Front Porch Living Series: Every Season is Porch Season
It’s the perfect place to watch butterflies and hear cicadas.
It doubles as an early morning launch pad before heading out for the day and is often the space where laughter echoes long after everyone else has gone to bed.
You can dress it up like an extension of your home, decorate it for every season or make it your refuge when things inside just feel a little too busy.
We’re, of course, talking about your home’s front porch. Honestly, it’s one of our favorite rooms in the house.
Welcome back to another installment of our Front Porch Living series.
Think front porches can’t be a year-round escape or gathering place? Think again. Especially here in Central Florida, where winter has a whole other way of doing things. Cooler yet unfrigid. Mild yet never monotonous.
In this installment, we’re sharing some tips for year-round porch indulgence, very much in the Sunbridge way. Because we believe spending as much time outdoors as possible is always a good thing. And having a front porch makes that even easier.
Why Central Florida’s Winters Are Made for Front Porch Living
Humor us: Do you ever check your weather app during winter to see what the forecast looks like in warmer zip codes?
If you’re considering a move to Sunbridge, next time you do, punch 34771 into the destination field. You’ll be greeted with a sun icon and an average temperature between 64 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
That’s the perfect temperature for all kinds of outdoor activities.
It’s also the perfect temperature for a morning, or even a whole season, on the front porch.
Yes, Central Florida’s winters are great for getting away while much of the rest of the lower 48 is bundling up. But these mild days also offer a whole other season of enjoyment, adding to the region’s delightfully pleasant climate.
While front porches elsewhere might be gathering leaves or even snow between holiday decorations, that’s hardly the case here in Sunbridge. From watching the sunrise to watching the stars, front porch living in winter is just getting warmed up. Pun very much intended.
Design Do’s and Don’ts for 365 Days of Enjoyment
Of course, enjoying your front porch year-round is about more than the weather.
A little thought about how you furnish, light and landscape the space can make all the difference.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a porch that’s comfortable, functional and ready for every season.
Do:
- Choose furniture that’s appropriately scaled to your porch.
- Opt for outdoor-rated fabrics and materials that can handle Florida’s humidity.
- Layer lighting to create ambiance while keeping the space safe and functional.
- Keep landscaping maintained and sightlines open to create a welcoming connection to the street.
Don’t:
- Overcrowd the porch with too many accessories or furnishings.
- Choose untreated wood furniture that won’t hold up to the elements.
- Block the visual connection between your porch and the street.
When in doubt, keep it simple. Remember, a well-designed porch should feel intentional, comfortable and welcoming, not cluttered.
Get More From Your Porch
Once you’ve got the basics covered, why not give your porch a little extra personality?
A few thoughtful upgrades can help make it everything you want it to be, whether that’s the place on your block where everyone gathers on Friday nights or your own secret spot to type up your next blog for the Front Porch Living series (speaking for ourselves).
Consider a ceiling fan for those warmer afternoons, statement lighting for evening gatherings, a collection of planters and layered greenery, or sink-right-in outdoor seating that makes it hard to come back inside.
These aren’t just pretty additions, either. The more usable your porch becomes, the more you’ll enjoy it day to day, and the more value it can bring to your home over time.
Front porch pro tip: Invest in the things that make you actually want to hang out on your porch. If that’s formal wicker furniture, yay! If not, also fine. You be you. After all, that’s kind of the point.
Every Season, Every Age, Every Stage
One of the best things about living in Sunbridge? We have homes that grow with you.
And that adaptable home design extends to the front porch.
Just as a front porch serves different purposes throughout the year, it can also evolve with you through different stages of life.
Young families: Enjoy a little fresh air while keeping an eye on outdoor play and staying connected with neighbors. Make the most of outdoor toy storage with bins that help turn the porch into a year-round playroom for the little ones.
Empty nesters: Turn your front porch into a peaceful retreat for morning coffee, a good book or absolutely nothing at all (isn’t that what our favorite spaces are for?).
Multigenerational households: Make room for everyone with another place to come together, catch up and enjoy a little time outside.
Beyond the Front Porch
As a community built around the idea of spending as much time outdoors as possible, we don’t think your home should separate you from nature. It should feel like part of it.
Take a look at how our community is designed (or the super cool renderings of Weslyn Park’s new waterfront amenity center, Cypress House) and you’ll soon realize we’re built for, in and around our natural surroundings. Not as a barrier to them.
Adaptable home design can and should blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Homes like ICI Homes’ Brooklyn model at Weslyn Park showcase this perfectly. Expansive windows bring natural light into the living spaces, while a spacious covered lanai extends the home’s living and entertaining areas outdoors.
These details make it easier to enjoy the Sunbridge Naturehood, from both inside and out.
It’s your new favorite room in the house. Except it isn’t actually IN your house.
It’s enjoying outdoor living, all year long and in every season.
It’s living the Sunbridge life.
Stay tuned for more articles on front porch living and design in the coming months.
Ready to experience the front porch life in Sunbridge? Swing by Basecamp and spend some time with us.
What’s Happening