Front Porch with Embarassingly Shoddy Photo Mock-up of Green Lantern

I do not have PhotoShop.  I had to use a program that is completely new to me...please forgive how lame this looks!

Anyhoo, the pendant lantern is 22" tall (pretty honkin' big), but the slope of the roof on this gable will accomodate it.



The garage doors will be painted the same red as the windows.

I know there's a ladder, but good luck getting on top of this roof! 

HOLY LADDER ANGLE BATMAN!

North side (front of house) can afford a greater overhang since we're not depending on solar gain from the North.


Any thoughts on porch floor material?  I'm currently thinking of using attractive rocks from the site to make a hard surface. 
(Though we have a lot of it, I think slate is probably a bad idea - it is slick as a...oh wait, better stop here - too many ways to offend!)