The Threshold
Some parts of a house matter more than others. The front porch is the first impression. The transition point for arrivals and departures. When guests arrive and stand for a moment, it sets the tone.
When we bought this house, a garrison colonial, the entry was small and plain. The front door opened directly into a crowded hallway facing a staircase. There was no room to greet guests or take off boots in the winter.
So one of our first remodeling projects as young homeowners was to bump out the front foyer and add a larger roof overhang to the porch entry. We designed and built it ourselves. At the time, we thought it was beautiful.
Early DIY of the front porch.
As the years passed, we decorated the porch with the seasons, we took photographs there on our way out to parties. Dogs slept on it in the summer. Pumpkins and mums appeared every fall.
The house changed over time. We added the barn wing and leaned harder into a craftsman style. Deeper trim. Metal roofing. Corbels. Then this year we had to deal with a practical problem. The original porch design had a flaw. We had not pushed the facade back far enough beneath the roofline. It was a rookie DIY mistake. After twenty-five New York winters, rain and snow had started to rot the wood trim.
Before the barn addition.
Once I decided to renovate the front entry for a second time, I gathered inspiration photos and mocked up ideas. Then our contractor Reggie and I worked through what could actually be built within the limits of cost, structure, and weather.
Inspo pic for the 2nd renovation
Then came the ugly stage. Scaffolding and sawdust. Every renovation passes through this phase and having a trusted contractor partner minimizes anxiety.
Work in Progress
Final Reveal
It took about 3 weeks in total, and the front entry renovation is now complete. All we need now is some potted plants and a couple of Mint Juleps.
