Floor Plans, House Plans & Blueprints with Porches

Porches were originally intended for purely utilitarian function, and became popular in the American South where the summer heat was intolerable without a shaded respite. Porches also provided a way to communicate with neighbors and keep an eye on the surrounding land, a space open to nature within the safety of home. Porches lost favor in the latter part of the 20th century but are making a comeback. As you browse our collection of house plans with porches, you’ll notice that numerous house styles make use of the porch as their defining element. Choose a Craftsman home plan with a deep, shaded porch, a Greek Revival house plan with stately columns providing a grand entrance. Farmhouse, Country, Tidewater, and Bungalow house plans will also offer the comfort of outdoor living at the front of the home. Stylistic details of the porch often define the character of a house. For example, columns can be one or two stories high, round or square, light and airy, or heavy and grounding. Cornices, piers, woodwork, and rooflines are different for every style; and of course, paint color can be used to further enhance a porch's appeal. Craftsman homes usually have heavy piers that extend to ground level, with lighter columns supporting the roofline. Queen Anne homes will have woodwork painted in a variety of colors to set their unique architectural elements apart. A farmhouse usually evokes a simpler time and is often painted white with basic columns and balustrade. Today's porches still serve the utilitarian need for shade, but they are quickly becoming an extension of the interior home. Owners treat the porch as an outdoor room. Outfit your porch with fans, unique light fixtures, furniture, and artwork that suits your own personal style. Related collections: House Plans with Wraparound Porch, Farmhouse Home Plans, Country House Plans, Low Country House Plans, Southern House Plans, Victorian House Plans, Bungalow House Plans, and Craftsman House Plans.