How pretty! How high up off the ground is it? You may not need anything at all. Can we see a photo from a little further back?

Very nice ourhome! Looks like its getting close. There is a code somewhere that tells you if you have to put a rail in. We went with wood even though many in this area are doing cast iron railings. I think the cast iron would look nice on your home to bring out the black (grey) in your stone and for the size of your porch. Here is our railing:

Any chance you could post a picture that shows the porch from farther off? The code here states that a handrail is needed if the porch is more than 32" high. Personally, I don't like handrails because if you are sitting on the porch, you are staring at handrails instead of the view beyond. In your case, the porch is small, so you won't want anything too heavy or it will overpower the porch. A simple wrought iron handrail would look nice....if one is even required. For the porch surface, I'd do porcelain tiles.

Anywhere you have to use a handrail (or if you're planning window height off the floor, or horizontal framing for a screened porch, etc.): sit there and have someone hold a handrail (or simulated one) at diff. heights off ground to see where to put it so you can see over it. Stay within limitation dictated by code re that height off floor.

I echo the questions above, how high up off the ground, and also how deep is the porch? Even if you don't by code need one, you could put a wrought iron fence in, it would look nice.

Amy

And don't forget to talk to your contractor and/or landscaper. We can't tell from the close-in pic you posted, but it's likely that the contractor is going to do some back-filling near the house. They will probably bring in some dirt and slope it away from the foundation to ensure that water drains away properly. This back-filling will mean that maybe the porch won't be quite so high above ground level as you think it might be.

Even so, I personally think not doing railings on a porch makes the porch look "unfinished", like they forgot to come back and install the railings. I like to see railings even on porches that are just several inches above grade. The *steps* may not need a handrail if you have only 1 or 2 steps, but I think the porch needs railings. JMHO

I can't see the style of your house in the close-up. If you can post a picture so we can see the entire house, that will help.

Our previous house was craftsman-influenced, so we wanted a railing. Our current house would have looked too busy with a railing due to the post placement (3) and our garden fence. We have a lot of features on the front besides the fence that would have made it too busy -- the chimney, the catslide gable and gate, all the French doors, etc. It depends on your overall elevation.

Here's my previous house with a railing:

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Here's my current house without a railing:

Cameron