Why The Porch Is The Most Southern Spot In Any Home

In the South, porch living is just a way of life. While the architectural design and details of a porch can vary depending on the style of your home, a porch is defined as “a covered area adjoining an entrance to a building, usually having a separate roof.” It’s an element of the home that was born out of necessity to escape from the hot sun prior to air conditioning, but is now a detail that comes in all shapes and sizes. We cannot imagine a world without our beloved porches, and in the South, they are more than just a home’s first impression or way to boost curb appeal. 

For Southerners, the porch is about hospitality and a reflection of what’s behind the front door. It’s an extension of ones’ home and truly functions as an outdoor living room. No matter if it’s a deep front porch, iconic wrap-around, or rear screened-in porch, each serves the same purpose—space where we sit and talk for long hours sipping sweet tea, shelter from the summer sun or afternoon rainstorm, and host family and friends, whether planned or an impromptu drop by. It’s a spot to slow down, gather, and relax.

When it comes to dreamy porches, our 2023 Idea House does it all with a welcoming front porch, rear screened-in (optional) porch with a fireplace with comfortable seating, plus an attached outdoor dining and kitchen setup. “Overall the house [has] deeper and exaggerated bracketed overhangs on the front and back porches, which allow you to enjoy those spaces a little bit longer when [the day] gets to the hot parts of the sun, but also helps shield you from the many rainy days that we deal with,” says architect Luke Sippel of Lake + Land Studio. It has all the traditional elements of a Southern porch—an extended roofline, warm materials and relaxed lighting, ample seating, and large planters with pretty plantings. A fireplace, outdoor dining area, and screens to keep pesky insects away are an added bonus to the criteria.

Extended Roofline

The first floor seamlessly extends to the outdoor living spaces thanks to the exaggerated, bracketed overhangs that let you get up to the porch's edge on a rainy day without getting wet. "Having an expansive front porch and a deep and wide screened back porch essentially doubles your shared living space,” says Sippel.

Warm Materials and Relaxed Lighting

Just as you consider interior selections, from the flooring to paint, inviting textures and colors inform the atmosphere of exterior spaces. "Porches should be cozy, especially one like this that’s covered and has a fireplace,” says Hodges. Chestnut-colored wood floors that can stand up to rainwater continue the natural feel from front to back porch. The front porch welcomes with a simple gas lantern above the front door and a pendant lighting above each seating area. The same simplicity is carried to the back porch with glass and copper pendant lights that blend in. In both spaces, moveable hurricanes lend an added layer for a warm glow when entertaining.

Bug Protecting Screens

While you'll rarely find screens on a front porch, it’s very common to find a screened-in side or back porch in the South. This allows homeowners to create an outdoor living atmosphere to enjoy year-round without unwanted critters joining the party. Built-in screens are most common, but here, the team used retractable screens that come down to create a screened-in porch as needed.

Comfortable Seating

Hodges emphasizes the importance of comfortability. "I still want the porches to feel comfortable, just as cozy and intentional as the inside," says the designer. "Just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you’re willing to sit on whatever bench-style furniture." To achieve this, Hodges selected from the Summer Classics’ Havana collection for outdoor furniture that is as relaxing as it is aesthetically pleasing. The woven cane also adds a classic Southern touch.

Brimming Containers

You’ll rarely find a front porch in the South without some type of large planters or container gardens flanking the front door. Fill your pots with evergreens like ferns, boxwoods, and potted trees, or welcome each season with freshly planted, colorful blooms.