The Social Porch: Tips to Bring Back Its Heyday

A symbol of American culture, the front porch can be a simple but powerful place to foster community and connection.(Kzenon/Shutterstock)

Front porches weave a neighborhood together. For decades, they have served as a welcoming entry to the home, an opportunity to show off the homeowner’s style, or an invitation for neighbors to “stop for a spell.” Essentially outdoor living rooms, they are a place to sip morning coffee and ponder the coming day or sit back, put one’s feet up, and unwind at the end of a long day while watching the world go by. They are celebrated in books and films as the site of important encounters and conversations.

In our increasingly digital world, however, they are being relegated more and more to a pretty place that one passes through on the way to indoor electronics and the lure of the world wide web. But with some quick, easy, and often inexpensive updates, the front porch can become the new heart of the home.

No Porch, No Problem

Don’t have a front porch? Consider adding one, which will have the added bonus of enhancing curb appeal. Too ambitious? Consider laying a simple front patio, which can be a fun family-oriented DIY adventure. Invite some friends and neighbors over as well to literally “build” community.

All-Season Fun

Spring cleaning isn’t just for indoors. A quick pressure wash of the front porch will blast off the winter glums. If it needs a new coat of wood sealer or paint, now’s the time to do it. While the paintbrush or roller is out, this is also an excellent opportunity to change a blah or dated color, particularly on the floor, for a more comprehensive refresh.

An easier alternative is to cover the floor with a smile-inducing perky or elegant outdoor rug. Rugs have the added benefit of tying décor together.

If the weather is still a bit inclement, consider adding some weatherproof curtain panels. They will be equally useful for keeping the sun’s harsh rays away in a few months.

For those who went with the patio option, now may be the time to consider getting the volunteer work crew together again to build an all-season wood pergola, available as plans or a kit, with or without a waterproof pergola cover. For faster results, if the budget allows, consider a ready-made, easy-to-assemble aluminum pergola with a roof.

Adding extra lights to your porch makes it more inviting after sunset and creates a lovely ambiance. (SeventyFour/Shutterstock)

Bright and Beautiful

Lighting might not be the first thing when one thinks of a porch update, but a brightly lit area is safer and more conducive as a gathering spot after hours. Also, lighting can be inexpensive yet have a big impact. Consider a new front door light, ceiling fans with lights, stringed lights, candles in pretty lanterns, or perhaps a table lamp or two on a side table next to seating.

There are several porch layouts to choose from and tweak to one’s personal taste. If there’s space, consider a sofa or loveseat and several chairs for family and guests to choose from, all surrounding a coffee table. If there isn’t space for a coffee table, substitute with some side tables to hold snacks and drinks. At the other end of the spectrum, if the porch is large enough, there may be room for a chaise to lounge the day away upon. A porch swing, day bed, or hammock chair are other ways to add versatility to the space as well as aesthetic appeal.

Fun upholstery and potted plants add color and aliveness to any space but especially the front porch. (Elena_Alex_Ferns/Shutterstock)

Pops of Personality

Upholstery choices are an opportunity to get playful, choosing styles or trends one might not use indoors. When in doubt, start with a few solid colors as a base, i.e., for the seating cushions, then add patterned throw pillows or even some throw blankets draped glamorously on furniture when not in use on chilly evenings. Tie it all together with an outdoor rug, coordinating coasters, and place mats. Add some casually placed artwork on the exterior walls to continue the theme.

Make sure everything is at least rated for an outdoor “protected location” if it’s going to be left out. Consider a coordinating deck box for storing the cushions during the winter. It can do double duty as a table throughout the season.

Colorful flowers bursting out of pots on the porch floor and set on plant stands, hanging vines cascading from above, or, if space is at a premium, some pots dotting the porch steps will complete a porch design.

It’s all about setting up living room ambiance outdoors.

Libation Station

A glass in hand—or resting on a side table coaster—creates a relaxed yet festive atmosphere that invites one to linger. This is doubly true on the porch.

Budget Friendly

Whether serving cocktails, mocktails, lemonade, iced tea, or coffee, a small, inexpensive, outdoor-rated bar cart elevates the porch experience. Or bring an indoor bar cart outdoors. At the very least, invest in a decorative drink tray or two.

DIY and More

A more permanent bar setup can be as simple as some shelves for glassware and bottles, with a larger shelf below for mixing drinks to a furniture-grade stand-up bar that the bartender rules behind, with plenty of storage.

Stocked Up

No bar is complete without the basic spirits (vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and liqueurs—unless it is an alcohol-free mocktail bar); appropriate sodas, mixers, and glassware for the drinks being served; and bar tools (bottle opener, cutting board, and cocktail shaker).