Ornate front porch

[thegreenlight]

My 30s house has a very boring and plain frontage - we have decided to stay and do some work. We are having a bay fitted and I thought a porch would be nice (currently have arched doorway but no porch as it has been filled in to make the hall bigger). I started simple but things have escalated and I have fallen in love with this porch - planning on painting it this colour and having matching taupe/mushroom door and windows too. What do we think? Too much? I thought it had a bit of a 30s vibe maybe?

This is a wider/bigger more ornate version of what I was trying to describe but is more in keeping with a 30s house.

Porches seem to be on houses that don’t have the arch as obviously originally the arch WAS the porch. I just don’t want it to look tacky. Thinking of swearing off a porch altogether! I was thinking about joining the roof porch to the roof of the new bay and having the wooden posts down. Maybe tiling to the front. I’m not sure wether it will look weird with the arch though

Or this

That is lovely SwedishEdith!

taking the roof line across does look better and will look less disjointed, particularly since the house is quite small

It's lovely but doesn't work with the architecture of your house.

I actually really love the curved arch feature and would have the doorway inset which will make it stand out more (I know you don't want that though).

Like others, I think wait until you have got the bay done. I would get a 1930s style door though, like the example @JoJoSM2 and @SwedishEdith had, rather than the more traditional rectangle glazed panels to the top (which is more Victorian).

It's a lovely house op- I think you need to learn to love it more!!

We put this small canopy over our door and replaced the door with a victorian stained glass one and it looked lovely - but it is a victorian house.

I agree a proper curved front door to fit the space - it will look big and generous instead of cramped like it does right now.

Then maybe a semi circular trellis of the right size to fit above the arch, and a planter each side (or just one side) of the front door with a clematis or rose growing up and over the trellis.

A bit more presence and floral charm without trying to change the era/style.

Someone in our area has done this - I think it looks lovely but maybe not as ornate as your original

@SwedishEdith

Love that porch!

OP, if you go with that bay and porch idea, would it be possible to just change the shape of the opening of the door so that you can get a traditional 30’s door + side window in it?

So - I’ve reconsidered and come up with this. Please excuse the poor mockup . So a roof that goes right across the new box bay with wooden pillars and curves either painted the same as the door or oak and the bit under the roof tiled? Is that more in keeping? What do we think?

@SwedishEdith I stand corrected LOL, it's a 30s house but guess door more recent!

OP, that looks/sounds a lot like my 20’s house. With a nice stained glass door + tiling + plants, it’s really quite pretty. Even if I say so myself.

@SwedishEdith: I love your example, it's perfect for my new porch except we want a proper porch, not just a storm porch so I'm not sure if that would look good.

OP, I really sympathise, it's so hard to get right.

OP what would the square meterage of the porch be with that style? Remember you need planing for anything over 3m2

Honestly I think that looks worse op, I think you just need something less ornate really than the first but not as extravagant as the second.

I wouldn’t say the second is extravagant. Very plain wooden supports. I don’t really want just a bog standard oak porch on the front because that does look like an add on.

DH just told me he doesn’t like it anyway. How about a separate simpler but still painted porch?

Afraid I don't like either of your recent options. Too twee looking which would jar.

Honestly, I think get the bay and then see- the bay might be enough though!

What about this?

Or this

I rather liked your second design/mock up.

How about a door canopy like this:

Update! I think we’ve decided! Agate grey windows and doors with an extended roof and 30s style tiles underneath in front of the door. Thinking a short brick wall the same highly as the one under the bay with a post painted the same as the windows. Thankyou for all the advice I have had on here! I really appreciate it. It has helped so much!

That looks rather nice op! Well done! My only slight (and unsolicited) advice would be to get a 30s style door rather than the one showing in your pic. It will make the arched opening stand out more.

Good luck!

Thankyou OliviaBenson! It was a bit of a slog but happier now. It was the only arched door I could find in an agate grey for my mock up but will investigate other designs now. I also have to choose some tiles for the porch! There are so many gorgeous ones to choose from! I really think it gives the house kerb appeal though - however it will be the only house on my road that looks remotely 30s