“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

The famous introduction by Mr. Rogers is truly a throwback to a bygone era– the era of the Boomers, who are now swelling the ranks of the retired. The idea of 'neighbor' has changed over the past half century; it is hard to say what the word really means today. With automatic garage door openers and stockade privacy fences, most of us are hermetically-sealed from our physical neighbors. But back in Mr. Roger's day there was the most common and neighborly of architectural features designed into just about every home: the front porch. During the evening folks would walk the neighborhood streets while the children played 'Kick the Can' or (later, after the sun went down) 'Ghost in the Graveyard.' Neighbors would pause their stroll to talk with other neighbors sitting on their front porches, keeping an inattentive eye on the youngsters, who were sometimes the topic of the conversation (you couldn't get away with much in those days; everyone knew everyone, and there was always the front porch forum).

Front porches were not always a thing, but there seemed to be a time in our society's architectural development, roughly corresponding to the Boomer Generation, when the porch stoop was replaced by a long, deep covered front porch with seating for the Greatest Generation. My memory is of a long deacons' bench where my parents sat and talked with my friends' parents while we wrought mayhem around the neighborhood. Forgotten times, and forgotten porches. But they are making a comeback, and we at Designed for Downtown, LLC applaud the resurgence.

Of all the architectural features that go into the design of a new home, nothing says 'neighbor' like a usable front porch. There are several design options that can be drawn from America's architectural past: the deep, square Craftsman or the mid-century Long Porch to name just two. An open patio to the side of the entry is also very welcoming to guests, especially neighbors who just stop by to have a chat. We at Designed for Downtown, LLC love the social history of our country's architecture and love being able to bring back the welcoming front porch. Give us a call today to start the conversation about how to make your home more neighborly.