Front porches weave a neighborhood together. For decades, they have served as a welcoming entry to the home, an opportunity to show off the homeowner’s style, or an invitation for neighbors to “stop for a spell.” Essentially outdoor living rooms, they are a place to sip morning coffee and ponder the coming day or sit back, put one’s feet up, and unwind at the end of a long day while watching the world go by. They are celebrated in books and films as the site of important encounters and conversations.
In our increasingly digital world, however, they are being relegated more and more to a pretty place that one passes through on the way to indoor electronics and the lure of the world wide web. But with some quick, easy, and often inexpensive updates, the front porch can become the new heart of the home.
