Porches are making a comeback.
With more work-from-home situations around the state, porches are becoming more important to daily life.
Before air conditioning and Netflix lured people inside, Americans often spent hot summer nights on their front porches, enjoying the fresh air and socializing with neighbors. More recently, people have relaxed in the backyard, away from noise and traffic—but the front porch is coming back. “In a never-ending quest to embrace the simple life, nothing quite satisfies the soul like an afternoon escape on one’s front porch,” says Kristi Vince of Cross Creek Nursery, a landscape design firm in Richmond.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, adding or enclosing a porch are among the most common renovation projects. In a recent survey, the group found that front porches were included in about 65 percent of new home builds.
“To start, a great porch needs to be comfortable,” says Jeff Cartwright, owner of Cartwright Landscaping in Richmond. “That does not mean big or small, but a place one wants to sit down, unwind, and relax. Everything is preferential from a homeowner’s perspective, and a front porch is especially the case.”
Decorate your porch with a comfy chair, a table for drinks, and some colorful plants, and enjoy a new sense of leisure and luxury right at home.
