PORCHES PORTICOS AND STOOPS

VINCENT PACIFICO

The sun is out, it’s finally warm and summer is here. It’s that time of year when you just want to spend most of your day and free time outside soaking up the summer sun. Working from home has gotten people to be pretty creative with their work from home “office spaces” whether it be the kitchen table, the living room couch, or my personal favorite, the front porch. That is if you are fortunate enough to have enough wall outlets and strong enough internet reception out on the porch.

The front porch has always served as a grand entry way into the residence, giving you just enough shelter to fiddle with your house keys when it’s raining, a place for Amazon to throw your packages, or just a private sanctuary to sit in a rocking chair on a Saturday evening and drink a cold beer; Wormtown beer that is.

Homes in Worcester have a wide variety of different porch styles, from the covered front porches to the simple stoops with porticos, and even full wrap around porches if you’re lucky. If you look closely you can tell some porches were even turned into three season rooms at some point along their lives. Some are simple, some are ornate, yet some are just beautifully deteriorating. If you stop and look around a neighborhood or walk down the street on a warm evening, you’re likely to see a few people sitting on porches and stoops that you never thought twice about.

There is one thing about having a porch on your house but it’s much more impressive to have it both feel and look good. There are many trendy ways that you can enhance the look or the livability of your porch.

For starters as many designers might tell you, lighting is everything when you want to set the right mood and atmosphere. Most front porches or porticos have light fixtures, either ceiling mounted or surface mounted scones, which give a little light to the front of the home to illuminate the entrance. If you want to spend some quality time outside on a warm summer evening, make sure to get your lighting right. Changing the bulbs to a warmer color can easily improve the livability and softness of the light. Something as simple as Christmas lights strung along a railing can give just the right amount of glow and a relaxed enough atmosphere.

The right furniture can really make a difference in the quality of outdoor living. Exterior grade couches are one of my personal favorites and most comfortable seating options for spending many hours sitting out on the porch.

Plants really help to bring a little nature closer to the house especially in an urban cityscape and can provide just the right amount of shade and privacy. Lastly, decorations help to personalize your porch but be wary of adding too many. Flags and signs are a popular choice especially around holidays, but keep it simple as, they say, less is more.

Regardless of the style, use or condition, porches all have one thing in common which is to provide an outdoor living space to get you out of the house for a little sun and fresh air. Decorating and lighting your porch can help create a special space to spend quality time and it can really jazz up the look of the house and contribute to a more positive neighborhood streetscape. Enjoy the good weather while it’s here as you ponder, read, or just rock in a chair.