Front Porch Ideas

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a front porch or side porch that extends their living space. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you already know your porch is often the first thing you see when you come home and the last thing you see when you leave. And it’s usually the first thing your guests see when they arrive at your home. Sadly, many front porches and side porches don’t get the attention they deserve. Whether you’re staging for selling or staying in your current home with a porch, a little attention goes a long way to transform a porch into a welcoming environment. With a little imagination, you might even discover your front porch or side porch can extend your living space in new ways you never thought about, including working from home.

Simplify And Declutter

Go through everything you may currently have on your front porch and decide if it’s essential or not. If it’s not, find another place for it or get rid of it. Your front porch should flow freely when you walk through it without any obstacles or tripping hazards. The cleaner and tidier it feels, the more welcoming it will be.

Lighting

You want your front porch lighting to be flexible for different situations. If you have lighting fixtures already, replace the them with a dimmer switch if you don’t already have one. You could even upgrade to a smart device so the lighting can be controlled through an app and as an extension to a smart home system. Depending on how you plan to use your front porch space, you might need additional lighting such as portable task lighting near seating or on tables. This will encourage more frequent use for a variety of things that were previously done indoors.

If you find you don’t have the fixtures or outlets you need, the cost of adding these things with the help of an electrician will be well worth the investment.

Furniture

Investing in good year-round, outdoor furniture is definitely worthwhile as long as you focus on quality and you get true outdoor furniture that will stand up to the elements and fading. If you plan to work on a laptop for extended periods of time, make sure you choose your workspace chair carefully to support healthy ergonomics. If you have the space and budget, you could even consider adding a hanging bench or chair swing. Hammocks are also a great choice since you can easily put them up and take them down as needed.

Comfort

Depending on your location and climate, you might consider cooling, heating, or both to get the most use of your front porch.

Cooling

Unless your front porch is enclosed in some way to allow for air conditioning or other cooling devices, your options for cooling may be limited to fans, such as ceiling fans or portable, self-standing fans. In very warm climates, you could consider installing a misting system that emits mist near your fan which can noticeably improve your comfort level in extreme heat.

Heating

Adding a heating unit could turn your front porch into a year-round outdoor living space in some climates. At the very least, it will definitely extend the amount you’ll be able to use it. Just make sure you follow the local codes for these types of heating devices. There are many options for outdoor living space heaters that will have different power requirements and installation choices. Not following safety guidelines can be very dangerous, so it’s best to consult with an expert to understand your options and to keep safe when adding a heating device to any outdoor living space.

Decoration

With the basics addressed for function, safety, and comfort, it’s time to warm up your front porch with decoration that will add your personal touch and make people feel welcome. This is fun because it can change whenever you want! Even just changing decoration with the seasons is fun, easy and very inexpensive.

If you’re looking for front porch decoration ideas, here are over 500 ideas to get you started!

Simplify And Declutter

Lighting

Furniture

Comfort

Cooling

Heating

Decoration

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