Backyard patios and decks are nice, but there’s something to be said for a big front porch. They’ve been gracing the facade of American houses for centuries, serving as welcoming entries to homes ranging from stately mansions to rustic cabins. But porches are meant to be more than just a place for greeting guest; they're a place of shade and shelter, where grandpa widdled wood, jug bands played, and family photos where taken. The front porch is a place for sipping iced-tea, waiting-out a summer shower, and watching fireflies, a place for having warm conversations, a place to watch the world go by, a place for living life.
In recent years however, porches have become a diminishing part of modern architecture. They have been downsized and demoted. Often much too small for comfortable social use, the porch has been relegated to nothing more than an esthetic visual element, if they exist at all Determined not to let this happen on our home, we tried to design our porch with the style and scale reminiscent of those built years ago. So when the weather warms, I hope to see our family, friends, and visitors stop by to sit a spell on our front porch.