Front porch: To wrap around or not?
Sarah R
5 years ago
Hi all,
We are building a custom home and have found a floor plan that we like but the outside isn’t quite what I was picturing— I want a classic southern style home with a large front porch. We plan to do white (debating whether white siding, white painted brick, or white shingles would look best— feel free to comment on that as well) with dark navy shutters. We already plan to extend the front porch to 10 feet deep to give more space and to make the side garage (structure on left) not seem so dominating. My latest thought is if adding an L shaped wraparound porch would add more character, look less cookie cutter, and seem more like a home out of a Southern Living magazine. Thoughts? :)
We are building a custom home and have found a floor plan that we like but the outside isn’t quite what I was picturing— I want a classic southern style home with a large front porch. We plan to do white (debating whether white siding, white painted brick, or white shingles would look best— feel free to comment on that as well) with dark navy shutters. We already plan to extend the front porch to 10 feet deep to give more space and to make the side garage (structure on left) not seem so dominating. My latest thought is if adding an L shaped wraparound porch would add more character, look less cookie cutter, and seem more like a home out of a Southern Living magazine. Thoughts? :)
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Sarah R
5 years ago
PROBeverlyFLADeziner
5 years ago
As long as the porch is deep enough, I don't see any reason to wrap the porch around the house.
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Wrap around front porch, leaves and debris under it
Comments (7)We have a front porch and used the white plastic lattice around it. We put up black landscape fabric behind the lattice to hide what was behind it (in our case that included the structure of an old porch that was there before the renovation...) The skirting board is low to the ground. The porch deck is a pale gray and the framing around the lattice is painted pale gray too. On one side of the front steps the driveway comes right up to the porch skirt so it is all visible; pots give some additional screening in the summer: On the other side of the steps, there is a very narrow bed under the overhang of the porch roof. It is dry and shaded except for a few hours in the morning. It is planted with Emerald Gaiety euonymus, rodgersia and, on the corner that gets sun, a clematis. The green and white euonymus blends well with the white lattice and, of course, is evergreen for a year-round look. The big leaves and white flowers of the rodgersia add additional summer interest. The clematis is a bit over-the-top when it blooms and, would not be an option if your area is entirely shaded but it might be worth trying a more shade tolerant one like Ramona. Emerald Gaiety and Rodgersia (very dense screening - you can barely see the lattice in some places): The flashy mid-summer bit:...See MoreLooking for Pernials in front of wrap around porch
Comments (4)I would suggest a good anchor plant. I loooove hydrangeas, be careful to the light needs, everyone is different! Honestly my approach is to buy what ever i like, i have a spot for it all!!! I love anything thatll attract bees and hummers, or butterflys too. What do you like? what colors are pleasing to you? Thats how i do it!...See Morewindow trim photos
Comments (3)They're appropriate in stone buildings (quite common in europe in the old structures) and in sw style homes, but in modern homes, mimicing other styles like yours is...it's done to be cheap. I know this to be a fact because I asked the builder of my husband's texas home about it at a party once. The savings on wood trim and labor is pretty huge. Drywall is so much cheaper. You could easily trim them out nicely with a thin wood on the inside (you can find that at home despot) and trim on the outter edge. You can easily see how much it does for caroline's windows to trim them. To sell my DH's home I trimed them with standard mitered corner trims. Carolines idea is actually probably better suited to your home style, and it's easier :) It does cost a bit more than the basic stuff, but for a DIY, it's very easy and looks fab!...See MoreAdd a front porch on OLD house?
Comments (17)Thanks to everyone for your input! It is truly appreciated and helps our direction. You have confirmed my 'gut' feeling that a porch is not the right way to go. Our most used entrance is actually a side entrance (porch and portico already constructed). Most of our guests use the side entrance as well so providing shelter from the elements isn't really necessary. Shutter Discussion: Did this home ever had shutters? I don't know...it's hard to tell since the brick was painted (and likely patched) many years before we bought the house. It is not a true Colonial in the sense of being symmetrical. Should we paint the sills and lintels white to match house paint? It is likely 200 years old in the SW part of Ohio. The walls of the oldest parts of the house are literally three bricks thick. It has had several additions to the back of the house (not pictured). @Remodeling1840: Thanks for the tip! We will continue to look for similar old houses for inspiration. You are also correct about the paint. The brick is painted (not by us, but I actually like painted brick) and the black trim is on stone sills and lintels. The sills/lintels were a colonial blue color when we purchased the house. I never thought about painting them white to match brick....would that be more appropriate? On the stone door lintel as well? Opinion on shutters? @Nickel_kg: Thanks for the link! We checked with our historical society, but they only have old maps of the area. We obtained some photos from older people who were children when their grandparents lived here...The house was simple and classic even then. @Seabornman: Agreed! The door is changing. We have a pic of the original and will try to get a close match for door, sidelights, and transom....See MoreSarah R
5 years ago
PRO
Cyndy
5 years ago
PROAnglophilia
5 years agoatay284
5 years agoSarah R
5 years ago
tira_misu
5 years agosuezbell
5 years agoSarah R
5 years agoThanks for the feedback! The gazebo is an interesting idea— I will have to look into that more! Is this what you mean by the front gable? This is the one other picture of similar house design and I do think we would do the triangles .
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