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3 Things To Keep In Mind When Designing Your New Porch

16 February 2016

Marvin Simmons

If you want to upgrade your porch this spring, and are currently in the design process, make sure that you keep these four things in mind while creating your porch design.

#1 Think About How You Want To Use The Space

The first thing you need to do is really think about how you want to use the space throughout the year. A porch can serve a lot of different purposes and once you narrow down the purposes you would like your porch to serve, you'll be able to move forward with the design process. Here are some questions you should ask yourself to help determine what you want to use the space for:

Do you want to be able to eat on your porch? How many people do you want to be able to entertain on your porch?
Do you want to barbecue on your porch?
Do you want to have an outside kitchen?
Do you want to be able to use your porch throughout the year?
Do you want to have a lounge spot on your deck?
Do you want a fire pit?
How important is the seeing the view from your porch?

By answering these questions, you will be able to get a real feel for what you want to get out of your porch space.

#2 Think Of Your Space As A Series Of Rooms

The second thing you need to do is take the answers to your questions above and use your answers to craft your space. Think of your porch as an area with multiple rooms, not a single area.

Use your answers to determine what types of "rooms" you want to create in your porch area. For example, if you want to have a barbecue, eating area, and relaxation area, you'll want to create three rooms or areas on your porch that suit that needs. Or, if you want an area for a band to perform, an outdoor kitchen, eating area and a fire pit, you'll want to create four rooms or areas on your porch.

You are not just creating a porch, you are creating an entire outdoor living area. Work on creating a floor plan that takes into consideration all the functions you want from your new outdoor space.

#3 Think About Materials

Finally, think about the materials that you want to use for your porch.

To start with, you'll want to think If you want an outside area that will not require that much maintenance, you'll want to use maintenance-free material such as composite and PVC material. If you want to create more of a unique and personal look, you can use wood. Wood will need to be treated on a regular basis.

Next, think about the type of railing you want to use. Your railing should complement the overall look of your house, and it should also complement your view. You can use typical wooden railing, or you can open up your space with glass railing. With glass railing, you can enjoy and take in the view from your back porch without any obstruction.

Then, you'll want to think about what type of lighting you want outside. You can integrate your lighting into the posts on your railing, or you can place the lighting in the floor to create a softer ambiance.

Make sure you think about how you want to use the space your new porch will create and map out the different rooms or areas you want in order to create the experience you desire. Finally, make sure the materials you use complement the overall look and experience you are trying to create. You can contact a contractor who specializes in creating outdoor spaces to assist you with this process.

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