I want to sing praise to the humble porch. In particular, the front porch. Porches are common features of homes in older neighborhoods here in the Northeast, and they are extremely popular in the South. There are home builders in our area (and I wouldn’t be surprised if you told me in your area, too) that include a front porch on their new homes, but in most cases, I find that new porches are too small to be functional as a true porch, although they may look like a porch from the street. There is a fairly new townhouse community near here where the porches on each unit are barely 3 feet deep. While that may be sufficient to hold a pot of flowers next to the front door, even if you manage to squeeze a rocking chair onto the porch, you will never manage to sit in it without destroying your knees.
My point today is to implore home builders to build real porches- expansive porches with room for a few rocking chairs and a porch swing, and gracious dimensions. And to encourage anyone lucky enough to have a front porch to preserve it, expand it if necessary, and use it to the fullest. The porch experience should be roomy enough for gathering of the family and your neighbors. My cousin lives in a big old Victorian home in New Jersey that has a beautiful, large front porch. She has it outfitted with plenty of seating and lots of flowers. When she entertains, the porch becomes an extension of the inside, and guests are as likely to gather on the porch to chat, as they are to gather in the living room or kitchen.
I am often a mosquito magnet, so I won’t blame you if you screen in your porch. It should be comfortable above all, so keeping pests out simply makes sense for you to enjoy your porch fully. If you are not bothered by mosquitos, or live in a neighborhood where they don’t exist, by all means, leave your porch unscreened and open to nature.
While the porch may be considered by many to be old fashioned, I believe that its time has come again. It is the perfect amenity in a world where climate change and pandemics collide. During the pandemic, countless remote workers have struggled to find locations for home offices, as well as workstations for the kids, on top of having a quiet space for participating in Zoom meetings. Sending the kids out to play on the porch while you are on a conference call is a great way to get some peace and quiet. Or letting the kids work in the great room while you take your Zoom on the porch, surrounded by the nature in your yard may be preferable. As long as your porch has a power source and you have a wifi extender, you should be good to go. Front porches also allow plenty of opportunities to stay connected with your neighbors while maintaining social distancing. In a neighboring community, porch concerts have become a popular distraction during quarantine lockdowns.
Porches provide fresh air while protecting from sun exposure, which is a major plus in a world where melanoma rates are increasing. They are an outdoor rec room that is usable during rainstorms. They provide relief from oppressive heat, especially if they are equipped with a ceiling fan. I suspect that they are a more cost-effective addition to your home than a sunroom enclosure, and there is no A/C required to drive up your utility bills.
So, in conclusion, the weather here in the Northeast in September is reliably glorious, so it is the perfect time to celebrate the porch. Join me. Pour yourself a glass of iced tea and pull up a rocking chair, and feel your blood pressure drop.
The Curmudgeon