House & Garden
Elements of a Beautiful Front Porch
There is a reason why we say that we feel “at home” when we are feeling comfortable somewhere. Getting back home from anywhere, regardless of whether you had a good time or a stressful day, is a priceless feeling. And arriving at a nice and clean, beautiful entrance to your home makes things even more special. Your front porch is the border between your home and the rest of the world. It’s the limit of your sanctuary. Moreover, it is what the world sees. It’s like part of your house’s outfit, like an accessory or a piece of jewellery.
While you may choose to add many different things to other parts of your outdoor area – big and small decorations, spas, pools, alfresco kitchens, bars etc., at your front porch, your choices for decorating are limited. A front porch needs to be stylish, but it shouldn’t feel too busy. The trick is to use the things that typically go on it, like the letterbox, the outdoor lights and the outdoor garden furniture to create a beautiful unity.
The Letter Box
The practical use of letterboxes is very obvious. However, not all of them work the same and not all of them look the same. Essentially, if you decide to use them to decorate your front porch, you can choose wall mounted letter boxes, fence mounted or post mounted letter boxes. However, fence and post mounted letterboxes can also be placed away from the front porch, and some homeowners even choose to place one of them or the classic curbside letterbox, outside of their property.
Even though e-mails, social media, etc., have more or less eliminated the need of sending letters and postcards, every home needs a letterbox. Moreover, there is something very alluring about these ordinary objects. They remind us of home, they connect us to the past, they are where we get the things we buy online, etc. They also come in different materials, sizes, as well as beautiful designs that can elevate the style of our front yard.
Take advantage of fence mounted, post mounted, or wall mounted letter boxes with contemporary designs, and use them as front porch decorations. You can place it near the door or on the fence of the porch, you can use it to create a focal point on the wall, you can decorate it with planters, other decorative elements, or outdoor lights. You can choose one that will stand out or one that will fit in nicely depending on your home’s style and on what you want to achieve.
The Light Fittings
Every part of your home needs illumination. To be able to take advantage of it, one of the things your outdoor area needs are outdoor light fittings. And when it comes to the front porch, they are even more essential. To create a gorgeous and inviting front porch, find outdoor lights that can contribute to the overall look and complement the entire composition.
Light fittings are very important in home design. Homeowners and designers use both light itself and lightings to achieve many different effects, including adding more glamour, adding interest, bringing elegance to the space, and so on, inside and outside of the home. The practical reasons for artificial lights right outside your doorstep are obvious and obviously important, even for your and your family’s safety, as well as the safety of the people visiting your home.
However, with all the beautiful designs, you can find outdoor light fixtures that will help you create the front porch of your dreams. You can choose a ceiling-mounted light, like a pendant or a wall bracket, to light the entire front porch, you can go for a single sconce or two identical ones on each side of the door, or even play with it and go for something asymmetrical, like two of the same sconces but in different heights, or even break the rules and go with two completely different ones. The choices are endless because outdoor lighting is incredibly versatile.
When you are choosing outdoor light fixtures, don’t forget to make sure that the design matches the design of your home and the other things that go on your porch. Of course, you should also allow yourself to be bold and choose something unexpected if that’s what you want.
The Furniture
Adding more seating in your outdoor area is always a good idea. For your front porch, you can choose beautiful outdoor garden furniture not only to take advantage of the space and have an additional pleasant outdoor sitting area but also because even one nice piece of furniture can make it more inviting.
Choosing outdoor furniture, regardless of whether you are getting an entire set or just one piece, can be quite daunting because the choices are incredibly vast and amazing. Depending on the size of your front porch, you can go for an egg chair or a swing chair, a bench or stools with a nice outdoor coffee table or a simple outdoor table and chairs set.
Anytime you choose furniture you have to think of two things – functionality and style. The same is true for porch furniture. Before choosing the pieces, think about what you want to use the area for. Do you want to sit there in the morning to have a coffee? Do you want to be able to sit there with your friends when they come over? This can help you narrow down your options to what you really need.
Next, think about the style. Choose furniture that will look good with the style of your house. Also, take the other elements of your porch into consideration, including the letter box and the lights. Think of your porch as a whole and don’t forget about consistency.
Writing for the blog since 2012, Chris simply loves the idea of providing people with useful info on business, technology, vehicles, industry, sports and travel – all subjects of his interest. Even though he sounds like quite the butch, he’d watch a chick flick occasionally if it makes the wife happy, and he’s a fan of skincare routines though you’d never have him admit that unless you compliment his impeccable skin complexion.