People probably do refer to outdoor living space differently depending on locale. No one in my neighborhood sits on their front porch; mostly everyone has a deck, patio, or combination of the two in the rear of their homes. A few homes have inground pools, several have elaborate play equipment, etc.; children are rarely seen in front of their homes because we don't have sidewalks.
In photos of the Irwin home, it doesn't look like they have a front porch large enough to accommodate chairs, so it makes sense that DB and neighbor sat outdoors in the rear of the house. jmo