While the design of your front porch should send the same message as the style of your house, the two of them don't necessarily have to match 100%. Still, you must preserve some sort of harmony between the two elements. If you want to discover what style and shape you should opt for, you should look at your home's roof, especially its shape and pitch, when it comes to porch designs. For instance, hipped roofs don't go well with straight gables. If your house has a classic or traditional architectural style, you should consider using oak as the defining characteristic of the porch. Painted porch designs are more cheerful and durable. It would help to look at the overall scheme of things because the way the porch looks should match your front entrance, driveway, garden, and other landscaping elements.