DIY Front Porch Decorating Ideas

As soon as people drive by your house, the first thing that they will see is the front porch as it sets the mood for the entire house. The fact is that you don't necessarily need to spend lots of money to make the front porch appealing. Just a couple of thoughtful and handmade accents can totally transform its mood.

As practice shows, there are four things which make the most impact: keep it clean, pick one focal point (e.g., a wreath or a sign), put some plants or flowers there and add some cozy lighting. It's really all you need.

Start With Simple Design Planning

Before you rush to buy anything, grab a tape measure and take a good look at your porch. Pay attention to how people enter and leave the porch as it is very important not to block their way or cover your house numbers. It sounds like something very simple, but you'll be surprised how easy it is to overlook it.

Here are some ideas which work for me:

• Firstly, clean up: sweep the floor, clean the door, clean the railings and remove anything that is either broken or looks old and worn out.
• Use one color palette with one primary color, one accent color and some neutrals such as wood, black metal or beige so that not everything will look chaotic.
• Pick one focal point which can be e.g. a wreath, a sign leaned against the door, a big planter that is located exactly at the point where people step up.
• Put the planters of various heights: you can use tall one, a lantern or branches so that the design won't look flat and overcrowded.
• Experiment with various textures: add some wood, metal, baskets, fabric, greenery or a rug so that everything looks more abundant.
• For some coziness and coziness use some lights: string lights, solar or battery lanterns.

Planters of the same design on both sides of the door will look classical and nice. Nevertheless, if you have a small porch, it is better to use one large planter and one middle one instead of several small pots.

12 DIY Front Porch Ideas

1. Make a wreath for a specific season.

A wreath is still the quickest way to decorate the porch as it draws the eye to the door. All you need is just a base (grapevine, foam, wire or even an embroidery hoop), artificial greenery or dried flowers, floral wire, hot glue, ribbon and a sturdy hook. Cover some part of the base with greenery or fabric, put some decorations in small bunches and add a ribbon or a small sign. Attach the wreath with the help of a removable hook or a hanger for the door.

Tip: If you leave the design neutral and change the decorations according to seasons, it will help you save money and you will have to store less wreaths. For more inspiration, see these front porch decorating ideas on a budget.

2. Convert old containers into planters.

Old buckets, crates, watering cans, baskets or painted tins will do great as planters. At first, you need to empty them out and then paint with exterior paint and put next to the porch steps. If you will be growing real flowers in planters, it is necessary to put some drainage holes in order not to make soil too wet.

There is a simple formula of planting flowers which consists of putting a tall "thriller" plant for height, "fillers" (flowers or foliage) and a trailing plant which will spill over the edge. The choice of plants depends on the amount of sunlight in your porch: e.g. ferns and begonias for shady porches and geraniums, petunias and grasses for sunny porches. You can also learn more about container drainage options and why drainage is important for healthy plants.

3. Put an outdoor rug and a layered doormat.

This trick will help to make an immediate transformation: you just need to put a smaller welcome mat on a larger outdoor rug and everything will match.

Here are some combinations that look great:

• Natural woven rug with black-and-white mat
• Striped rug with a plain coir mat
• Neutrals rug paired with a fun seasonal message mat
• Runner for a long porch

You should limit yourself by outdoor rugs which don't obstruct the entrance and keep them outdoors all the year round. It is better to choose a simple design.

4. Make a lantern display

Lanterns provide a feeling of height and cozy lighting. You should fill mason jars with battery-operated fairy lights, put some pebbles, pinecones or seasonal decorations and arrange them on a tray or stand. Add a large lantern at the back for depth. For additional inspiration, check these creative Christmas porch decorations.

It's better not to use real candles as they aren't suitable for use with wreaths and dried decorations.

5. Make a custom porch sign.

You can make a sign that reflects your personality: just use leftover wood or a pre-cut board, sand it down, paint with outdoor paint and write your family name, house number or just "welcome". In order to make nice letters, you should use stencils.

If you rent, you should choose a freestanding sign because you won't need to drill.

6. Make a vertical garden

In order to make garland, you can use pinecones, berries, ornaments or lanterns – something that will fit the season. If you use ornaments in the planters, you should use shatterproof ones. Don't forget not to block any entrances. It is also a good idea to reuse old pots and thus save some money.

Budget-Friendly Ideas

Look at the things that you already have at home and can be used or adapted.

• Reuse old pots, crates or baskets and give them a new look.
• Stick to one neutral item (a black planter or a simple rug) and replace smaller items (ribbons, wreaths, pillows and flowers) according to seasons.
• Faux greenery helps you not to worry about watering.
• Thrift stores are full of hidden gems (check for cracks in everything).
• Just focus on decorating one striking area and don't try to decorate every part of the porch.
• Choose plants that will fit the porch weather and sun conditions.
• If you rent, hooks and signs are your best helpers.

When you use simple color palette, everything will look well-coordinated even if you work on a tight budget. For instance, natural rug, black planters, white flowers and a green wreath – that's all. You can find more examples of festive front porch decorating with seasonal planters, garland, ornaments, and lights.

Safety and Maintenance

Don't block any doorways, railings, house numbers or any exits. It is important that all the electrical decorations had cords and lights that could be used outdoors, don't overload outlets and use plugs that are protected by a GFCI. This is not only carefulness – it is the safety standard. Safety comes first. For additional guidance, see the National Park Service outdoor decorating safety guidance and NFPA electrical safety tips for exterior holiday lights.

For more information about choosing and caring for container plants, see NC State Extension's guide to plants grown in containers.

For more ideas on decorating a front porch on a budget, you can also explore front porch ideas on a budget.