On the Porch: Creating Your Place to Watch the World Go By

Architects James Crisp and Sandra Mahoney offer a complete design guide to porches, from considering the porch's function to choosing wood alternatives, lighting and finishing design touches. Some of their advice:
Before designing a porch, research zoning regulations, such as minimum setback from your property line and percentage of your property that can be covered with a structure.
Homeowners often make the mistake of allowing just enough space on the porch for furniture, without thinking about how much they'll move around it. Although it's possible to squeeze quite a few chairs around atable, guests will be more comfortable if they can pull them out, stand behind them and allow others to get by.
When debating the choice of a screen porch with an open-air porch, consider that a screened porch will dim the natural light inside your home. On an open-air porch, you will have to deal with bugs.
A porch doesn't have to look like it's from the 19th century. Modern porches are sleeker, taller and more open.
Add an extra design element to your wood flooring by laying the boards in creative ways, on the diagonal or in a geometric pattern.
Composites have entered the market as decking and have made the transition to trim pieces and boards, providing good weather-resistant material.