Please help me redesign my front porch

12 years ago

Hi. I am redoing the outside of my home. I am replacing the red shingles with lap hardi board fiber cement siding and the brick front/steps will be replaced with stone. I have another thread going right now in regards to the color of the siding. Due to expense, I was planning on not replacing my porch columns and railings at this time. However, the posters in my other thread have convinced me that I should really just do it now.

My question is what should I do? I love the look of a column that has a square stone bottom/surround. My contractor said the column placement is too close to the edge of the porch and if I do the stone surround, the columns will end up looking like toothpicks. The other option was to build a half wall on both sides of the porch (covered in stone) and place the column on top of the half wall. I like the idea of the half wall but don't know if it will make my porch area look tiny and squat. It will, however, cut down on the cost of new railings.

The obvious option is to just replace the columns and railings but I don't always like the look of the standard builder grade column and railings. If I go for something more decorative/substantial, it will end up costing $$$. I had originally wanted to redesign the top of the porch to get a more modern shape but the price was way too much.

Any thoughts to update my porch but not break the bank? Please let me know. Thanks.

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Comments (11)

justgotabme
12 years ago
You could beef up your current columns by building box around them using cementboard, wood or even siding sheets cut to size.
{{!gwi}}
jamaraz
Original Author
12 years ago
my contractor was planning on wrapping them with the Hardi board. Is this what you meant?
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Here, I did one w/the wood posts for you so you can see Also gave your door color a similar green, but a tad darker. You can easily DIY some of the yard stuff yourselves. you can make these cement large pavers. just frame out the size you want, get a bag of concrete quick mix, and pour it into the form and let dry! try something like this in diff sizes. spread some pebbles in between or, be on the lookout for used brick that people try and sellf. pick up those (try craigslist or something) and set them yourself for a walkway. with the brick or pebble rock, make yourself a walkway to the front. border the porch like this w/flower beds, if you pour a slab for the porch area, try something like this or go simple like they've done here. buy some cheap terra cotta pots, paint them bright colors and plant flowers in them to give the porch soem color. paint the underside of your porch ceiling a Haint blue Spray paint your current porch furniture a brighter color. (or look for used ones on craigslist that you can paint or refinish. ditto rocking chairs) you have a super cute house. let the front porch shine! look for cast-offs that you can refurbish, paint, fix, whatever, and give yourself a cute porch area.
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TxMarti
12 years ago
I like the stone or brick base too, but like you, my posts are set too close to the edge. What about doubling the posts you have now?

{{!gwi}}
mclarke
12 years ago
Wow, Marti, that's a great idea. Inspired!
justgotabme
12 years ago
Yes, that's just what I meant. Here's what it could look like...

Being your current ones are close to the edge the contractor could either move them to make them fitting tight to the front and outside edges.
ellendi
12 years ago
I am not a fan of those large sculpted bushes. At the very least I would remove the large one in front of your porch.
adriennemb2
12 years ago
Me, I'd put my porch (and the rest of the house too) up on stilts to escape the lava flow sneaking up behind me, lol...
cindyloo123
12 years ago
So the front of the house will be brick but the steps will be stone? I don't think I've ever seen anyone mix the two like that. I can't wait to see finished pics, it sounds like it will be quite a transformation.

BTW Adriennemb, you have me LMAO!
jamaraz
Original Author
12 years ago
lol Adriennemb, too funny! I guess I forgot to mention on this thread that my camera phone was on a wacky setting when I snapped the picture!

Cindyloo123, I will be replacing the brick front with stone as well.

justgotabeme, I really like the way this looks. I will definitely discuss with my contractor. Marti8a, I like your look too but that would mean my contractor would have to build a completely new column. I don't think he will do so for a reasonable price. He was already planning on wrapping the old column in hardi, so I'm hoping I might have a shot at him beefing it up a bit.

Does anyone have an opinion on the half wall idea?
dtchgrl
12 years ago
I like the thick 'wrapped" colums. I think the stone half wall is OK but your stoop is a decent size for a stoop...mine is similar but judging from the space next to your front doors, yours is probably a bit bigger and I find that mine is a bit too small. A half wall on each side is going to take up and make your stoop space feel tighter. And I don't know that they will stand out much against the new stone facade for the cos. I think railings would be better and more open. And maybe you don't have to go with the usual thin black wrought iron. On our last house we rebuilt the front stoop and had the contractor build white painted "chippendale" style railings. It was not expensive. When you start looking around you might find there are more options on railings than than the typical ones you aren't too fond of.
justgotabme
12 years ago
I'm glad it helped you jamaraz. It seemed to fit the style of your home, though the double posts marti8a looks nice too. I think that could be accomplished by using the same size posts you currently have. It shouldn't cost much at all I would think.
As for the half wall, I'm not quite sure whether I'd like it or not. Do you mean it would be on either side of the porch and part of either side of the front, or just on the sides?

Please help me redesign my front porch

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Please help me redesign my front porch

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