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Issue 03 / Summer 2023 , Feature, Trends

First Impressions

Contributors Emily McAllister

First Impressions Intro

Homeowners are continuing to invest in updating their front porches. These exterior facelifts can offer a peek at the design and personality of the home behind the front door.

First Impressions Porch 1

If a home had a face, it would the front porch.

Then again, a porch is more than a pretty face. It’s a welcome spot for neighbors, guests, and packages from a recent online purchase. It’s where first day of school pictures are taken, jack-o’-lanterns shine bright, wreaths are hung, and sports flags fly. Front porches have always carried importance and now we’re seeing them take on greater importance, a place where homeowners can retreat, relax, and rejuvenate—until their package arrives.

First Impressions Collage 1
First Impressions Porch 2

Stylistically, a porch can be formal or comfortable, easy and neutral, or bold and transformative, showcasing the design and personality of the homeowners inside.

First Impressions Porch 4

Black and White Done Right

Black and white color trends continue for the front of the home. With dramatic combinations of white siding with black trim or dark—or even black—siding with white accents, this color palette is not going away. This can also carry over to the front door, using a dark wood stain or jet black paint to create a moody accent.

First Impressions Wood Entry

First Impressions Wood Door

Wood You Look at That?

Incorporating wood on the front porch adds warmth, style, and an upscale look. Whether it’s a wood furniture set, wood front door, wood entryway siding, or the porch ceiling, the natural inspiration that comes from a wood design can’t be matched.

484 Dark Espresso 5

Woodgrain Without the Work

Wood offers a rich, warm and unique tone, but many homeowners shy away from wood due to the upkeep and maintenance. That’s why many customers are looking for alternative materials that offer the look without the work. Vesta Steel Siding® from Quality Edge offers a patented and unique design that has six different woodgrains and multiple tones to create the look of wood without the hassle.

First Impressions Lavender

First Impressions Family

First Impressions Porch with fireplace

Front porches can improve the energy efficiency of your home. With the constant opening and closing of front doors, porches help heat from escaping

First Impressions Porch 7

Super Natural

From plants, flowers, and even small trees, homeowners are adding natural elements to carry their landscape through to their front porch—utilizing beams, railings, and pots to add color and greenery. Couple that with a clean siding option, wood accents done in steel to reduce any required maintenance and a bold or window-rich front door, the home becomes less of a standalone in nature and more of a natural extension of the landscape surrounding it.

First Impressions Porch 8

For many siding materials, natural growth nearby is ripe for mold and mildew. Products that don’t encourage growth, like TruCedar® and Vesta Steel Siding®, are preferred options.

First Impressions Porch Green Doors

First Impressions Porch 9

Rustic Throwback

While modern styles continue in popularity, many homeowners are looking to create a more rustic nod to the past. Whether bringing in the style through doors, furniture, or using a dark wood look for siding, the textures and visual interest creates an old-fashioned feel of the days where families spent hours sitting, entertaining, and relaxing on their front porch.

First Impressions Porch 10

Add a splash of color with vibrant plants or by painting the front door an eye-catching color.

Emily McAllister, Keller Williams
First Impressions Flowers

First Impressions Red Door

According to tradition, a homeowner would paint their door red to signify paying off their mortgage in full.

Ready to Revamp Your Exterior?

According to Emily McAllister, Realtor with Keller Williams, minor updates to exterior spaces will add value to your home and help with resale. “Updated landscaping will draw in buyers before they even walk through the door. Keep your shrubs, trees, and grass trimmed and tidy. Add a splash of color with vibrant plants or by painting the front door an eye-catching color. Consider a focal point like a flagstone walkway or a water feature.”

First Impressions Porch 6

The porch continues inside

No matter the porch’s style, designers can embrace its color palette and carry it through the home. Whether it’s more muted tones, a black and white look, or bright colors with natural wood accents, the front porch and entry into the home are not separate elements. They’re the first step into the overall design of the home.

First Impressions Interior 2

First Impressions Interior 1

First Impressions Interior 3

Thinking about these elements as continuous and not separate can create an upscale look to the home.

By thinking about these palettes as a coordinated effort, design familiarity and continuity carries throughout the space. A bold front door color finds its way to an accent pillow on a sofa. The rich look of wood on a porch ceiling could carry through into the entryway ceiling. Thinking about these elements as continuous and not separate can create an upscale look to the home and create an impression that tells the story of the homeowner—leaving a lasting impression.

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