SIZE, for one thing, porch aficionados agree. A porch needs to be at least 8 feet deep to be comfortable, inviting and usable.Otherwise "it's like a really handsome pair of shoes that don't fit," says Michael Dolan, author of "The American Porch" and the owner of a rebuilt porch in Washington, D.C.A porch should also be

PROPORTIONATE TO HOUSE, for aesthetics' sake, Dolan said. Pay attention to the height of the railing, he suggested. He put a 36-inch railing on his porch because he wanted to be able to lean his 6-foot-1 frame on it, but it turns out the railing is tall enough that it hides him from view. Maybe you like that, but maybe you'd rather have it so that your neighbors can see you.

MATERIALS are important, too, developer Tony Troppe said. Natural materials like wood and stone, or those that have a more natural feel, are more pleasing to be near than their artificial counterparts. Still, he thinks the low maintenance of some materials makes them worth using. He likes concrete for the decking on his porches and fiber cement siding, but he used beaded board on the underside of the porch roof, where it won't be exposed to the weather.