Finding the Right Portico for Your Home

Many people love Greek architecture. The Greek portico is one of its signature and easily recognizable structures. Still influential in residential portico design, this portico can make a strong statement for your home, but you need to be wary of creating an overpowering, intimidating effect. You want the entrance to your home to be appealing, but the entrance shouldn't overwhelm the house.

Portico Design
If you're thinking about a Greek portico, you should have a fairly large house behind it. The question really becomes about scale. You don't want your portico to dominate your house. If you decide to go with a full-blown Greek portico make sure both the doors and the windows are also constructed to a large scale.

That said, ask yourself what exactly it is that you like about the Greek portico. Is it the size or the association to something historic and stately? Instead of a massive, columned portico maybe you should choose a smaller portico that will allow you to use corbels. This more discreet structure will allow you to focus on a more ornate portico design. If you take this route, make sure the rest of the trim for the house goes with this theme. One of the advantages of a portico that doesn't require columns is that your front steps can be free-standing, which will give you more options for step design.

Portico Utility and Features
A good portico design should (and will) make your home more welcoming. It provides shelter from the rain and other elements while you dig for your keys to unlock your front door. Plus, a house guest may feel more important if he or she is entering such a stately-looking home. In the end, a portico should enhance your house's ambiance. Look into all the options including different gable and dormer designs. Maybe a Greek portico is what you want or mixing styles will create an effect that satisfies your love of the historical with modern architectural sensibilities.

Your Neighborhood
When trying to decide if a large Greek portico will make your home intimidating, you should look not just at your own home, but your neighbors' as well. In a subdivision where large, elaborate houses are prevalent, a Greek portico might work well. On the other hand, if you live in a little quaint neighborhood where smaller houses are the norm, then you might want to reconsider. This point applies to more than just portico design. You want your house to stand out but it still needs to belong in its surroundings.