Front Porch
The most traditional kind of porch, the front porch is popular with homeowners who want to keep up with the neighborhood or create a welcoming entry for guests. Front porches are hot in both new construction and remodels, as homeowners long for a better sense of community.
Even a modest-sized front porch gives you the chance to enhance the sense of entry into your house. A simple portico porch can protect guests while they wait at the front door and provide dimension to a flat-faced house.View our front porch gallery
Back Porch
Usually more informal than a front porch, a back porch offers more flexibility. A back porch can be a great way to connect your kitchen to the garden outside, a place to enjoy water or nature views, or a protected spot to watch the kids play in the yard.Adding a cooking area or mudroom to your back porch keeps rooms inside clean and organized. If you love to garden, a potting shed, planters or window boxes are nice extras. Some back porches can be combined with a deck above so you have more than one way to enjoy the outdoors.
Wraparound Porch
A wraparound porch can extend the living space of a casual family room, or it can give guests a spot to enjoy the garden when connected to a more formal living or dining room. You can create different “zones” on a wraparound porch, with a seating area for guests and a lounge area with a chaise for reading and relaxing. You can even include a gazebo that creates a destination spot and adds architectural interest.
Screened Porch
If you enjoy breezes and the fragrances from your garden but don’t want to worry about the bugs or harsh sunlight, a screened porch is definitely the way to go. Screens allow you to use your porch more often and make it better suited for more activities.
Many porch screens are made from fiberglass mesh (easy to work with but can tear easily) or aluminum mesh (resists corrosion but can discolor over time). There are also tightly woven sun-blocking screens that offer significant shading, pet-proof screens for homeowners with high-energy animals or children, and security screens made from heavy mesh steel mounted in tough frames for those concerned about keeping out intruders.