Our Portfolio

Reset filters
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia 2
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia 1
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia 3
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia 4
  • Historic Porch Renovation Philadelphia 6

Historic Porch Renovation in Squirrel Hill

Location: Squirrel Hill, Philadelphia

Building type: Twin

Renovation style: Traditional

Outdoor living is a key component of a healthy, balanced lifestyle for any family in the Philadelphia area. However, achieving a successful connection to your home’s outside space requires the right type of planning and creativity to be both enjoyable and convenient. For this Victorian home in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of West Philadelphia, our team at Bellweather designed a complete porch restoration so that the family could more easily access the outdoors from the comfort of their own property.

The traditional style and timeless aesthetic of this elegant covered porch play a big role in giving character and charm to the entirety of this Victorian twin. The goal throughout the project was to preserve that signature historic appeal while restoring the structural integrity of the entrance and repairing water damage at the front of the roof.

Victorian Porch Restoration with Updated Features

Our complete restoration of this Victorian porch involved installing new decking and stairs with a custom steel handrail, as well as a new ceiling and porch roof. We also put in custom wood casement windows that look out over the porch and into the surrounding Mt. Airy neighborhood. The in-swing wood casement style was selected to preserve more of the porch’s footprint and keep the space open and unencumbered.

While new, updated features were added during this Philadelphia porch restoration, we didn’t want to lose some of the more unique historic elements that were so integral to the exterior façade of this Squirrel Hill home. As old home remodeling specialists, we see the value in preserving as much of the original detailed pieces as possible. During demolition, we saved the original columns and balustrade that were incorporated into the covered porch, and then restored and reinstalled them in the course of the project—preserving the vintage flair. The homeowners appreciated our attention to detail and care of these pieces.

These porch components—many of which are more than 100 years old—had sustained prolonged water damage due to a poorly maintained roof, and they required a meticulous restoration process to preserve their original craftsmanship and give them new life. We knew that restoring and reusing as much of these original elements would not only be valuable to the family but also preserve their property value which is always a win-win for us.

Finally, our Bellweather team studied the home’s facade, presented a color palette, and then finished off the porch with a fresh coat of paint. The rich Victorian green complements the new honey-colored wood decking we installed, as well as the steel handrail details and exposed brick wall that further contribute to the classic appeal of this space.

Finishing off the renovated porch with outdoor furniture, plants, and a rug, the homeowners can now more comfortably and conveniently enjoy a balance of indoor-outdoor living at their Mt. Airy house.

Partner with Bellweather Design-Build

Bellweather Design-Build is dedicated to giving each client a one-of-a-kind and positive home remodeling experience in Philadelphia and the Main Line area. If you’re ready to begin your home renovation project, we would love to discuss your needs and help develop a plan tailored to your vision. Reach out today to get started.

Features

  • Custom in-swing wood casement windows to maintain more of the porch footprint
  • Custom steel handrail
  • Abatron wood epoxy for column and balustrade repairs