Come Sit a While

Here we are in the middle of snow and minus zero wind chills and I'm thinking of outdoor structures. Hot chocolate today - lemonade this summer.

If you don't have a place to enjoy the outdoors, let's think about some options.

Porch:

It's nice if they are large enough to position furniture. Today, we see fully furnished porches. It's much like decorating a living room.

Porches are covered and should provide shade in the summer and a measure of protection from the elements in the winter.

A front porch should complement the home's style. Porches are not an inexpensive project. It take good carpentry and design skills to construct a sound and pleasing porch.

Screened porches allow outdoor use during the "buggy months" of summer. Obviously, they also require a door.

Deck:

Decks are often at the back of a home because they tend to be constructed more informally and in conjunction with other entertainment. They complement a more contemporary home and are less expensive than a full porch.

A deck without a solid roof decreases cost. If built low enough to the ground, it doesn't need sides. Some urban buildings have roof-top decks which require significant investment and skill to construct.

Pergola:

Pergolas can be rustic and simple or formal and imposing. Most often, they are not attached to another structure. They don't have screen or a solid roof although most provide some kind of material for plants to climb up and over.

Gazebo:

Gazebos are much like a pergola except they have a solid roof and may be screened.

Patio:

A patio is usually a part of the landscaping and seldom is higher than ground level. As with a deck, they are sometimes used in conjunction with pools, cooking and other entertainment. Patios can be at either end of the price range.

Three or Four Season Rooms:

Cost is similar to adding another full room to your home unless you convert an older porch. The room has two or three walls with a large expanse of windows.

A three season room uses less energy saving materials and often has no heat/AC. Four season rooms are basically built the same as the rest of the house in all ways except it has more windows.

Sleeping Porch:

These are typically found on the second floor of older homes. They were used on hot nights to catch the breezes. Most people used folding cots. I've only seen a few of these added to new homes but as energy costs sour, they may become viable again.

The Commentary:

Our grandparents simply took a dining room chair, a glass of homemade lemonade and sat on the porch after supper in the summer. It was the coolest place to relax and visit with family and friends.

The decoration was perhaps a bench used to take off your shoes and maybe one of mom's house plants. It was on the south side of the house and had a big shade tree on the west side.

The porch was where you watched your children use the last bit of the day's energy while catching fireflies or playing tag.

If it was the weekend, mom usually brought out some homemade pie. And if you lived in the country, you could bet that your big city friends and family would be there on those hot nights to catch a little breeze they couldn't find on their porches.

It was where your teen's date called and was inspected by the entire family. It's where families laughed and talked to each other as the source of the family's entertainment.

It's where town neighbors waved or stopped to catch up on the latest gossip or just good visiting.

May I venture a question for you to ponder? Outdoor "sittin' places" have evolved into elaborate expensive entertainment centers. Could we have enhanced ourselves right out of the benefits?