Your porch or mine?

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I’ve never thought about this, but front porches are quite uniquely American:

“The heyday of the front porch lasted from the early 1880s to the middle 1920s. Families added front porches to their homes or built new houses with elaborate porches. The porch became the comfortable spot for a summer evening where the whole family could relax after dinner. Neighbors taking an evening stroll could engage in conversation or be invited up.” (According to mlive.com)

The article goes on to say that while the 1950s brought on the decline of the front porch as families either began to prefer the privacy of their backyards or were lured to relax inside their homes, in front of the television, they have recently started to make a comeback.

On the island of Martha’s Vineyard, the front porch is alive and well. If you drive around the island, you will see lots of homes with front porches and people hanging out on them. Though I have never had a front porch, I’ve always found them to be charming. So when our new home had a porch, I was excited to give it some life. From the first time I saw mine, I knew exactly what it needed to be functional and beautiful.

We first moved into our home in March. The porch wasn’t super inviting.

The previous homeowner left behind this table and chair set. One of the chairs was broken.

The first thing I purchased for the porch offered style and function, as our home had no doorbell. I loved our glossy black front door and knew right away that a brass knocker would look amazing and help alert us when guests were stopping by. I debated between a stag head (since we are in a woodsy area), a bumble bee (because … so cute) and a whale’s tail (often associated with Martha’s Vineyard, due to its rich whaling history.) I guess, by now, you know which one I chose. (We actually added the bee to the door of Apartment Bee, because it was just too adorable not to!)

Next we added two of these Adirondack chairs. We had purchased 5 of them for the back yard, but wound up only needing 3 back there, While I initially thought I would have liked wooden ones, I read a few reviews that this particular one was perfect for withstanding the weather conditions of New England. Plus, I really love how the white pops against the house. And they were very affordable!

The next thing I did was a nod to a southern tradition: I painted my ceiling “haint blue.” As I shared on Instagram: “I first noticed this practice of painting porch ceilings blue on a trip to Charleston years ago. But it wasn’t until last year that I discovered the rich meaning behind it. And once I did, I knew I wanted to incorporate this design element into my home.

In case you missed it in my stories, haint blue ceilings can be traced back to the Gullah/Geechee people who are descendants of enslaved Africans, brought to Charleston, South Carolina in the 1500s.

But the practice has spread throughout the US, including here on Martha’s Vineyard.

“For the Gullah, a haint is a wandering spirit, a lost soul that might wish evil on the living. According to the Gullah/Geechee, a blue porch ceiling brought good luck to the home and helped to ward away evil spirits as these lost souls are unable to cross water. A haint blue porch ceiling resembles water and prevents haints from harming the people in the house.” (Mlm-inc.com)

Unlike today, when we can just pop open a can (or 3 🥴) of our favorite blue paint (and wow are there so many options!!) , the Gullah people used the indigo plant, chalk and other gathered materials to produce the formerly elusive blue hues.

Practically speaking the blue ceilings are also said to help prevent birds and wasps from building their nests on porches too.

For me it’s all about my home telling a story. Like my brass whale knocker, a nod to the history of African American whaling captains here, the ceiling is yet another acknowledgement of the contribution of the descendants of slaves to American culture and society.

I chose “Santorini Blue” by Benjamin Moore in soft gloss exterior.

The final pièce de ré·sis·tance for the porch was the addition of these Serena and Lily rattan hanging chairs (gifted). I have been obsessed with these chairs for years! Remember when I said I knew right away what I wanted for the porch? Well this was it. I just had to have them. Don’t they scream “summer breeze?” I had them professionally installed, as recommended by S&L. They are the perfect place to perch day or evening. Since hanging them, we really do enjoy being out here. (As long as we have our citronella candles burning).

Of course no vineyard porch would be complete without loads of hydrangeas.

Our vineyard porch is now complete. It turned out just as I had envisioned. And though we sit back a bit from the road, now that we will be hanging out on the porch more, maybe the neighbors will see us, and decide to stop by for a chat. I’d be open to that!

Do you enjoy hanging out on a front porch and being seen? Or do you prefer backyard for privacy?