Any home design can
have a porch, but the best porch, according to experts, appears as if
it's been there from the get-go. In this case, designers cite the
importance of sticking to the architecture of the house in designing
the porch. Think of the porch as a dental implant; a properly-placed
implant looks like a natural tooth in plain sight. To put it simply,
it doesn't look too obvious.
Fortunately, many homes
in the U.S. have a long history, dating back to as early as the first
settlers. Colonial-style homes are among the most prolific designs
used in the country, often featuring design emphasis on the front
door and symmetrical architecture (equal number of windows on both
sides of the door). Later versions featured elevated brick
foundations and matching porch designs.
For
contemporary homes, professional
porch builders
suggest looking for design cues to help design a porch that fits the
bill aesthetically. For example, if the window frame has an arched
head on top, design the posts in the porch the same way. This allows
the posts to accentuate the window design and blend with the home
design itself. Overall, the porch is part of a reflective image of
the home.