First impressions last. It comes in a split-second, a hastened moment, or within just a blink of an eye. With an excellent first impression, you can leave a memorable footprint that would go beyond that split-second hastened moment.
It can be argued that behind every lasting impression is a significant introduction. An introduction can be a moment, an event, a presentation. It demands the need to be nothing less than perfection, for a good introduction determines the outcome of an impression.
Your home, for example, is a humble extension of you, and your front porch would be the ideal canvass for your introduction. It is said that silence is as majestic as any language; the eyes speak more than any words could utter. Henceforth, the simple architectural preamble known as your front porch, without sparing a word, can be the “welcome” in “welcome home” and the “good” in “goodbye.”
Here are ways you can make your porch more attractive:
Purpose
There is a simple charm with the beauty that is necessary. Make it unnecessarily beautiful, and then it’s called “too much beauty for so little purpose.” Your front porch must be equipped with usefulness, and contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as “too much usefulness.” There is, however, what is called “too much aesthetics.”
Avoid making your pillow overly fancy that it’s no longer soft, your chair so gilded, it would hurt to sit on, your paint job so bright that it confuses the eyes. The point of objects designed for a functional outcome and its purpose only of being drowned or silenced by aesthetics is quite unsettling when you prioritize beauty over purpose.
Lighting
Your porch must be well lit at night, but lighting is not only synthetic; it also comes naturally. The one where it’s not included in the bill comes and goes freely as it pleases.
When it comes to natural lighting, a home is usually under the mercy of time and location. It is most convenient if the sunrise does not directly hit your front porch, your porch would still have a view, but it would be a blinding one. However, if such is the case, it is best to design your roof just enough to make sunlight become sunshine and moonlight one with moonshine.
Space
They say music is about the spaces or rests in between each note. If your porch wants to have the same harmony as what music offers, let your porch mimic art and make the spaces purposeful, breathable, and accessible.
Your porch is a space that induces calmness and comfort. It’s like your porch is saying, “Come, this is your safe space. Take a break, have a rest.” And this calm aura is only but the introduction before entering your home.
Time
It is of the essence that time should be an essential element to include in your planning. What would the porch look like at a given time of day, week, or year? If you’re in a snowy region, then it is best to accommodate the season. When it’s sunny, it is best to make a comfortable porch designed to ease the heat. When it rains, it would be poetic to have a patio that could weather any pouring.
Location
As mentioned earlier, lighting is at the mercy of location. But it is not only lighting affected by location but also under the understanding of the environmental vicissitudes. You can have someone install an irrigation system to ensure that your lawn is healthy and green. This is automated, so you don’t have to waste your day watering your lawn.
You wouldn’t want your porch to be positioned so that it is accessible to noise, dust, and unwanted creatures. When designing the porch, it is also encouraged to think of the environmental aspect of it.
Quality
The materials needed to make a good porch should be high grade, reliable, and last for more than expected. After all, it is a place where your guests and family would lounge or pass by daily.
It is best to have both, but safety will always be paramount over beauty when it comes to prioritizing. Safety is exemplified by the quality of the materials you use.
Theme
A theme is more of an exhibition of a thought or a representation. A theme is not necessarily mutually exclusive with national politics or patriotism. It can be as subtle as things that can’t be seen but felt.
Intangible themes would suffice. May it be of hope, freedom, strength, or as simple as the theme of love. Many architectural wonders were designed for something way less than the expression of self. Be creative; it is your porch, after all. A porch is a great avenue or canvass for your desire to express yourself.
Impression
As mentioned above, express yourself. This is the impression you would want your porch to represent. It would be awkward to have a porch on which you’ve invested money, representing something else rather than yourself. Unless, of course, it’s what you want.
There is no need to impress others, and it’s a futile endeavor. However, it is known that when something is impressive, even when unintended, people will always be drawn to be impressed. Express rather than impress.
Home
A porch may be an extension of a house, but it’s a part of a home for you. It’s a place where your family dines, lounges, rests, and goes home after a long day. Thus, it is best to solicit their thoughts and ideas on what not to include on your porch.
After all, family is the heart of every household, and it’s what makes a house become a home. And in any decision in life, the heart will always have a say.
Simplicity Is Beauty
Nothing can ever beat the gift and elegance of simplicity. Ordinary yet straightforward, it’s as classic as classic can be. The idea that your porch should be bigger, brighter, and bolder is quite but a temporary misconception. The real measurement for what a good porch should be is if it can stand through the tests of time. In which the simplest tools to achieve such a feat would be stability, sustainability, and durability.
Your porch can represent you and your family. You’re simple but stable, sustainable, and durable. With the introduction itself, people can say that your family can and has stood the test of time. And that’s what makes a porch beautiful.
