Front porch is a hot commodity with new homeowners

For many homeowners, the porch is less of a design feature than it is a way of life.

"I live on my screened porch. I built it as a present to myself for my 50th birthday and it is the best present ever," says Atlanta realtor, Bill Golden. "Some days I work from the porch, and most weekend parties end with guests relaxing on the porch."

Golden is not the only homeowner who's rediscovering the simple pleasure of passing time on the front porch. After falling out of fashion for a few decades, the front porch is back in a big way, both figuratively and literally. Front porches made the Top 12 list of most popular new-home amenities in 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders. And for the most part, "The new front porches are being built wide enough to accommodate plenty of furnishings, sometimes combining comfy indoor-style furniture with more traditional porch swings and rocking chairs," Golden says.

Cultural changes and technological advances after World War II led to the front porch's decline, but porches had been common as far back as colonial times and by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, "they had become a distinctive and almost universal feature" of American homes, says Dallas-based architectural historian, Virginia Savage McAlester.

The front porch, then, is an American icon. It also is the first impression guests have of your home. So while you and your neighbors may be spending more time on your porches, "take care that yours doesn't look too lived in," Golden says. "This is not your mudroom."

It is your designated space to kick back and relax, however, so you owe it to yourself to create a space that offers both comfort and curb appeal.

1. Consider the context

If you're considering a porch addition like Golden's, take a look around you. Does a porch make sense in the neighborhood? "If all the houses have big setbacks and big lots, yours may be the only porch and you'll have no one to wave to or interact with," says Brian Hoffman, an executive at Red Seal Homes, based in Northbrook.

Also consider your home's architecture and interior design. The porch is, after all, a transitional space and you want it to tie-in. "Especially for me as a Realtor, I knew I wanted the screened porch to match the style of the house," says Golden, adding that this helps ensure "the next owner will want to keep it rather than tear it off the house."

Golden's porch also reflects his home interior's neutral color scheme. "It's easy to change out candles and throw pillows to add color or change up the look, but it's more timeless and seamless to keep the major pieces neutral and in-step with the style of the house and its indoor furnishings," he says.

2. Stepping out in style

Larger porches are "rooms" in their own right that you happen to go outdoors to access. Homeowners are decorating them accordingly, "investing time, thought and money to give their porches a particular style," Golden says.

By and large, homeowners seem to be embracing the traditional look and feel of Colonial, Southern and coastal porches, where rocking chairs, swings and wicker and wrought iron pieces set the stage for lazy summer evenings sipping sweet tea or perhaps something spiked and garnished with mint. Traditional porches tend to be symmetrical with matching pairs of things, such as urns on each side of the steps or a pair of hanging ferns spaced just so. The overall appearance is somewhat formal and restrained, and the predominant color is white, with bright accent colors.

"White ceiling, white railings, white wicker - it just really works," says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

On nontraditional porches, a more rustic look tends to prevail, complete with mismatched wooden or vintage furniture, and flea market finds such as old crocks and rusty farm implements.

3. "Haint" and other paint

Historically, the most quintessential feature of a covered Southern porch has been a particular shade of blue on the ceiling called "haint blue" that is said to chase away evil spirits and insects alike. Haint blue's validity as a repellent notwithstanding, the use of blue for porch ceilings has moved north and expanded to include a fuller range of blues, from aqua and teal to cobalt and cornflower, though sky blue still predominates.

"It looks great and feels like you're sitting beneath the sky," says Sara McLean, color expert at Dunn-Edwards Paint.

Other options for the ceiling are a "darker shade of the (house) body color to add depth and continuity, or the same color as the front door," McLean says.

Underfoot, the porch floor "is often neglected but it has so much potential," Jordan says. "It doesn't have to be a solid color. You could do a stencil pattern."

Likewise, if the front steps are wooden, you can paint each riser a different color or alternating colors for visual appeal.

4. Creature comforts

Golden wanted his porch to be as accommodating as an indoor room, so he furnished it with an upholstered sectional sofa and ottoman, and is still hunting for the perfect little table for intimate dining and morning coffee.

Aside from ample and gracious furniture, Golden counts a ceiling fan as a must for outdoor living. And then there are the nice-to-haves, including his "cocktail ledge" that runs all the way around the inside of the porch a bit below waist level. "It's great for candles, reading glasses and, yes, a cup of coffee or glass of wine," he says.

With all the basics in place, you can add fun, functional elements such as a bar cart, chandelier or swinging daybed in place of a swing.

5. Curb appeal

What will the neighbors and passers-by think? It's a question you must consider if you have a porch. Some ways to improve the look of your porch for not a lot of money include simply replacing worn doormats and rugs, and upgrading the decorative house numbers "so they stand out against your home exterior and ensure houseguests can easily locate your home," says Jonathan Begg, product marketing manager at National Hardware.

For the enjoyment of all who live in, visit or simply pass by your home, add seasonal touches such as pumpkins and gourds on the steps in autumn, evergreen garlands along the railings in winter and container gardens and birdfeeders in spring and summer.