How To Create an Engaging Front Porch
You may remember days of sitting on a loved one's porch and waving "Hi" to the neighbors or rocking on your porch while sipping tea. Your porch may be the place of some of your home's most pleasant moments. That is because porches play an important role in enjoying a home and are a key to a home's appeal.
Here's how to create an inviting look with our best porch decorating ideas.
Will a porch really add to my outdoor space?
A porch is one of a home's most common and popular design structures. It is described as a covered area attached to and projecting from the front of a house with three open sides. A porch protects the front entrance from the weather and serves as the transition between a home's inside and outside. Generally, porches extend only from the front, but those that wrap around the sides are called verandas.
Porches are part of the home's design and structure. As a result, they share some of the property's characteristics, like flooring, paint color, or other elements inside the house, thus adding to your home decor.
Having a porch:
- Improves home aesthetics;
- Keeps you and guests drier upon exiting/entering
- Provides an extra socializing area
- Increases natural light
Not surprisingly, a successful porch design is known to increase home value. According to reports, adding a porch will provide nearly an 85% return on investment on average. Therefore, if you do not have a porch, consider adding one for your enjoyment and financial gain at the sale.
Beautiful porches improve curb appeal. Therefore, whether you have a porch already or decide to add one, it is in a home's best interest to create the most inviting porch possible.
How do you create an inviting porch?
Elements that create the best porch makeover include;
The walls - Ensure that the exterior walls are clean and free of any spiderwebs, grime, or mildew. If the walls are dirty, clean them with a pressure washer. Furthermore, if the exterior of your porch has chipped or faded paint, repaint it.
The floors - Clean and repair any dirty or broken flooring. Also, do not forget the outdoor rug; faded doormats make a porch unappealing. So, get a new one, and pro tip: invest in an extra-wide outdoor rug (to fill up a spacious porch area). It will be worth the additional money.
The seating - Outdoor furniture can instantly increase a porch's comfort level. Add a few chairs and a side table if you have enough room. Also, it's easy to add a bright color scheme to the porch seating with a throw pillow or two. Closely inspect the chairs and sofas. If they appear old or uncomfortable, replace them. Consider adding a porch swing for something a little extra!
The plants - Plants add life and color to your porch design. But here's an idea: since potted plants can be hard to keep fresh or alive all year, consider purchasing realistic-looking faux plants. Faux plants stay green all year long and stay alive forever. A hanging plant from the porch ceiling is a great option!
Consider getting a large artificial planter for a lower price than a real one. For a small front porch, consider putting the planter box in front of the porch to make room for any outdoor furniture or greenery.
Homes with modern porch decor add so much to the atmosphere. So keeping yours in great shape with these front porch ideas and DIY projects helps keep your home appealing and welcoming to all.