Real Estate

13 porches that will inspire you to spend your summer lounging

A house is more than a collection of rooms. Each space in the home has its own rich mythology, its own symbolism. The kitchen is a domestic space, but also a social one, while the living room is the home of the hearth. Bedrooms are places of retreat and solitude, and bathrooms, well, they’re largely functional. But during the summertime, the spotlight shines on a different part of the home: the front porch. A front porch (or balcony, if you’re an upper-floor dweller) is the soul of the home during the warmer months. Long evenings are spent sitting on rocking chairs, shooting the breeze, and calling out to neighbours across the way.

Beers are consumed there, guitars are strummed. Occasionally, a friend or family member might wander by for a spirited debate, then stay to watch the sun set. But while every porch or balcony has its own magic, some are better suited for whiling away long summer hours than others. This gallery focuses on porches that make us long for drowsy summer evenings on a rocking chair.

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