The previous front porch on this two-family home in New Bedford was puzzling. The owner wasn’t sure how it had evolved, but both the first- and second-floor porch levels appeared to have been added on top of previous porches, which made for very curious enclosing guardrails. (See the “before” pictures.) When the owner approached KHS, she was ready to completely remove the haphazard porches and start fresh with something more in keeping with her American Foursquare-style home.

The new porches allow more daylight to reach the interior at both levels, while maintaining privacy from the street with guardrails containing paneled piers and tightly spaced balusters. New wide steps that have lower riser heights set the stage for a gracious entry. Since low maintenance materials were a priority for this homeowner, much of the porch is comprised of Azek trim elements. The porch decking is mahogany. New tapered posts and a gently sloped upper-porch roof meet the inset upper-level guardrail in a manner reminiscent of some of the more traditional porch treatments in the neighborhood. Transforming the porches has transformed this home’s curb appeal.