Anyone put a porch on a 1930s house and managed to retain the period look of the facade?

[ixos]

We really could do with some extra space at the bottom of our stairs and in our hallway. One option would be to put a porch on the front and knock through but I feel this basically destroys the 1930s character of the house. It currently has the traditional 1930s brick arch with the door slightly set back from it. Other houses nearby have put porches on the front of their houses and these house now look like they could be from any post-war era. Anyone got any ideas on how to do it but still preserve the 30s feel? Thanks

I love love love that you are asking this.

We opted against a porch for the reasons you describe. Neighbours put one on, looks abysmal. They ought to be outlawed! That beautiful brick arch!

The only solution is to replicate the archway and use reclaimed brick. And a nice period door.

Is the room to just enclose the bit in front of the set back front door? Some friends of ours did this - took the original front door and put that on the front, then replaced where the front door had been with an internal door. This was for the warmth of a porch rather than extra space though, but it looks original imo.

Sixtiesqueen - agree, that beautiful brick arch! Unfortunately the crimes against period architecture are many and varied round these parts. Replicating the arch is a good idea but not sure what you would do with the porch roof?- I have never actually seen one like that in the flesh....

Janek - We could enclose the existing arch but then you lose the lovely depth of the arch.... I am not going to have a porch am I?

We have a horrid UPVC monstrosity on the front of our 30s semi. Our intention is to rip it out and replace with a half brick built in keeping with the rest of the house and matching our joined on neighbours. We don't have the lovely arch (jealous) but if we did, I would build a porch out about a metre and replicate the arch, possibly in wood with a nice tile roof and bricks to the level of the windows. Then leave it open to the side and build a nice door, with lovely side lights, into the arch. So you'd get a nice sort of churchyard gate effect, which is pretty 30s and you see a lot of round us on the mock tudor 30s semis. A good carpenter ought to be able to manage it.

Replicating the arch is a good idea but not sure what you would do with the porch roof?

My 1930s semi doesn't have an arch and never did. The open porch has a roof that slopes up to the bottom of the small upstairs bay and at either side with two pillars supporting the roof at the front corners. If you had an arch in the front wall supporting the roof and traditional style windows on the sides, it may work. Using reclaimed bricks is important to get the original look though.

I used to have a house with a lovely brick arch and a set back front door. I loved it but I couldn't work out how to make a porch work.

I think you would have to do something quite substantial in brick and, as someone already suggested, replicate the arch using matching bricks.

I can't see how you could get anything made of PVC to work.

Thanks all, some good ideas here. Maybe I won't abandon the idea just yet...

Please don't! They never look good and you might struggle to get a builder to do a faithful copy of the brick arch. Please keep it!!

I had an arch and porch but no beautiful brickwork, and filled it in with a front door, the arch was quite small so didn't need too much filling around the door, we just used wood and painted so there was no impact on the surrounding brickwork. The door is very slightly set back so you can still see the arch.

We added the extra door for warmth and security reasons though and so still have the other front door behind this so it would possibly be a cold solution if you were opening up behind.

I think it's made our house look better but this is mainly as I now have a nice wooden front door rather than a hideous pvc thing facing the world!

we did similar to moss, added door at front (beautiful sage green) 30's shape door with glass above it. we had to get a bigger than standard frame but it looks great and fits well. kept the original door as well so we have porch between the two, if we are in during the day i leave the outer door open.

Just wanted to add that we did also gain a bit of usable space as well as we put hooks up in the porch and use them for some of the coats and bags, which in turn helps keep the rest of the house a little bit tidier. Although perhaps not the kind of space that you're looking for.

Like nyancat we also keep the door open although mainly just in summer as it lightens up the hall a bit.

Not sure how big your arch is but some of the larger, nicer 30s semis round the corner from us have gorgeous double solid wood doors that look amazing.