5 Types of Porches to Consider for Your Custom Home

May 24, 2022

Your front door and porch welcome you home and welcome visitors to your home. Your front porch style also affects the curb appeal of your home, determines the decor options available to you, and can affect whether you can or can’t use the porch. There are types of porches available, which makes it easy to find one that fits your lifestyle. Here are a few types of porches to consider for your custom home:

5 Welcoming Front Porch Styles

There are several front porch styles available to help you get the look you want in your custom home exterior:

1. Open Stoop

An open stoop style is a minimalist front porch style simply because it isn’t much of a porch at all. A stoop style consists of a small step or set of steps and a small platform in front of your entry door.

Usually, it is meant to provide a place for someone to stand when they approach your door to knock or ring the bell. These types of porches are usually not big enough for any furniture, but could have enough room for some small decorations.

However, an open stoop is uncovered, so there isn’t any protection from the weather for anything placed in this area. This can be a great option for homeowners who don’t plan to spend a lot of time out in front of the house and would rather use the square footage that could be used for a front porch for larger interior rooms or perhaps a deck on the back of the house.

2. Portico

A portico is essentially a covered stoop. The space extending from the front door is covered, so there is some protection from the weather for decorations on the stoop or people standing at the door. Adding a cover to this area can also increase curb appeal and provide an interesting architectural element to your home’s front facade. A portico is also one of the Colonial-Revival architecture design ideas that works well with a variety of other styles too. 

Because a portico is covered, you have a little bit more freedom with the decorations you put in this area. However, a portico is usually not a large area, so you will likely not be able to put furniture here if this is the type of porch you choose. Much like an open stoop, a portico is a good option for homeowners that don’t want to sit out or entertain guests on a front porch.

3. Covered Front Porch

One of the most common types of porches is the covered front porch. For homeowners that want protection from the weather and would like to use a front porch, there is the covered front porch style. Since the only definitive element of this style is that it is a front porch that is covered, it is highly customizable.

You can determine the size of the front porch for your needs. You could extend it a few feet more than a portico to make enough room for a couple of chairs or have it extend across the entire front of the house for more furniture and space to relax. A wide front porch is one of the classic Cape Cod architecture design ideas and is a feature in several other styles as well.

4. Wrap-Around Porch

A wrap-around porch is a luxurious, elegant addition to a custom home. For a porch to be considered a wrap-around porch, it must wrap continuously around at least two sides of your home. It can wrap around three sides if it covers the entire front and extends along both sides of the house, but it doesn’t have to if that is too much porch for your taste.

There are several benefits of a wrap-around porch. A wrap-around porch adds a gorgeous classic architectural element to your home that seriously increases curb appeal and usually features a great view. It also provides plenty of space for furniture and entertaining guests.

Whether you’re using it to host a party or just relax on your own, a wrap-around porch has plenty of space for it. This is a great front porch style for the homeowner who enjoys having an outdoor living space with plenty of room on the front of their home.

5. Farmer’s Porch

A farmer’s porch is a front-facing porch that stretches across the width of the front of the home. It does not wrap around one or both of the sides. Although it is covered, the sides are open. It is usually elevated or built up to ground level.

Farmhouse-style support beams and railings are common features. Because this type of porch matches the width of the front of the home, there is usually plenty of room for some furniture and space for entertaining.

These are a few common types of porches to consider and help you choose the perfect porch for your custom home. The style of your front porch is just one of many details you think about when designing a custom home. Getting the chance to build a custom home is an exciting journey, but the process can be overwhelming. You don’t have to handle it alone.

Partnering with a custom home builder with a design/build process will help. They’ll handle the details and walk you through each step of the process, so you can stay excited about your dream home. If you’re ready to start bringing your dream home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!