On the Porch: Creating Your Place to Watch the World Go By

James Crisp is my favorite architect. I have followed his elegant and classic work for years.Book has info and ideas for those considering adding or renovating a porch. It helped me immensely.

I bought this book because I have a very basic ranch house -- your plain rectangle, 70' wide (including a 2-car garage) and 30' deep. My house has a few nice touches, like a big bay window in the living room, but otherwise it's really simple. I live in New England and love old houses with big front porches, which are very common in my area (don't ask me why I ended up with a relatively new ranch!), so I am thinking about adding a big front porch IF I can do it without it looking like something just stuck on to the front of my house. In addition to photos, I wanted info on proportions, rooflines, engineering considerations, etc. This book is NOT a good resource for someone in my situation as there are virtually no ranch houses in it, and literally zero ideas that would work. On the other hand, if what you want is a book to give you ideas for other kinds of houses, it might be a good resource. The pictures really are gorgeous, and it has some how-to info (although not nearly as much as I would have liked, given that the authors are architects), so it's also good for "dreaming." I don't regret buying it as I got a great copy used at a fair price, and I also like a lot of the ideas and may be able to incorporate them into my future "dream house," but I'm disappointed that it's basically useless for my current house.

Have you started to think about adding a porch to your home or camp? This book is a great read discussing different approaches,great photos, and thoughts about the type of porch you might build. For example, want to create a porch that is inviting and welcomes friends and neighbors to sit? Maybe you are contemplating a porch where you have some privacy to enjoy the view of the lake, this book talks about details to consider when designing your very own. As I poured over the pages I realized that a new porch entailed more than a few boards, rocking chairs, and plants. I have a lot more to consider before the final design but in the end the time taken will save me from disappointment, my money will be spent wisely, and I will be able to enjoy the end product without all those thoughts that begin with: "I wish I had done this instead..."

I have always loved a porch. I discovered this book when we toured Pleasant Hill B&B in Natchez MS. Their porch is shown in this fantastic book. So I ordered it. This book has the best of ideas for a porch - be it in a wooded lot, beach or in a town setting. The photography and write ups are superb in quality. If you love a porch like me or are planning to build one or remodel an existing porch, this book would be a "must" to research.

Great book! Explores different styles of porches and provides inspiration for anyone remodeling or building a home that will include a porch.

Good photographs, ideas, and designs. Will make you long for the lazy days of summer. I took many ideas from this for my own porches.

Love all the photos and fun ideas.

My husband loved this book.