Porches with style

By H.M. Cauley

There are few elements of architecture as infused with Southern style as the porch. And not just a little covered entranceway: A true Southern porch has room for more than a few rockers, a table or two, potted plants and maybe a swing. Its the ideal spot for catching a summer nights breeze while waving to the neighbors going by. And it serves a practical purpose as well.

A front porch performs a functional role by providing a space out of the weather while youre waiting to go inside, said Brad Cruickshank, a certified remodeler who started his Midtown-based firm, Cruickshank, Inc., in 1988. It also provides protection for the front door; without it, its apt to rot and warp. So its nice to have that protection for a door just as it is for guests waiting to be greeted.

Buyers and homeowners alike are drawn not just to front porches, but ones that are in the back of the house, screened-in, wrapping around or spanning two stories. With the Souths long stretches of mild weather, these outdoor areas easily become living spaces that are usable most of the year. And when that space is screened-in, it becomes even more popular.

After every screened-in porch Ive ever built, people tell me its their favorite room in the house, said Walter Lewis, president of Neighbors Home Remodeling in Roswell. The screens cut down on a lot of the bug problems we have in the South. So people can use that space a lot.

Both Cruickshank and Lewis work on projects that add porches to houses that dont have them. In one case, Lewis said the owner of a typically traditional brick two-story wanted a front porch just for that Southern flair. A front porch can substantially change the look of a house so it wont look like New England in the South, said Lewis.

While the sidewalks of many historic intown communities are lined with cottages, bungalows and Victorian designs that incorporate a prominent porch, the feature also holds a particular appeal for people who live a bit father outside the city limits.

In more rural areas, there are always people sitting out on their front porches, said Lewis. Its kind of a Southern thing.

That idea fits the experience of Ginny Bryant, director of sales and marketing for Lennar Homes, who says the companys new-home buyers in farther-out regions of Cherokee, west Cobb and Forsyth are crazy for porches.

I think a lot of it has to do with the larger home sites, said Bryant. For instance, the west Cobb market is a bit more rural with larger sites than east Cobb, and buyers there prefer a nice front porch that is truly functional, not just a few feet of covered space to give an architectural look.

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Porches with style