canopy

In most cases, canopies continue the roof and, together with the porch, perform an important function of protection from the effects of precipitation and solar radiation. This is a great option for arranging a comfortable entrance to the building. nine0005

If the building has architectural features that would not allow a canopy over the main entrance, even a small one, replace it with a canopy. Such a detail will not only partially perform the functions of a canopy, but will also be able to diversify the appearance of the building, and if you choose the product correctly or make it in an original way, it will become a real decoration of the exterior.

Even a small canopy can make the entrance to a private house more presentable. The shade from it can protect from the sun, as well as save from streams of water during rain, if you open the doors or wait for the car. nine0005

Porch with steps and railings

If the house has a high foundation and you can install steps that will lead to the main entrance, the installation of railings will be relevant. This design will make the exterior of the building appear safer and more stable, and will also serve a very specific function and help residents and visitors enter the house in bad weather.

This is the traditional design of the entrance to the building. It can be combined with a canopy or canopy, as well as additionally decorated with various designs to make the composition look complete. nine0005

Terraced porch

If the area in front of the front door allows you to organize a place to relax, then you can equip an open or closed terrace. There may be a swing for children on it, or it will simply be a place for a comfortable stay near the house, and an opportunity to protect yourself from bad weather conditions.

Spacious terraces can be equipped with garden furniture for comfortable relaxation, pots with plants, and as a result get an attractive appearance of the building and a cozy atmosphere. Install pendant lights or place outdoor wall lights nearby. They will be able to illuminate the approach to the porch, for example, the paths leading to the building. nine0005

If the building has a high foundation, it is necessary to form a porch using steps. As a result, a terrace with a seating area will be at a certain elevation, when compared with ground level. Frame steps and flooring with stone or concrete, treated wood, or brick to provide protection from moisture or insects.

Glazed terrace is a must for those who live in cold climates. Compared to other options, this one is much more difficult to design. But it is this type of porch that can be considered the most functional. nine0005

When designing the design, you can choose different materials or options for arranging the entrance to the house. However, when choosing a design, remember that the porch is an important architectural element, so it should match the architectural style of the house.

House porch design - 55 photos of amazing porch design ideas in a private house

A modern country house must have a small porch. After all, before you get inside the house, you will definitely have to walk along the porch. Any porch is a separate decorative element that gives the building an unusual and unique look. nine0005

The design of the porch has many different features, while the porch has a different design and structure.

So an ordinary porch can look like a small staircase with only a few steps, as a rule, they are installed directly in front of the entrance to the house. However, there are options when the porch is girdled around the veranda, or girded around the terrace.

Therefore, the design of the porch of a private house depends entirely on the style of the building itself. nine0005

The style of a beautiful outdoor staircase

For different types of houses, different types of materials are used in the design of the porch. For example: a modern house of a prestigious and elite class with a porch, modern materials are used in its design, such as glass, plastic, sometimes stainless steel or metal with a high chromium content is used.

But for the porch of an ordinary classic country house, you can use ordinary tiles as a decor, while malleable metal elements can be used as an addition. Well, country-style houses have a large number of different decorative elements made of wood, for example, various wooden columns with decorative carvings. nine0005

At the same time, for a longer preservation of the natural color and for a long service life, it is recommended to treat all wooden decorative elements with an oil composition for wood.

Original design ideas

So when creating an unusual porch of an ordinary and simple house, you can combine different materials for a unique unique design of the porch. Wood and natural stone can be called a good and simple combination, these natural materials will make the porch very beautiful and unique. nine0005

Concrete can also be used. The main feature in the design of the porch is the embodiment of design ideas or imagination.

How to decorate an outdoor staircase. Porch decoration

One of the main components of the porch is the staircase, and it can have a different design. For example, if the porch has a concrete base, then it is mainly lined with ceramic tiles or natural stone of natural or natural origin. nine0005

Decorative design with such materials is ideal for a brick building.

But the porch of a country house made of wood can have a large selection of decorative designs. But, many owners of such houses are trying to emphasize the importance of the material from which the porch is made. For this, the wooden porch is treated with a special oil composition.

In some cases, as a decoration for wood, it can be fired and then treated with light wood varnish. nine0005

Also quite common is a porch with metal stairs. Of course, this option has an aesthetic and beautiful appearance.

However, there are small nuances: firstly, the stairs of such a porch should not have a high location, and should not be very steep, besides, in winter, the metal becomes slippery under the influence of low temperatures.

How to build a beautiful original staircase. Railing design

The second decorative element of any porch is the railing. Therefore, the design of the railing is of no small importance, because the general appearance of the porch itself depends on it. So the most common design of the porch is the use of vertical balusters with horizontal crossbars having an unusual shape.

All railings have handrails made of wood or plastic. So, when decorating the porch of a cobbled or ordinary village house made of wood, it is necessary to use wooden handrails, but it is recommended to use plastic handrails when decorating the porch of a modern country house made of concrete or brick. nine0005

However, a porch made of wrought iron may have a metal railing.

How to make a beautiful decoration of the canopy

The canopy over the porch is another additional decorative element of the porch, it is made of materials such as: wood, polycarbonate or profile sheet.

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