Can you help with design ideas for a front porch?
We have a split-level home with a garage on the end. All we have now is a stoop on the front of the house, and we would like to design a porch. We have the idea of an old-fashioned porch using fake stone for part of the pillars and shake-type siding for for the exterior of the porch. Would you have any suggestions?
The “stone pillars and shake siding” description sounds like you are leaning toward a craftsman-style design. These are fun projects with many options. If you want a little privacy and a quaint craftsmen feel, a wraparound half wall with an opening for steps down to the yard would be nice. The half wall can have a masonry finish that flows to each column. Cedar shake siding would be a good choice for staining, but if you wish to paint, synthetic products are probably better. Tongue & groove ceilings are a nice touch to complement the siding and masonry. The finishing touches for your porch could be decorative address plaque and new porch lights. Oil-rubbed bronze or flat black fixtures look great on craftsman designs. See our slide show for more ideas.
