St. Louis’ porch culture
Porches, decks & patios : moneysmart makeovers
Rick Peters.
New York, NY : Hearst Books, 2008.
Includes index.
On the porch : creating your place to watch the world go by
James M. Crisp and Sandra L. Mahoney.
Newtown, CT : Taunton Press, c2006.
The porch you choose -- The porch and the house -- The anatomy of a porch -- The finishing touches.
Ideawise porches & sunrooms : inspiration & information for the do-it-yourselfer
Jerri Farris.
Chanhassen, Minn. : Creative Pub. International, c2006.
Includes index.
Patios, porches & verandas
Editor, Ana Canizares ; Art director, Mireia Casanovas Soley.
Gloucester, Mass. : Rockport , 2006.
"Whether a house is in the city, out in the country, or near the water, the presence of a patio, a porch or a veranda can provide an important connection between the interior realm of a home and the external context of a residence. Depending on the location, a porch can serve different functions. In the city, it is a refuge from the loud, hectic traffic; in the countryside, it serves as a platform from which to admire the landscape. These spaces, at the border between interior and exterior, can also be used as outdoor dining rooms and sitting rooms, play rooms, or just intermediate ambiences where one can relax and enjoy the surroundings. This volume gathers a selection of international examples of patios, porches, and verandas where the reader will find inspirational design ideas and tips to make the most out of these spaces. Special attention to furniture and plants will help to create great projects."--BOOK JACKET.
Some old St. Louis neighborhoods have a feature integral to each house on the block: a front porch. These porches provided a great place for neighborly interaction. They contributed to a strong community at a time when knowing your neighbor built the fabric of the neighborhood.
Porches are an architectural element that came to St. Louis from warmer climates. The porch provided protection from the weather and it was a few degrees cooler than the home’s interior. On a summer evening residents could catch a breeze on their porch. While cooling off they could chat with neighbors next door, watch those who pass in the street, and keep an eye on children playing out front.
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“It was a double house, and the big open place be-twixt them was roofed and floored, and sometimes the table was set there in the middle of the day, and it was a cool, comfortable place. Nothing couldn’t be better.”
From The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain |
Young men courted young women on the porch under the watchful eyes of family. Families slept outside on the porch during extreme heat. Casual furniture provided an ambiance of leisure along with that classic seat: the porch swing. Reading in the porch swing while sipping ice tea is a beloved tradition of a more slow paced time.
Porches lost favor with the advent of air conditioning, the automobile, and changing tastes of the public. As people shifted focus to their back yards for recreation and privacy, the neighborliness of porch culture disappeared. But today the porch has made a comeback. New homes are being built with porches that promise rest and comfort, an appealing symbol of leisure for our busy lives.
More about porches
Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff.
