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Five Ways to Transform Your Porch

In wintertime we tend to hide away. We bundle up by the fireplace, consume hot beverages, and try not to venture outdoors unless we're well prepared. Summertime, on the other hand and as far away as it sometimes seems, is a different story. In summer we migrate outside, shed our parkas and ski caps for swim trunks and flip-flops. Our hibernating smiles and youthful vigor awaken and rise high with the summer sun.

In those warm summer months we can't get enough of the outdoors, our spare time spent sipping our cold beverage of choice on the front porch. Ah, the porch: it is like our throne during the long, sunny days and months. The porch is more than just some floorboards and a rocking chair. It is the outdoor extension of our home, our most prime summer real estate...or, at the least, it could be.

Here are five ways to transform your porch in preparation for yet another summer to be.

  1. Screen it In. If there is a downside to summertime for most of us (entomologists and Gary Larson excluded) it is the bugs. Fortunately, some relatively minor alterations could convert the porch into a bug-free zone. Screened-in porches are more common on the backside of the house, so as not to block the architectural appeal of the street side. Screened-in porches also allow more versatility; you can hang out into the evening, have worry-free meals, and keep the critters out.
  2. A Dab of Paint. It never ceases to amaze, the power of paint to transform a surface or structure. Your porch is no exception. If you're looking for a relatively quick and painless way to reinvent your porch, this is it. Bear in mind that some heavy sanding may be required.
  3. New Columns. The primary architectural feature of many porches is the column. Not only do they hold up the porch roof, they add elegance and style to the porch and the entire house. Porch columns are like gates that every visitor must walk through before entering your kingdom, so you can imagine the difference that replacing those old, crooked posts will make.
  4. Plant=Life. Plants can really bring a porch -- and home for that matter -- to life. Invest in some hooks and hanging baskets, then enjoy the vibrancy that only a living porch can bring. Combine these with some hummingbird feeders and nearby bird houses to include both flora and fauna in your relaxing summer schedule.
  5. A Summer Bedroom! The most ambitious of them all. Do you ever feel like the front porch is so entrancing that you just don't want to leave? Well I dare ask, why should you? First you'll need to screen in the porch, then simply convert it with as much bedroom furniture (starting with a small bed) as you can comfortably fit. Hammocks are always worth a thought (or two) as well. With a summer bedroom for a porch you can take full advantage of summer, with plenty of vivacity stored up for next winter.

Get to work on your new porch today with a free estimate from CalFinder-certified contractors.

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