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Front Porch Ideas

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FRONT PORCH IDEAS

The front porch is the first thing that you bump into before getting into the house. Therefore, the front porch should have a good style, from the general design, painting, decorative furniture to the way it complements the surrounding landscape. I mean, who would resist walking into such an incredible front house view. 

When we get into the summer season, we feel the need to have a good front porch because we will probably spend most of our evenings on the front porch throughout the summer season. A front porch is a great place to relax and enjoy the sunset as you have a drink or read your favorite book. (McLeod, 2017)

Are you thinking of redesigning or newly designing a front porch for your house? Well, you will need an expert for that. At Smart Remodeling LLC, we have experienced and licensed experts that give your front porch a remarkable transformation. The best thing is that you don't have to worry about getting front porch design ideas because you will get them right here. 

Types of Front Porches

Porches are different from patios in terms of design and decorative styles. Therefore consider that before building a porch. Here are a few types you can incorporate into your house. (Taylor, 2020)

Front Porch Designs

There are different types of homes where different front porch designs suit different home types. Here are front porch ideas for different home types.

Ranch homes 

Ranch homes are large homes that cover a big area. Therefore the idea of having a double entryway for such homes is a great move. Both entryways should lead to a sitting area. Such a front porch should have simple colors to make the design simple. 

A ranch homeowner can also incorporate a front porch with a long-grained structure. In this case, there are wooden boards with perpendicular lines that draw all eyes' attention entering the ranch home. You can also incorporate a brick sliding in the entryway to the front porch. A built-in grill will also blend in well with wooden hues on a front porch. (McLeod, 2017)

ProTip Takeaway: Ranch homes are usually long and large. Therefore consider the whole area when designing a front porch. It is not good to incorporate a front porch on one side and leave the other side plain. Create a porch to cover the whole front area of the ranch house.

Small houses

A small house might not have a big space for a big front porch. However, a front porch does not need to be big to have an appealing look. You can work with the space you have, depending on the house type. For a small house, an open front porch will be the best. 

You can add a few seating furniture and plant decor for the porch. A porch with an old school entry will also incorporate well in a small house. The entryway to the porch should complement the overall design and look of the house from painting to decorative features. (McLeod, 2017)

ProTip Takeaway: A front porch for a small house should give you welcoming comfort. It should not contain too much, but the design should balance perfectly with the size and structure of the house. 

Classical homes

If you intend to have a front porch in a home with a classical style, the porch can be small or large. Whatever size fascinates you the most will blend in well with the home design. With such homes, you will have one central entryway to the front porch. The front porch should be in two-part for the two sides from the central entryway. Each side should cover the same number of the house's windows. 

For the furniture, use the teak type to provide a gorgeous view of the whole front porch. A front porch for a classical home should have elements that coordinate with the entire house's elements. (The House Designers, n.d.)

ProTip Takeaway: Do not forget the landscaping that leads to the front porch. Trim the lawn and use plant decors with beautiful plant containers to compliment the view of your front porch. 

Farmhouse homes

Do you have a big farmhouse? Then a wraparound front porch design will work perfectly for you. Why wraparound and not any other porch type? Well, a farmhouse is usually a big house. To ensure that you cover the whole front area with a front porch, you need to use the wraparound technique. 

The landscaping and the entryway should have a design that coordinates well with the front porch design. You can use flagstones or bricks in the walkway leading to the entry of the front porch. Add some seats on the front porch. The furniture you use should be attractive too. A rocking chair will be perfect in that case. 

ProTip Takeaway: A wraparound front porch for a farmhouse will look great if you add some features like windows and shingles on the porch. In that case, you will have a front porch cover of your choice; a metal cover will blend in well. 

Colonial homes 

When we talk about colonial homes, the picture in some people's minds is an old home. Well, a colonial home does not look necessarily old. However, a colonial home includes a big house. Mostly such houses have two floors. Therefore there are a few windows involved on each side of the entryway. 

Though a colonial house is big, the front porch for such a home should be small. Mostly, each side of the entryway to a colonial house is covered with plant or flower beds. Therefore the porch will only cover the area of the entryway. There is no need to add too much furniture in such front porches because of the limited space. However, the few pieces of furniture you use should be classic and stylish. (The House Designers, n.d.)

ProTip Takeaway: The pathway that leads to the porch of a colonial house is the center of every eye and should have an appealing style.

Contemporary homes 

Contemporary houses have unique shapes and architectural designs. That implies that the front porch for different contemporary homes will be different. Each contemporary house front porch will have a unique style. Go for a sleek and simple design if you intend to have a front porch for your contemporary house. 

The decorative features and furniture you use in the front porch of a contemporary home need to be bold to complement the porch's unique style and the house in general. The front porch components need to capture people's eyes, and they should be able to identify and complement the unique design of the house even before entering the contemporary house. 

Victorian homes

A Victorian home should have a large front porch. Victorian homes can have more than one veranda. On the front porch of such homes, use colorful paintings with bold colors. Include some seats on the front porch. The seats should be of different designs and attractive. 

 

Front Porch Cover Ideas

Just like any other outdoor space, a front porch will look great with a cover. A front porch cover is important because you can relax on the front porch even when it's raining. A cover also gives a front porch a classy and unique appearance.  There are different ideas you can use for your front porch cover. (Webber, 2020)

Shade cloth is a fabric that you attach at the top of a front porch to provide shade. Anchor the cloth or sail at all the edges around the front porch; you can install poles to serve as anchors for the sailor the cloth shade.

Most homeowners use the galvanized panel as metal covers for their front porch. The good thing about metal covers is that you can paint the cover to rhyme the painting color of the entire house. 

A translucent cover is made from plastic material. Using a translucent cover for your front porch is great because the cover is capable of allowing just enough sunlight to the porch. Therefore you don't have to deal with a grey and dull front porch area.

A palapa is a cover made of thatch. Palapa covers provide the most fantastic shade for your front porch. 

ProTip Takeaway: Ensure that the front porch cover style coordinate or is suitable for your house's architectural design. 

Front Porch Addition Cost

Average cost: $12,000 to $30,000

Project

Cost

Railing

$400 - $1,200

Posts

$105 - $2,300

Foundation

$1,000 - $3,000

Permits

$100 - $500

Roofing

$2,800 - $4,400

Flooring

$5,500 - $10,000
Are you Ready for Your Porch Remodeling!

Select one front porch design may not be easy because different front porches work for different house types. However, that does not mean that you can’t choose one design and incorporate it with your house design to look elegant. If you are having trouble deciding which front porch style is ideal for your house, reach Smart Remodeling LLC at 832-800-8889 to get help from our experts.