7 Ideas to Get You Back on the Front Porch

The front porch has evolved along with the quickening pace of everyday life. Porches were originally designed to create a more tolerable living space — a place for rest, relaxation and cooling breezes. Their decline can be attributed to many things: air conditioning, cars, radios, televisions, backyard decks. But despite modern conveniences, we can still revive the front porch, restoring and enjoying its quaint beauty.

Using this space not only can improve the look of our house, but can better the quality of our lives as we spend more time with family, friends and neighbors. Here are some ways to use the porch as it was originally intended.

The front porch is just another limb of the house. It's important to remember that it can be used many different ways, and its use should be specific to your needs.


A covered front porch will help create a comfortable space — a ceiling height of 8 to 9 feet tends to feel best. Allow for ample overhangs, especially at the entrance to the front porch. This will help provide maximum shade in the summertime while still allowing you to see out.

Use your front porch to sit down and relax — the covered shape can provide a great deal of shade. Turn off the air conditioning in your home and relax with the family or your favorite book. Not only will you get quality time for yourself, but you'll conserve electricity.


Keep the porch raised up off the ground. This will help to create a sense of security and allow you to look out over the neighborhood. But keep in mind that if a front porch is raised up 30 inches or more from the ground, code requires a 36-inch-high guardrail for safety.

A high perch can help you watch over the neighborhood, and a safe neighborhood is a happy and comfortable neighborhood. You've probably heard of Neighborhood Watch programs — a front porch allows you to be an active member. Parents know more than anyone how important it is to have a safe place for raising kids. Just by sitting on the porch you can help deter crime and unwanted activity.


Create an inviting walkway to the front door. This will excite your visitors and give your home great curb appeal. Consider using pathway lights for when you get home after dark. Lighting is one of those features many people think about at the end, but it should be an early design decision, since it dramatically changes the feel of a porch.

It's easy to just pull into the garage after work and walk straight inside. Start walking through the front door when you get home instead. Not only will you get a little more exercise, but you'll get to see your front yard, too. It will give you the chance to see all the things you've been missing, like that small piece of trash that blew into the bush a month ago.


The typical family room is about 15 by 15 feet. While your front porch doesn't need to be that large, it's important to have enough room for circulation around the furniture you plan to use there.

The best way to make sure you use the porch is to turn it into an outdoor room. If you have a large porch, it's easy to put out enough furniture that whole family can use. This is a great way to expand the house and create a new living room.


I like to have a minimum of 8 feet of depth on the front porch. This allows for a chair and a circulation path to the sitting area. Keeping the door to one side of the sitting area will prevent a division of spaces, allowing you to fully utilize your front porch.

Even if you think your porch is too small, odds are that it can still suit you and some company just fine. Add a small rocking chair or sofa to a tiny porch for a perfect spot where you can read a book or drink a cup of coffee in the morning.


If the sounds of music help you relax, then consider an outdoor sound system for your front porch. Again, it is important to consider this option early in the design process. Much like lighting, a sound system can greatly change the feel of a porch.

Turn off the TV and your iPod for a bit to enjoy the sounds of nature. Unplugging from life for a little while and basking in the outdoors helps us slow down every now and then.


Start a garden on your porch. A low-maintenance composite decking will help keep mold from growing under your pots and will be easier to clean than wood decking.

You can start seedlings in the spring and grow fresh herbs right on your porch — whether in flowerpots, hanging baskets or planters on the railing. This creates an inviting, relaxing space and will help to keep the porch cool and fragrant in summer.

See more about living the porch life

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