Portico Ideas

Roof Types

• When adding a portico to the front of a home, the roof and architecture of the structure should coordinate with the architectural style of the home. The portico can have a flat rounded, arched, gabled or an upper rail design. The upper rail design creates the appearance of a balcony on the second floor of the home and works well on a tall house. A large second story window adds to the appearance of an upper level balcony.

Columns

• Elaborate portico designs can include multiple columns to add to the luxurious appeal of the home. On a simple portico design that covers a smaller area of the building front, half columns attach directly to the home. The half column design is not a fully rounded column, but creates the appearance of one. Victorian homes may include elaborately decorated columns to coordinate with the embellished style of the period houses.

Decorative Planters and Urns

• The portico provides a home for planters and urns that decorate the front of the home. Stone urns can hold plants, small trees or adorn the entryway empty. Planters with wrought iron embellishments add to the decorative style of a Mediterranean or Spanish style home. Urns can adorn the top of shorter columns, as well. Plants and flowers add color and natural beauty to the front of the home.

Decorating

• During holidays, the portico is the ideal location to add decorative elements such as flags and holiday lights. Fill the floor of the portico with pumpkins during Halloween or bright flowers during the spring. Add wicker chairs to the front of a home with a larger portico that covers the face of the building to provide a comfortable place to sit outside.