Porches have been part of American architecture since colonial times, reaching the height of their popularity in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The porch offered a connection between a family’s private space, inside their home, and the street outside, their community. Families gathered on their porches to chat with neighbors, read a book, and simply let go of the busy happenings of the day.

With the advent of indoor plumbing, gas and oil heat, cars, grocery stores and all of the other modern developments we take for granted the popularity of front porches began to decline. The back yard up until then was used for the vegetable garden, the coal pile and the outdoor privy; not necessarily a place where people would want to hang out. Since it was no longer necessary to use the back yard as a mini dump front porches no longer became part of the design for the American home. Leaving off the porch was a way to show a home was modern no front porch meant the family could afford all the latest conveniences. The growing popularity of television and the TV room in the 1940’s and the advent of air conditioning definitively ended the popularity of the front porch. If people were outside it was on the deck or in their backyard. The family had become more insular and the front porch was out of vogue.

As we all know, nothing stays the same and we are starting to see a new trend. It started in the late 1970’s with the master planned community Seaside, Florida. The developer, Robert Davis, wanted to capture his summer experience growing up. The architects, Andre Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk developed a whole community, more densely populated and mixed use including shops and offices as well as homes. At the time, the thinking was more enviromental than social. The designers concentrated on creating homes with deep roof overhangs and lots of windows taking advantage of cross ventilation. The porch was meant to cool the air before it circulated throughout the house. While it did accomplish this goal it also led to the creation of something else. People were outside again, the porch’s role as a place for social interaction was back.

Our busy lifestyle can keep us from taking the time to sit down and relax. The porch, furnished with comfortable furniture, family and friends and a pitcher of ice tea, is the best place to be all summer long to take a break and see what is going on in the neighborhood.