Earlier this year, we wrote about deck design trends. But what has been on-trend for porches this year?
Ample outdoor living spaces have become more important than ever. When 2020 saw us canceling vacations and spending more time at home, we all began to realize the importance of having a place to escape and unwind. The trend for outdoor areas to relax and entertain remains strong here at the end of 2021. Porches are not just porches anymore. They are well-appointed living spaces, which boast essential comfort amenities. If you are thinking of building a new porch, here are some considerations to make it the best space for your needs.
- Porch screens
Archadeck of Kansas City builds covered decks and porches, but most of our porch clients prefer screened in porches. A porch screen system is the first best way to make your porch more usable. Screens are sought-after for keeping porches more private from the outside and protected on the inside. What’s more, Archadeck of Kansas City only uses PetScreen®, the best porch screen system on the market.
Screens are the biggest porch trend in the Kansas City market
- Outdoor fireplaces
Outdoor porch fireplaces are still a popular porch design trend here in 2021 and we expect that to continue beyond this year. What homeowners are realizing now, is that fireplaces are often more a decorative focal point than a heat source. While an outdoor fireplace will cozy-up a porch or deck on a cool autumn day, it will not provide ample heat on cold days. Which leads us to our next porch trend.
Outdoor fireplaces are still a popular porch trend in 2021.
- Radiant heating
You can have your ambient fireplace and mounted radiant porch heating too! Archadeck of Kansas City owner, Dan Hall, estimates that 40% of their porch designs in 2021 have included radiant heaters. Radiant heat works like the sun, warming the object (or body) in its path, rather than the air inside the porch. Radiant heaters are incredibly useful and will give you more hours on your porch each year, likely beyond what you ever imagined.
Radiant heaters are trending-up in 2021.
- TV walls
A TV wall is the perfect solution for clients, who choose to forego an outdoor fireplace, but still want to have a television on their porch. Archadeck of Kansas City customizes TV walls, not only with the materials used to build them, but also with their placement. Placement of a porch TV wall will depend on a couple of criteria. If you have close neighbors, you might wish to position your wall to create privacy on your porch. If you have harsh morning or evening sun, you might rather have your wall placed to block it when you use your porch. Otherwise, you might prefer to have your TV tucked away from the elements, mounted in a corner close to your home. These are all considerations that would be discussed during your porch design process.
Porch TV walls are in demand in 2021.
- Skylights
A porch is an outdoor space, and you might be inclined to think that it will have enough natural light by virtue of that alone. However, if your home’s original design disallows a tall gable roof, your porch could become darker than you imagined. Not only that, but the interior spaces beyond your porch could also be darkened by the addition of the porch roof right outside. Porch skylights are perfect for such a scenario.
Skylights will allow bountiful sunlight inside your porch and home.
- Custom lighting
Archadeck of Kansas City’s porch designs are customized from top to bottom, inside and out. One of the ways that our clients express themselves through design finishes is with custom porch lighting. From sconces to chandeliers to rope lighting, your porch can become a standout with stylish and ultimately useful lighting.
Custom porch lighting is a trend that is fast becoming a staple.
- Built-in tables
Built-in drink and/or dining surfaces very useful, especially on porches with limited space. A built-in snack bar or added drink rail ledge can be super-accommodating for entertaining or privately dining on your porch. These simple, yet thoughtful design elements are shining examples of why the Archadeck design process works so well for our clients.
Archadeck can include a bar, table, or drink ledge, built right into your porch design.
Are you ready to discuss your 2022 porch design? Get in touch with our award-winning Design Consultants for a custom consultation by calling 913-851-3325 or emailing kansascity@archadeck.net.
