Last April, we explored some budget-friendly tips for getting your front porch in tip-top shape each Spring. Creating first impressions. Making your porch a living space. Simply dressing up your front door. There’s no end to the simple, affordable and stylish ways to welcome the season–and the world–to your home.

Where did it all begin? And what can we look forward to as front porches make a major comeback as both a functional and fashionable statement?

For some insight, we turned to Ted Roberts, the Style and Design Chief at Allegion. A passionate architectural historian, Ted talks about the evolution of the front porch in America, its up and down history and its recent renaissance. He also shares his vision for the future of front porches and their role in creating a sense of community.

Q&A with Ted Roberts

Q: What can you tell us about the historical significance of the front porch?

A. “Homes, throughout history, have always reflected our cultural and practical needs. In colonial times, there weren’t many porches. It wasn’t until after The Revolutionary War that they began to appear in the South, driven by the need to escape the heat. The porch served a function. It was a comfortable part of the house because of its cooling breezes and protection from the sun. But it was also a meeting place, a comfortable place to socialize. And the nation was growing.”

Q: That was the beginning, what happened next?

A. “Over time, the porch evolved, getting more expansive and becoming an even more functional meeting space. This continued into the 1920s. As our cities and towns grew, porches became a social phenomenon because homes were being constructed so close together.”

Q: And then the popularity started to decline?

A. “Yes. The 1920s into the 30s saw a drop-off, mostly due to new technologies. With the automobile, people simply weren’t at home as much. Also, the dirt and noise from the roads made porches less inviting. On into the 1950s, you had the advent of radio and TV which tended to keep people in the house. And then came air conditioning! Now you didn’t even have to go outside to catch a cool breeze.”

Q: When did the front porch start to make a comeback?

A. “While there was a slight comeback in front porches for a time between 1970 and about 2000, we saw many home designs dominated by garage doors. Technology had again forced a design shift that put the front porch on the back burner and two-car garages at the forefront.

Two things are leading today’s comeback. We’re becoming more social, number one. And number two: home delivery. We once had the milkman making deliveries, but that faded as communities grew and small local grocers became big chain supermarkets. Now it has come full circle with technology allowing for everything from meal services to package deliveries. The result: a functional need to have a protected place for such things. This simple need has contributed to the morphing of the front porch into a useful and social showplace for the home.

Q: Where is the porch going?

A. “Based on what we’re seeing, it’s not going anywhere. The porch has become a unique space and a showcase for one’s fashion sense and is important to the curb appeal of a home. While it’s not your living room, people are bringing the same design sense to the space. Plants, furniture, ceiling fans, outdoor televisions, the traditional porch swing, occasional tables, built-ins – these are all now part of the front porch landscape. And will continue to be.”

Q: How has this impacted the front door, itself?

A. “Your front door is not just for wreaths anymore. It’s a space where you can make a statement. A reflection on “who owns this house.” You can dress up your door with things like pictures frames and family crests. You can refinish an old door or transform it entirely with large-pane glass or fancy cut glass with black muntin separating the panes – a huge trend right now.

“Perhaps the easiest and most cost-efficient way to update your look is with new door hardware. And with so many styles available, you can complement everything from traditional to farmhouse to modern decor. Your front door can set the tone of your home, whatever your style. Quickly. Easily. Affordably.”

Q: What does this mean for Schlage?

A. “We’ve built our business by keeping pace with the needs of our homeowners. For instance, as front doors have become larger, we’ve included an assortment of oversized handlesets in our Schlage Custom™ Door Hardware line that will come out later this year. We also offer a broad assortment of knobs, levers and electronic locks that can be paired with a range of Schlage products depending on the style or door application.”

Schlage didn’t invent the lock. But founder, innovator and visionary Walter Schlage certainly perfected it in ways no one could have imagined when he founded the company in 1920. From his first patent in 1909 – a door lock that could also turn the lights on and off – through the decades of innovation that followed, Schlage literally reinvented the door lock as well as the category of door hardware.

One of the first things a visitor notices when entering parent-company Allegion’s headquarters is a wall with 826 patent certificates proudly displayed. It stands as a testament to the lasting commitment to problem solving, customer security and satisfaction, and a spirit of innovation that has stood the test of time.

Who better than Ted Roberts, Allegion’s Style and Design Chief, to speak to this spirit? Ted reflects upon the many technological and stylistic advancements that have made Schlage what it is today – and the man who started it all.

Q&A with Ted Roberts

Q. Where did Schlage begin and where is the company now?

A. “The company has been around for a long time and has quite the history. It all started with Walter Schlage, an immigrant lock maker, who brought some very original ideas with him to America which then became patents and the foundation of Schlage. Dynamic, interesting and creative, Walter was what you’d call a “tinkerer.” His very simple goal, when you boil it all down, was to solve problems.

“That’s really our goal today. Whether we’re talking engineering challenges, keeping up with the latest style trends or making our door hardware easy to install and use, everything we do is designed to afford our homeowners the best possible experience. It’s no surprise, with this kind of heritage, that people expect a lot from us. We want to exceed those expectations.”

Q. Where do you see things going?

A. “I don’t see our mission changing in the future, this perfect harmony of style and function. I see us continuing the melding of aesthetics, innovative product features, reliability and performance that continues to delight our customers. We have some big shoes to fill. We take that responsibility – to our heritage and to our customers – very seriously.”

Q. What are some of the specific innovations Walter – and Schlage – are known for?

A. “With over 800 North American patents alone, there are a lot of them. Walter was really the grandfather of the smart lock. His first patent was for a lock that turned on your house lights when you entered. It’s so ironic how that very first innovation was the precursor to the entire generation of smart locks we’re introducing as we speak.

“Another that’s relevant today is Walter’s process of attaching glass to metal to create a glass door knob. They’re popular again today and are prominently featured in some of our newest collections. Taking something old and making it new again while remaining faithful to its origins – that’s a great example of true timelessness. And that goes for the products we make as well as our company as a whole.”

“Walter also improved the cylindrical lock by adding his push-button innovation. which is still in use today. Again, we started with Walter’s desire to make life easier for people and that continues today with the products we make.”

Q. What has changed the most with the company over the years?

A. “In a word, scope. The more we’ve looked at keeping the promises we’ve made to our homeowners over the years, the more new designs, styles, products and technologies have been explored.

“We’ve grown so much as a company and as innovators. Mechanical and electronic locks. Exit devices. Card readers. Biometric interfaces. Door hardware. I don’t even think Walter Schlage could have envisioned what his homegrown company would one day become.”

Q. What do you think Walter Schlage would say if he saw you now?

A. “On one hand, I imagine he would be in awe of the size of the company, today’s technology and, like I said, the sheer scope of the products the brands create. I also think he would still want to tinker with everything – see what’s going on inside and what makes today’s products tick.

“But he’d find a lot of familiar ground too, just in the way we approach our jobs and our commitment to security, safety and product performance. He’d also recognize in us a certain familiar entrepreneurial spirit and our company-wide desire to always look for and achieve the next best thing.”

Q. In your role as Style and Design Chief, how does this sense of history impact you, personally, in your day-to-day duties?

A. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we feel like torch-bearers in a sense. Technologies change. Needs change. Styles certainly change–and then change back. We have to be in tune with that, just as Walter was in assessing his own customers’ needs way back when.

“That’s really our goal today. Whether we’re talking engineering challenges, keeping up with the latest style trends or making our door hardware easy to install and use, everything we do is designed to afford our homeowners the best possible experience. It’s no surprise, with this kind of heritage, that people expect a lot from us. We want to exceed those expectations.”

“As a designer following in his footsteps, I’m constantly aware that design is more than appearance – it’s a harmony of function as well as style, with each enhancing the other. Walter’s example guides us, as a company, to continue to look at what we do, holistically focusing on our customer and his or her positive experience with our products.

“For me, personally, I want us to continue our mission of keeping people safe and secure where they live, work and visit. We’re designing products that people rely on, so we need to get it right. If Walter saw us today, I would want him to recognize and appreciate that and feel as much pride as we do in making it happen. And, maybe a little selfishly, I’d like him to be impressed with our passion for design.”

Let Schlage be your guide

First, check out our door hardware shopper’s guide. The shopper’s guide breaks the options down into simplest terms, giving you the inside scoop on important door hardware lingo and making it easy to figure out exactly what you need.

But beyond just features and functions, how do you know that you’re making a smart door hardware purchase? How do you find solutions that are simple and offer long term value? It’s tempting to grab the cheapest lock in the aisle that sort of looks like what you used to have, but the truth is that door hardware for the home is a little bit like accessorizing your outfit. Just like a pair of shiny new shoes or your favorite necklace, door hardware can be the perfect detail that elevates everything around it to the next level. In other words, it’s worth putting time into – but not too much time.

Keep it simple

Which brings us to our most sound advice: look for brands that offer simplicity. Door hardware is usually categorized into a variety of functions depending on which door in the house it will go on. Schlage Custom Combined Interior Door Hardware makes things a little easier by allowing you to switch between two settings: locking and non-locking. The locking option is perfect for bedroom and bathroom doors where you may like some privacy, while the non-locking option is ideal for hallway and closet doors.

Most interior doors fall into these two categories, so instead of tallying up how many of each you need, you can get a Schlage Custom Combined Interior lock that will work with both. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to install and all you’ll need at home is a screwdriver. You can’t get easier than that.

Consider the benefits

Two functions in one lock also offers long term benefits. If you have young children in the home, you may opt for the non-locking function for safety. Later in life, as your family moves up and out, you may want to turn that bedroom into a home office with a lock on the door. Whatever life sends your way, a Schlage Custom Combined Interior lock can adapt to fit your evolving needs year after year.