A truly American architectural form, front porches have deep cultural roots across numerous styles and regions. A front porch provides character and a public face to the street, a place to greet and gather and a place of shelter and shade.
Over the last few decades, front porches appear to have come in two types: Real or Simulated. The value created by a real porch is much more than a token nod to an imagined use or applied architectural style, so designers and builders should put as much attention into the porch as they do toward a working kitchen or functioning bath.
Porches should always be designed to relate to the architectural tradition or style of the home. Beyond appropriate style and details, a real porch provides protection from sun or rain and sufficient space for circulation, greeting, and entertaining guests with chairs, benches, tables, swings, etc. The iconic American front porch also serves as the transition between public space and the home’s private space beyond the front door.
