Why Add a Porch to Your Leland’s Cabin?

Here at Leland’s, we think a lot about the modular cabins Texas builders offer. And we think our nine different models of log cabins offer something for every taste and wallet. But a topic we don’t always talk about is a powerful extension of the cabin: the porch.

“Make your front porch a part of your home,” someone once said, “and it will make you a part of the world.” We see porches and decks as an easy win on all sorts of fronts. And our customers do too, as you can see in this testimonial about adding a porch to your cabin. What follows are five reasons to add a deck or porch to your log cabin home.

Connect With Nature

One of the reasons you might want to purchase a Texas log cabin is to escape the rat race and spend more time in nature. Finding just the right spot of land near a stream for fishing and a lake for swimming, you can place your home so a bank of windows faces the east and another looks west.

What better way to savor sunrises and sunsets than stepping out the door and onto a porch or deck? Set up a few chairs and a small table, and pour yourself a glass of sweet tea. Let the wind whisper in your ears and the stars smile down. When you spend your time outdoors, you’ll start to feel more connected to the rhythms of nature, and you might feel the stress of the workaday world melting away.

Make Your Home Feel Bigger

When you build a front porch or back deck, you’re essentially giving yourself another entire room or two. And if you’re living in Texas, there are plenty of sunny days on the calendar for you to enjoy time outside.

Set up a dining table not just for meals but for playing cards and board games and easy “hanging out” time together. Put up a grill, and you’ve doubled your kitchen space. For city kids who spend their time tethered to a video gaming system, set up a few comfy couches and let them sleep outdoors under a moonlit night. The fresh air will do everybody good.

And though we’re big on family time here at Leland’s, we know everybody needs a break now and then. Stepping outside to drink in a sunset gives you the peace and quiet you might not typically get in our busy, fast-paced world — time for thinking and dreaming and letting your imagination wander. A porch is sacred space.

Entertain at a New Level

A front or back porch adds a stunning dimension to entertaining. Imagine having family or friends over for a dinner that lingers into the night. Fireflies shimmer in the yard and shooting stars flit by overhead.

Or envision a breakfast for your loved ones as the sun rises over the nearby hills, turning the sky bright with pinks and oranges as you pour steaming cups of coffee. While your eggs and breads will surely be delicious, everybody knows that food just tastes better when we eat outdoors.

When autumn puts on a show, when springtime begins to peak — entertaining on your porch or deck will be all the more spectacular when you have a front-row seat to the turning leaves or budding trees. It’s tough to compete with Mother Nature, so why not slip into a rocking chair and enjoy the view?

Increase Your Home Value

Porches and decks are proven winners when it comes to increasing the value of your home. According to studies, adding a front porch or back deck provides an average 84 percent return on investment. So spending the money to build a back porch near the kitchen, a front porch with room enough for a few chairs, or both is well worth it.

Also, a new porch or deck allows you to stay home and enjoy your own space — which in turn saves you money. “Since they are staying home they want to enjoy their exterior, they want to enjoy their outdoors,” says Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor at Consumer Reports. “So [adding a deck] is one of those areas that can add value.”

Meet Your Neighbors

Some Leland’s Cabins customers are choosing Texas log cabins for their city property, sometimes to serve as a home office or space for aging parents to live close by. Adding a porch lets you connect with neighbors as they pass by, keep up on what’s happening in the neighborhood, and generally feel involved and engaged with the comings and goings of the community.

Others choose a Leland’s cabin as a getaway destination into the beauty of nature. But even if you choose this route, you’ll still have neighbors to meet. Sit out on your porch in a comfy rocker, and get to know the doe and her fawns passing by. Meet the family of rabbits that scurry across your property. Become familiar with the blue heron that perches on nearby treetops. Even though you’re removed from the hubbub of city life, you’ll have plenty of interesting neighbors to get to know.

There are lots of reasons we think you should explore buying a Texas prefab log cabin. Come visit our showroom in Grandview, the largest cabin showroom in the state, and we’ll take you through all our models. And when we’re done, we can pull up a few chairs on the porch and talk — maybe sip on some sweet tea too. It sounds like a great way to make your log cabin dreams become a reality.