Published: July 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Stephanie Morgan
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Memories of Sunday afternoons spent on the porch with grandparents while cousins tossed around a football, uncles snoozed in rickety rockers and little ones reached for the skies on a swing made of an old but not forgotten tire sing happy tunes in the hearts of most all of us from the South. Where have those days gone? Why does it seem that porch time is no longer? National Public Radio recently hosted a series on this very topic and the sad news is our entire country is missing out on porch time.

The invention of air conditioning, computers and telephones and changes in residential architecture have all contributed to the disappearing front porch. We have gone to the back of the house. We have built beautiful big kitchens in the back of our homes and we love to live in them. Surely we Southerners, who hold on strongly to our heritage and still enjoy the spontaneous visit of a neighbor, the glimpse of a golden retriever on an afternoon stroll, a perfect glass of sweet tea and the beauty of a fern dangling from an S hook, miss our time there. It's time to get back out there.

Classic

Honestly, there is no other place that I would rather be than on my front porch. I am not by myself on this one; Diane Smock and her husband, Brad Wyche, join me in my fondness for porches. Their lovely home is in the historic Hampton Pinckney area in downtown Greenville. The homes in this neighborhood, constructed in the early 1900s, are characterized by their individuality, and true Southern comfort seeps from each and every porch. Initially the land belonged to Vardry McBee, but upon his death, his four children divided the property to create the first subdivision in Greenville. Each home in the two blocks that comprise the neighborhood sits among 100-year-old oaks, picket fences and charm that you just can't recreate today.

Smock believes that their porch is a welcoming center for their home. “Our children are grown now, and many times we come home to find our son on the porch,” she says. “Many memories have been made in the rocking chairs; many neighbors have shared good news with us there; many naps have been had by their dogs there. It is a great place without a doubt,” Smock says. “We feel like this house is graciously allowing us to be here — our time on our porch feels like an extension of a wonderful gift from our house.”

Comfortable

Adding furniture and accessories to your front porch is just plain fun. Rocking chairs, day beds, benches, dinettes, card tables and even sofas have their places on front porches. Finding treasures for your porch can be intimidating — too many choices. Anastasia Siachos and Becky Smith, co-owners of Key Lime Pie Interiors, mykeylimepie.com, suggest the all-weather wicker for a great look that will last many years. This option is low maintenance and looks great paired with an outdoor rug and bright, comfortable cushions that can be picked up at nearly any home interior store today. They suggest making an investment in furniture and adding cushions that are less expensive. While looking for cushions, why not pick up great outdoor candles, lanterns, linens and even lamps, the perfect accessories to turn the porch into a dining room? This task can be done in no time, which is good because your friends are champing at the bit to join you for an afternoon snack.

Minty green

On your own porch, in the heat of the summer, cool is very important. Wesley Turner and Daniel Schavey , co-owners of Roots, will help you create (or will create for you) beautiful plants to keep you company, add color and bring your porch back to life. “Herbs are great potted in containers, and with a little color added, can bring beauty to your front door with ease,” Turner says. “We think that you should start with mint. Mint will definitely bring the cool to your porch, as well as to your glass, this summer.” The smell alone will attract your neighbors and once you have them, you may as well create a minty iced tea to share.

Front porches are the welcome mats for our homes. Dust them off, add a little cushion to make them extra cool and live as the founders of this great city hoped we would: enjoying our neighbors and the beauty that surrounds us all.