Importance of Porchs in Small Modern House Designs

What is a Porch area?

The textual traces of this word can be found in Latin- ‘Porticus’ and Old French- ‘Porche’. Both of these words mean a gallery or a space in front of the main gate of the building. In the early era of the Greeks and French people used to have a nice front opening in their worship area. This used to be part of a religious area only. From the mid-60’s-70’s this concept started to be perceived among residents due to its great aesthetics in modern times, Porch in either big or small house floor plans, has become a popular choice.

A Porch area is a covered space that is joined to a building's entryway. They might have a detachable roof or be lower in height and attached to the building's roof. Creating a porch area serves the dual purposes of drawing attention to the entrance, enhancing its beauty, and providing the space with natural ventilation. The porch area provides your home's first impression. Its styling could give one an idea of the house's style. Frequently, it is also observed that these spaces may function as multipurpose spaces when needed. The significance of Porch is explained by the design architects' own journal on Nakshewala.com, an excellent resource for all your architectural design needs.

Importance of Porch Area

Let’s see why a porch area has become a popular choice in big and small homes–

Provide Private Space

The finest place to truly experience yourself is outside on the porch. If a porch is well-designed and well-maintained, you can spend the most tranquil moments of your life. Isn't it a wonderful feeling to enjoy your morning coffee as the first gentle rays of the sun caress your face and a cool breeze caresses you? Porch areas are valuable in tiny houses because, as small house floor plans utilize areas with limited personal space, even a small porch outside the door can be designed to fulfill this function.

Increased Functionality

On a brighter note, it's true that "there is never enough space to meet your needs; they always grow." As a result, how can one anticipate a home's design plan to stagnate when contemporary wants are unrestricted? However, in reality, it's not viable to design a new area to accommodate your evolving requirements. Because this space can be readily altered to accommodate changing needs, it popularizes the idea of open kitchens and floor plans, which in turn promotes the idea of a porch in small modern house designs.

Additional Storage Space

Porches add storage space in the house that helps in keeping the home organized and decluttered. In small home floor plans, this is one of the important factors that is kept in mind. When the prime requirement is to fit all your amenities in a small room, considering a porch area is the best idea, as it can be used for multipurpose and can be customized as per the needs of the storage aspect. One of the most popular porch styles that is used for multi-utility and storage aspects is the verandah style and wrap-around style porch.

Source of Ventilation

One of the most significant ventilation sources is a porch. When utilized wisely, these open areas can also lessen the need for artificial lighting, giving a house "sustainable good lighting" in addition to good lighting. According to Vastu research, houses with ample ventilation are beneficial for both peace of mind and health, keeping away negativity too. The addition of air and sunlight keeps a house feeling new and free of problems like termites and wetness. For this reason, open spaces such as a porch are essential in modern small-house designs.

Improves Resale Value

Research says it increases 10% to 30% of the sale value, depending upon the real estate market and functionality of the porch. This open area raises the overall square footage value and improves curb appeal to purchasers. Prospective buyers see the porch and other open spaces as a place where they may design something fresh, where no walls will be taken down.

Three Types of Porchs You Can Make in a Small Modern House Design

1. Verandah

Yes! Verandahs are one of the types of porch style. They are generally open-air-style porches, used for ventilation, and family gatherings. This is however, an old concept but in modern times this type of porc style is popular in homes where a verandah is incorporated in the back of the home or in centre of the home to keep all rooms ventilated and airy. Check out these modern small house floor plans with a porch area designed by Nakshewala.com

2. Patio

This kind of porch design is usually made for two reasons: to provide an elegant outside living space, or to improve amenities storage like parking. However, the core concept of the patio is to keep it unroofed and detached from the house but modern needs have changed a lot in it. When constructed with a partially covered section, they serve as a cozy outdoor dining area, lounging area, etc. This idea was also borrowed from colonial areas when people would get together for outdoor parties complete with food and bonfires.

3. Wraparound Porch

A wraparound porch is the better option if you can't decide between a front and a back porch. You can utilize the rear side as the utility area and the front as the leisure space when you use this idea in your small house floor plan. As the name implies, a lobby-like walking space is wrapped around all the walls, and the width of the space may rise or shrink depending on the utility. Even the side entrances can be utilized for numerous purposes. One example of this is a wrap-around.

The Last Say

In small house designs the role of porches becomes critical because they are the multi utility area which a small house is always in need of. Besides, they create a seamless transition between the interiors and exteriors of the house. Porches when incorporated smartly into a house plan can bring surprises, where they become the most loved area which offer chances for conversation, unwinding, and taking in the surroundings. They improve curb appeal and raise property values while decreasing heat gain and shading windows to further aid in energy efficiency.