Reviving the Front Porch: The Charm and Community Spirit of Outdoor Living

We’ve been having wonderful spring weather during this month of May and I’m loving every minute of it. This time of year makes me a little nostalgic with thoughts of whiling away the hours on a front porch. Something reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting, a Garrison Keillor book, or an episode of Andy Griffith. Today I’ve got a collection of homes with a charming front porch to enjoy.

 

A wrap around porch is always a blessing to have and when it includes tropical plants and wooden shutters at the window, you can’t help but feel transported to scenic southern living.

 

You might see a mustard yellow home like this one somewhere in New England. The front porch runs the expanse of the home and enjoys a smidge of gingerbread. The picket fence and lamppost add to its magnetic charm.

 

Newer homes can enjoy a charming porch, too. It’s nice to see builders reviving the front porch in their designs. So often they’re left off the blueprint in an effort to keep costs down. But in my humble opinion, a porch is worth every penny.

 

A classic foursquare home enjoys a beautiful seating area on its porch to invite conversation while waving at passersby on a Saturday evening. You can easily envision a modern-day Aunt Bea and Opie listening to Andy Griffith strumming his guitar on this porch.

 

This home enjoys my idea of the perfect porch. It wraps around the house and is deep enough to enjoy several conversation areas. You could even add a small table for a game of cards. When a porch is well-shaded, it’s the perfect spot for cooling off on a hot summer’s day.

 

Take a trip to Cape May and you’ll be caught up in one fancy porch after another, with every color on display as you go from home to home.

 

Don’t have space for a large swing? Consider any number of single seat swings available on the market today. This makes a great spot to unwind and listen to the sounds of nature – especially when you’re feeling stressed and need a time-out from the world.

 

You can have a party on a big porch. Use furniture to create different zones on your porch. Perhaps a hammock for sleeping, a small conversation area, or a table for dining alfresco.

 

Lucky is the person who enjoys a double-decker porch on their home. I mean, can a house have too many porches? I don’t think so.

 

Even a small porch will suffice, provided it has room for a couple of chairs.

 

Steps make their way up to a porch on a new craftsman style home.

 

Big or small, a front porch adds so much curb appeal to any house.

 

Do you have a favorite from today’s collection of front porches?