5 Tips For Decorating Your Front Porch For Fall
Fall is many people's favorite season of the year. It evokes feelings of coziness, warmth, and togetherness that many are comforted by. And the season also has some of the year's favorite holidays, namely Halloween and Thanksgiving. With all of these positive feelings, it's no wonder that people want to celebrate by making their spaces feel cozy. Many love putting up spooky Halloween decorations and then transitioning to Thanksgiving decor in November.
But instead of decorating for each of the holidays, many opt to decorate for fall in general. Stylist Royale Ziegler told Style by Emily Henderson that sticking to creams, browns, and black with pops of fall colors like red, yellow, and orange will last throughout the season. Organic materials are also great for evoking the feeling of fall. Make your home look warm and cozy for the season right from the start by decorating your front porch for fall.
1. Use wreaths for a simple pop
One of the easiest ways to add a fall accent to your porch is with a wreath on your front door. With a variety of styles and colors, you can find a wreath that matches any other decor as well as your overall aesthetic. If you prefer a simplistic porch design, a wreath is a good option because it requires little setup or styling to look finished. But if you're going for a more extravagant design, a wreath can be a great addition to a larger porch design.
Many craft and home goods stores have plenty of fall-themed wreaths that you can buy. But if you're looking to be more hands-on with your seasonal decor, you can craft your own. Making one is pretty inexpensive, requiring only a few items that can often be bought at dollar or craft stores, says Prudent Penny Pincher. Gather craft items like leaves, branches, and pinecones in addition to materials like plaid ribbon and burlap to make your wreath in only a few hours.
2. Flowers can add color
Fall is known for the warm, vibrant colors of the changing leaves. But you don't always need to have trees surrounding your home to add color to the space. Bright flowers can be a great way to add color to your front porch. Use large container pots on your front porch or on the stairs leading up to the porch to hold the bursting blooms. Mums are one of the most popular colors for fall flowers because they're available in multiple colors and easy to grow in most climates, according to Balcony Garden Web.
But if you're looking for fall florals for your porch decor, you're not limited to only using chrysanthemums. Goldenrod, sneezeweeds, clematis, and pansies are all great examples of flowers that blossom in the fall. You can mix these up to give flower beds, window boxes, and containers bright pops of not only yellow and orange but also purple and pink.
3. Pumpkins are a classic
Decorating for fall wouldn't be complete without pumpkins. The classic gourd is emblematic of the season, so it's a must for fall decor. Thankfully, pumpkins are also a pretty easy decor item, and you have plenty of options when using them. You can find fake pumpkins made of plastic or ceramic, which can be durable options you can use year after year. Or, opt for real pumpkins that you buy from the store or pick yourself from a pumpkin patch.
Pumpkins also provide an opportunity to customize your fall decor. You can carve faces to create jack-o-lanterns, or you can paint faces on the pumpkins to display on your porch. Decorating pumpkins is a great fall activity for kids to enjoy, and there are plenty of ways to do it without having to bring out a carving knife, says Parents. You can use acrylic paint, pipe cleaners, yarn, wire, and googly eyes to make creative pumpkins to display outside your home.
4. Have a cozy element with lanterns and candles
The comfy cozy feeling is one of the reasons people love fall. So when decorating your front porch for the season, why not give it a warm and cozy glow? Lanterns are a perfect way to do just that and create a welcoming exterior. Use outdoor lanterns of various sizes to decorate your porch, walkway, and exterior steps. Battery-operated LED candles on a timer inside the lantern will provide a cozy glow without having to light real candles each evening.
Dress up your lanterns with fall details like leaves, bows, plastic berries, and ribbons, says Stone Gable Blog, to make them more festive for the season. Lanterns can look great on their own, accenting the exterior or as part of a larger decor vignette that includes other items like pumpkins and potted flowers. And because they're such a simple decor item, you can change up the look each year or use them for other holidays.
5. Add some texture by using garlands
Garlands may be mostly associated with Christmastime, but there are plenty that can add something beautiful to your fall decor. Though they may be simple, garlands can add a lot of texture and even color to a front porch, says Balsam Hill. They're also versatile and can be used in many different ways. When they evoke the feeling of fall, such as one that only features leaves, you'll be able to leave garlands up the entire season. But you can also use more festive ones that may feature symbols of the holidays, like ghosts, pumpkins, or turkeys.
You can wrap garlands around columns, porch railings, and handrails on stairs. Or you can use them to create a festive arch in the entryway to your home. One easy way is by framing your front door with the decoration by using hooks to secure it. Or create an arch that stands up on its own using chicken wire or PVC pipe with the garland wrapped around it.