Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
treehugger101

Any Ideas to Frame a Tiny Porch?

treehugger101
10 years ago

My front porch is miniscule. I had thought of planting double knock outs roses in red on either side. But now, I wonder if you creative geniuses would prefer some kind of dwarf conifer. What do you think? If you like the conifer idea, which kind? The bed is very narrow and gets full sun.

Comments (7)

  • treehugger101
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here is the front of the house.

  • PTLandscape
    10 years ago

    Home's small porch allows the owners to sit for a spell and admire their gardens.

  • littlebug5
    10 years ago

    I'd agree that some color, especially red, would be great. But I think the best way to frame your porch would be to beef up its support posts. The ones that are there are so narrow they look like toothpicks. You wouldn't have to remove them, just build a box around them to give them some substance.

    Also, I'd remove the pots on the porch, or maybe one of them. They take away room you don't really have to spare.

  • catkim
    10 years ago

    I wonder if putting red on either side would have a visual effect of constricting the space and making it look smaller? Maybe plant a bit away on either side to draw the eye outward? I'm not one of the 'creative geniuses' you invoke, so don't take me too seriously...

  • treehugger101
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    PTLandscape - I agree but this porch is too small for even a chair.
    Littlebug5 - I am onto the red roses idea, too. About the porch posts, you bring up another point. My porch is boring. I wish I could find decorative elements for the corners in iron or wood or a way to change the porch roof to add some style. All ideas are appreciated.
    Catkim - your idea to move them away from the porch a bit to give the idea of space is pretty clever, too.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    While the thread title is about "framing a porch" I get the sense you are more concerned with trying to make an overall, cohesive picture. I agree with littlebug's "beef up the support posts" suggestion. I see that your posts are "turned" so you might add some trim and beefing up to the square bottom portion only. Brackets could be nice, too, and the slightly beefier wood seems like it would do more for your porch than skimpier metal. I like flowers/seasonal color at each side of the entrance (as if there was anyone left who didn't know.) Whether it's the roses or something else seems not too important since your house color scheme could go with anything (I like the green door and shutters as the color appears in the photo,) but it needs to be nice, full and fat. It could be something taller at the back and something shorter in front if you wanted to work with a combination.

    But getting to the larger picture, your house seems "unprotected." There are no small trees that help it look nestled into its setting. It's exposed in all directions. I would also be inclined toward adding some shrubbery at each side of the house, at a distance from the porch for a cozier look and re-doing the bed lines. Don't know if you'd consider work like this, but enlarging the walk, directly in front of the porch to create the effect of a proper sized landing, would make the whole entrance look bigger and better. The bird bath would probably look better moved into a landscape bed rather than in the lawn. It looks lonely.

  • cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
    10 years ago

    Is rose-rosette disease in your area yet?
    If not it will be eventually- it is decimating Knock-Out roses left and right, so if you do decide on roses I would use something else.
    Rose forum people would be my choice of information and help selecting a variety.

    And I will always choose conifers or a broadleaved evergreen for anchoring the front of a home- winters can be long and it's nice if the house looks good the entire year.

Sponsored
Kuhns Contracting, Inc.
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars26 Reviews
Central Ohio's Trusted Home Remodeler Specializing in Kitchens & Baths