Is your front porch due for an update? To help spruce up the facade of your home and boost its kerbside appeal, here are nine ways to update the look and style of your front porch.
Your front porch is your home's way of saying “hello” to the outside world, the architectural welcome mat for friends and guests. Since it is the first thing anyone sees of your house, your porch sets the tone of your whole household.
During periods where Australians could not invite anyone into their homes, front porches have gained the responsibility of providing space to have quick socially distanced visit with family and friends, drop off supplies and wait for friends to pass by. Since everybody has been at home a lot more, the front porch has also become a great escape from the household, even if you aren't allowed to leave. Here are nine ways to give your front porch a makeover.
#1 Introduce interest with paint
An easy way to brighten up your front porch is to create interesting focal points with paint. Depending on what you have to work with, you could:
- Paint your facadea neutral white or grey and offset that with a feature front door. How about a bold yellow or duck egg blue?
- Lean into your facade's architecture by painting different surfaces in different complementary shades.
- Make your porch flooring the feature by painting the wood or concrete a dynamic colour - black, green, and red are popular choices.
#2 Clear the surrounding area
Your porch can be as beautiful as you like, but if your front yard is a mess, nobody will ever notice. Give the area surrounding your porch a thorough clean-up, removing any old shoes, umbrellas, and dead pot plants. Give your front garden a thorough weeding, a fresh layer of mulch, and keep on top of mowing the lawn. If you're making a feature of your front porch, the surrounding garden doesn't have to be filled with exquisite, finicky plants; you can leave it quite bare and neutral. But keeping it under control is a must if you want your front porch to sing.
#3 Light it up
You'll get more use out of your beautiful front porch by adding lighting so that you can continue to enjoy it after sunset. Try installing a pair of wall lights to frame your doorway or a focal light to draw attention to your house number or a potted tree.
It’s also worth noting that lighting can be beneficial from a safety standpoint, installing a sensor light above your front door can help household members find their way to the door at night as well as act as a deterrent to intruders.
#4 Pare it back (H5)
A front porch upgrade doesn't have to mean going all out - in fact, some of the most beautiful front porch spaces are minimalist. Create a simple, unfussy space by decluttering and paring back to a single bench and large pot plant or a Parisian-style cafe table and chairs. If necessary, consider using large storage boxes to neatly store any unsightly sporting equipment.
#5 Be plant wise
Overgrown shrubs can overpower a front porch. Instead, opt for smaller versions and consider symmetry. Instead of large fruit trees in your front yard, try planting miniatures in pots by your front door. Rather than letting your lavender bush grow wild in a garden bed, plant them in square planter boxes by the front door. If you have windows close by, install window boxes to tie the look together.
#6 Updating a small front porch
A small front porch can be a challenge to restyle; the key is to make it as open and spacious as possible. Add elements that pull double duty to get the balance right, such as a timber storage chest that doubles as a seat.
Avoid fussy details and instead, embrace symmetry. Choose simple items to surround your front door, such as large feature pot plants or spotlights to brighten dark corners.
Whatever colour paint you choose for your small front porch, use a high gloss finish. Not only is it harder to wear, but the gloss will reflect light, making the space look larger.
#7 Expand the roof
If yours is more of a stoop than a front porch, you can expand the area by enlarging the roof overhang. This is not only a functional addition as it will protect packages left unattended and allow you to sit outside protected from the rain but expanding the roof will also add kerbside appeal.
An old or broken roof will let down the whole look of your updated front porch, so if you already have a roof over your porch and it's looking a little worse for wear, have a look to see whether a good scrub and repaint would bring it back to life. Otherwise, you might need to look into getting your porch roof replaced.
#8 Screen in the Porch
If you're hoping to use your porch as an outdoor living space to use every day, you may want to consider screening your existing porch to help add a bit of privacy and reduce the chance of bugs getting in.
The solution is to install a secure entry enclosure. These screened, secure, lockable security enclosures are built into the existing structure of your home's facade. If your home has a porch or a veranda, you could add so much value to your property by transforming it into a completely secure space.
You can build a secure entry enclosure to encompass a porch or an outdoor dining area to keep you and your family safe from both bugs and burglars. Made from security mesh, secure entry enclosures are made to Australian Standards for security doors, meaning they are also a great burglar deterrent. Thanks to the quality and design of the mesh, secure entry enclosures are visually unobtrusive.
#9 Put in a fan
If your front porch is large enough to accommodate a few guests, why not make it a party! Keep your guests comfortable by installing an outdoor fan for those long, lazy summer evenings. Just be careful to buy a fan specifically designed for outdoor use as the blades of fans meant for interior rooms only will droop in hot, humid outdoor conditions.
Always use a qualified electrician to complete the installation work. Jim's Electrical are available Australia-wide to provide a free consultation and quote to complete your front porch light and fan installation.
For information on any of the services mentioned in this article, or to arrange a quote, contact Jim’s Group on 13 15 46.