My wife went to bed really early on Saturday night, and since I was all alone with nowhere to go, I decided to have a couple of drinks, alone, with no adult supervision. When this happens, you just have no idea where the night is going to go. Sometimes, things get wild…
Sometimes, I end up running to the laptop and making a list of something exceptionally-random in Excel, like all the countries I’ve been to, or all of Will Smith’s action movies. Don’t ask me why. I have extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder, and when you feel like you need to make an Excel spreadsheet with all of Will Smith’s action movies, you simply do make an Excel spreadsheet with all of Will Smith’s action movies…
Sometimes, I find myself lost deep in a Wikipedia-hole, so far from where I started, that I just can’t remember. You start out reading about World War II, and 92-clicks-later, you’re reading about baby cows.
Sometimes, I just lay on the couch and read song lyrics. What’s more interesting: reading lyrics from the 1950’s and trying to imagine the parents going insane because somebody had the audacity to sing, “I wanna hold your hand,” or reading hip hop lyrics and trying to find the meaning.?
Saturday night, for whatever reason, I found myself online searching for, and researching, a consumer product that I just decided, for whatever reason, I had to own: a record player.
I’m not sure where this came from, but I think I heard a song that opened with the vintage and unmistakable sound of a record-needle touching down on vinyl, and I thought, “That’s what I need in my life! That’s what’s missing!”
An hour later, I’ve bookmarked nine record-players, and I’ve already favourited a dozen LP’s on Ebay.
By Tuesday, I had already given up the dream.
As a colleague explained, the record player necessitates a receiver, speakers, maybe even a subwoofer, who knows. The cords alone would drive me nuts. And then is it a vintage record-player, or a modern one? What make and model? If it’s new, is it Bluetooth? Does it have a USB? Wifi? Does it work with Netscape Navigator and can I play Warcraft on it? I mean, what the hell do I know about turntables?
I think I’m just a sucker for nostalgia.
Maybe it’s why I collect G.I Joes and 1930’s hockey cards.
Perhaps it’s why I love Victorian and Edwardian homes in Toronto even though I know nothing about architecture.
And then this week, I got thinking about a feature of a home that has really fallen by the wayside, and while many features with this description may come to mind, this one is incredibly specific, and probably quite random: the front porch.
When I walked home from school in the 1980’s, I would always be able to see my front porch from a half-block away. As soon as I got to Rumsey Road, looking east down Parkhurst Boulevard, I could make out the image of my mother sitting in one of two chairs on the porch.
There was something so special about that. Being a child, walking home at the end of the day, and wanting your mother to be there waiting for you. And my mother was always sitting on the front porch. Sometimes she was reading the newspaper, sometimes she was enjoying a refreshing Diet Coke, and sometimes she was just sitting and watching the world go by.
Do people do that anymore? “Sit and watch the world go by?”
It’s one of those silly quotes that listing agents put in the MLS Write-Up that I always think is misguided, since there’s more value in using those precious characters to write, “New Roof (2019), HWT (2018,” etc.
But is this even a pastime that still exists in 2019?
Do people have the time or wherewithal to sit still for this long doing nothing?
If the answer is, “No,” then I have a very important question that will result in an interesting, albeit highly specialized discussion about real estate: Why do people still have front porches?
If you’re not going to sit out there, then why bother having a porch?
I ask this because when it comes to a certain segment of the Toronto housing market, this question, and your answer, might affect how you live – both in terms of the amount of space you have, as well as how you use it.
Recognizing that this is a very random and somewhat specialized post, I wanted to give you my two cents on how many people are wasting space in their Toronto homes.
Now first, consider that in terms of your “front porch,” I’m not talking about homes like this:
Yeah, that’s a bit different.
I think if we had a porch like that, we would all use it.
Probably drinking iced tea in a seersucker suit, preparing for a meal involving shrimp.
But not all front porches look like this:
In fact, none of them in Toronto do!
What I want to talk about today are the front porches that exist with most semi-detached, 2-storey homes.
Ones that look like this:
That is a very classic front porch, if not unspectacular.
You can say what you want about curb appeal, but this porch does have room for two chairs and an end-table for coffee, beer, and an ashtray if people still do that sort of thing. Although don’t people all vape now? I heard it’s all the rage, and it’s not bad for you…
Now you might say that the above home’s front porch lacks curb appeal, and that’s fine.
here’s one with a little more elegance:
So what’s my point, and where am I going with this?
Well, take a look at this photo, and let me know what you see:
What do you see?
I mean, aside from two chairs nobody would ever sit in, unless it was a buyer, at an open house, sitting down on a staging chair to tie his shoes.
Or better yet, what do you not see here?
Anybody?
How about a closet?
How about a front hall?
This is a growing trend in Toronto semi-detached homes, where people are taking “open concept” to a whole new level.
Don’t get me wrong, I love open concept. But I also would love a place to put more than two coats, and maybe one pair of shoes?
So what is a person to do?
Well, if it’s not obvious by now, then you haven’t been following along: cover the front porch.
A covered porch? Ewwww, right? Tacky, unsightly, and lacking “curb appeal.”
Sure, but for the beauty of the red brick and front door frame, you have absolutely nowhere to put your stuff.
Let’s look at another example, this one from a gorgeous, fully-renovated home:
Here you see a front entrance where they’ve got a coat-rack on the wall for 4-5 coats, but of course none are present, because to stage, you need to de-clutter.
They have, however, put a small divider between the “foyer” and the living room.
Here’s another angle:
That is all that separates your “front hall” from your sofa.
And it’s basically like walking right into your living room from the street.
Again, don’t get me wrong – many people love this style, and it’s extremely common. Since we see this in most condos, many home-buyers don’t mind the layout when they’re moving from a condo to a house.
And not everybody wants a covered front porch that looks like this:
I get it – this house doesn’t have as much curb appeal as it would if the front porch weren’t covered. But these folks probably have room for their coats, shoes, boots, hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, helmets, umbrellas, sweaters, gym bags, and more.
Now there are alternatives to the covered porch, but they’re half-measures, in my mind.
This is an example of a wall dividing the foyer and living room, but the coat-rack still extends well down the brick wall into the living room:
This foyer is covered, which works much better:
Now at least when you hang your coats, you can’t see them from the living, dining, or kitchen.
But you still lack storage space, especially when you compare to a covered front porch.
So what about implementing storage?
How about this:
That works, for sure.
But it blocks the stairway and kills the flow, at least, in the view of some buyers.
So honestly, tell me what’s wrong with this:
Does it lack curb appeal?
Is curb appeal more important than function?
Here’s the inside of the covered porch:
Now while this is still “staged” with the two chairs and table that nobody would ever have if their porch was covered, you can imagine how much storage space this provides for a growing family.
The cupboard alone in the background holds about ten times what the standard coat rack inside the front doorway would.
And then imagine those chairs replaced with a storage box, and a bench where the kids can sit to put on their shoes.
Maybe the rollerblades and running shoes can be neatly lined up across the base of the brick.
Or, you could just go with this:
Really, really pretty, I know.
But how often will you sit in these chairs and “watch the world go by?”
The decision is yours in the end.
I have clients that think the idea of covering a front porch is sacrosanct, but others simply need the space, and I find those that have children understand the value of functionality over aesthetics.
Sometimes, it depends on the house itself. There are houses that, no matter how bad you need the space, would look awful with covered front porches, but I would probably argue that most of the housing stock on the east and west sides, much like the houses shown above, would clearly benefit from the transition.
Tell me if I’m wrong – especially those of you who live in semi-detached houses with children…
Francesca
at 7:03 am
In the area of Marham where I live, Cornell Village, houses were built with this new urbanism in mind where the garages are tucked in the back via alleyways and most houses have front porches. The whole idea was created to mimic city living and to encourage residents to walk more and to meet neighbours while they sit on the porch. I have to say that in our area more people sit and congregate on their front porch then in their backyard. In fact when we first moved into our area 10 years ago this is exactly how I met many of my neighbours. There is a big sense of community in our area and I think this somehow helps vs regular suburban homes where people drive into their garages and disappear. The main difference though is that since these are modern, larger homes, we do have a proper closet to hang coats and a proper separate hallway/entrance so that you aren’t literally just stepping into your living room the moment you open the front door. Most houses have mudrooms via the back of the house, most connected to their garage, where you can put shoes etc when you come into the house that way. In terms of Toronto homes with porches as pretty as they are, in terms of practicality, I think having it covered with a proper mud room and storage for coats etc makes more sense especially if this is the main way its residents enter the house. As an alternative I like the photo of the house with a small door separating the entrance with the hooks. That way if you have guests over in the winter you can keep that door close while people come in and hang their coats and take off the shoes so that everybody sitting in the living room doesn’t freeze in the meantime. I always wondered when these houses were originally built, what did people do with their stuff? I guess it’s the same reason that bedrooms had such small closets too..people lived with less things? I’m sure with a growing family the to cover or not to cover the front porch becomes a normal dilemma.
Geoffrey
at 8:45 am
Ha so funny. So when my wife and I bought our house, she loved the fact that we had a covered porch and I hadn’t even noticed it. But now when it’s March and my kid’s snow suit is soaking and the boots are muddy and we have guests over, and all that crap is out of the house (we do have a small closet by the front entrance, so double winners on that one on our Toronto house) it’s so much easier to manage. We do however never, and I mean, never, just sit out on it — there’s just something wrong about sitting outside in a covered porch.
A Grant
at 2:09 pm
Speaking for myself, I think the mileage one gets out of a front porch depends on:
1. Whether your neighbourhood is walkable/bikeable. Is it conducive to interactions with your neighbours? In effect, is “watching the world go by” actually interesting?
2. Do you have kids? If so, I can see the appeal of having the extra storage space instead. And especially if one has young kids, you’re probably less inclined to leave them alone in the house while you have a glass of wine on the porch.
Jennifer
at 8:50 am
I think covered porches are ugly!
Corey
at 2:22 pm
We are a family with two children living in a semi in Leslieville. Our house has an open front porch facing east, which gets the morning sunshine. It is a great place to hang out, and with space at a premium, it gets a great deal of use. Closing the porch would eliminate a space for people, which – in my opinion – is more important that than a space for stuff. Relaxing on the front porch is such a pleasure and really lets you connect with the neighbourhood. I think I’ll pour a beer and have a seat out there right now…
Ed
at 6:25 pm
and then there is winter
Nick
at 4:21 pm
David, I don’t know much about covered porches. But I know turntables.
First of all, if you are admittedly obsessive compulsive, and love to collect things, then collecting LPs will bring you to a whole other nirvana. Just think about all that you can obsess over with LPs: whether the album is original or a reprint, the condition of the vinyl itself, the condition of the album cover, whether or not is in the original cellophane, and the list goes on. You will love looking at your LPs just like you love looking at your sports cards.
Your colleague is right about the equipment that a turntable necessitates. Many people will spend five times as much on the receiver as the turntable itself, but if you’re looking for an entry level turntable here is one:
https://www.amazon.ca/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120-USB-Direct-Drive-Professional-USB/dp/B002S1CJ2Q?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAIPHVZTVH6LZ5BFZA&tag=hawk-future-ca-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B002S1CJ2Q&ascsubtag=trd-1467076616887696260-20
You simply can’t go wrong for $378.
Purchase a basic receiver for now just to see how much you enjoy the hobby and whether or not it was in fact an alcohol-induced impulse or whether you truly love the vinyl experience. You can always upgrade your receiver later.
Speakers are relatively inexpensive as well. You’re better off spending on the turntable and receiver before the speakers, which is probably the opposite of what I would advise for say a home theatre.
As for where to purchase vinyl, Sonic Boom on Spadina Ave is probably the best, although you might also enjoy Kops Records if you’re an east-sider. They actually have three stores in Toronto and the owner has an interesting back story.
All the best and happy collecting!
Batalha
at 5:08 pm
Agree for the most part except with regard to a “receiver.” Unless you plan to listen to FM (or, perish the thought, AM) radio, I’d recommend simply buying an integrated amplifier, preferably a tube amp. The sonic quality of tubes versus transistors cannot really be described, it must be heard. Try auditioning some tube gear at retailers such as Planet of Sound (Queen West), Executive Stereo (Avenue Road) or American Sound (Richmond Hill). You won’t be sorry.
Condodweller
at 2:26 pm
For a purist who believes LPs sound better than digital one could easily spend upwards of $100,000 on an audio system. For someone who has a few LPs still in their basement and wants to play them for nostalgic reasons, a simple player with bluetooth is probably all they need to satisfy their craving.
It’s definitely a slippery slope though.
GinaTO
at 12:33 pm
Love my porch (small detached). My five year old loves reading, and when we can’t go to the park because the baby is sleeping, he can still enjoy the sun and breeze reading on the porch, and I can see him through the front window. Wouldn’t it darken your living room a lot to cover the porch?
For me, your post raises more the question of the problems of full-open spaces (which I hate).
Jonnathan
at 10:20 pm
Bay Bloor Radio
Jonnathan
at 10:27 pm
Mozart sound system or a Project deck – sleek with Bluetooth speakers…two plugs.
Then travel and buy records. Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry records from Germany.
Condodweller
at 2:15 pm
canuckaudiomart.com or ebay is a great place to pick up excellent audio systems for a fraction of their original cost.
It’s cool that American sound managed to survive the online transition. I will never forget sitting in their home theatre room and watching the start of T2. The sound when the machine crushes the skull sent shivers up my spine.
Julia
at 10:13 pm
We live midtown in a 100 year old arts and crafts style house with a 25×10 porch. We use it all the time. Friends and family come by to visit on the porch. Everyone loves it. It is the perfect addition to summer. A porch was never on my ‘must have’ list but I don’t think I’d ever want to live without one now!
Gypsy
at 3:11 am
Your writing style is better when your wife goes to bed early, like it was in those days when you were single. Keep it up.
Kyle
at 9:12 am
Front porches can actually be both useful storage space and a place to sit and watch the world go by. I often see people using their open front porches to park bikes, strollers, scooters, shovels, sidewalk chalk, etc. And they sit out at the same porches when the weather is nice.
As for not having a place for coats and landing right in the living room, i agree with GinaTO, that has more to do with just how far someone wants to take open concept living, than it does with having an open porch.
Condodweller
at 2:08 pm
Interesting post. I agree with the above that it depends are the neighbourhood and the size/configuration of the house. For a small house with limited space, I would definitely cover it. I think it’s also a totally personal call depending on how one uses the house.
I would always go for function over form within reason of course.
Given our harsh winters and short summers, I would consider some sort of convertible system that companies like Lumon offer with their sliding glass system which is being used in a lot of condos. I think they are even being installed during construction these days. It offers the best of both worlds while maintaining curb appeal as the glass panels don’t change to view much.
Peggy
at 9:17 am
I prefer an open front porch. Covered porches are cold in the winter and hot in the summer. They also block the light in your house. They also get so full of clutter. I think if you need more storage (1st floor closets are rare in 100 year old homes), then build a closet under the staircase, if possible. Find another alternative to collecting stuff. Keep the original integrity of the house.
Jane
at 11:52 am
I live in a 100 year old semi in Leslieville/Beaches neighbourhood – on a main road. I do love the front porch, even on a main road -but also desperately need a place for coats. I have been riding around the neighbourhood looking a half enclosures still allowing space to site and enjoy. Does anybody have an opinion. I too, was worried about blocking light from the living room – this would alleviate that issue. Thoughts?