Description of an Open Porch

Design

• When you design an open porch for your home, it can be as simple or as vast as you desire. A simple open porch is usually square and made of wood. It should be large enough to accommodate a couple chairs, footstools and a table. Larger open porches may be multi-leveled and may even wrap around the corner of a house. Some people have open porches that feature covered gazebos, which are ideal if you wish to move to an area in the shade or an area free from bugs.

Doors

• The open porch of a home should be a welcoming place for the family to gather. As such, the porch is often accessible by twin doors, often known as French doors. These doors usually contain large panels of glass that allow the homeowners to look out at the porch. There may also be a sliding screen door between the porch and the home to allow fresh air to enter the house or allow people sitting on the porch to listen to music from a stereo inside the home.

Posts

• Though there are no solid walls on an open porch, it often has a roof above it. The roof is typically an extension of the roof of the home and extends above the open porch to provide some relief from elements such as sun and rain. The roof is often supported with posts designed to suit the look of the home. An open deck on a rustic cottage may have simple, cedar posts while the posts of an expensive home may be turned wood or marble.

Country Porch

• A country porch is a common style of open porch often found on large homes in rural areas. This style of porch runs the entire length of the front of the home and can often run around the entire home too. It may feature a waist-height railing and usually includes ample seating for large family get-togethers, a swinging bench and other decorations.