Bring Life To Your Front Porch
The front porch is one of your home’s most overlooked features.
Unfortunately, many homeowners view their front porch as only part of their home’s entryway. I beg to differ though. Decorating a porch can be an art form. In fact, a well done DIY front porch can be the difference between a “cute house” and not.
The perfect porch reflects your home’s interior decor – not directly, but in style and taste. Don’t go and buy two of what you have in your living room, but borrow from your inside colors and design scheme.
For example, if your interior design is mostly modern contemporary, and features blacks and whites, don’t go and decorate your porch in a nautical theme.
With a little planning and creativity, you can make your front porch into something beautiful; something that you, guests, and nosy Carole from down the block can admire.
For years now I have wished for that magazine-ready wraparound porch. I haven’t gotten it yet but it has inspired me to put together this quick list of 7 tips to improve your front porch. Like any home decor project, it really comes down to what makes you happy. I hope these tips at least give you a starting point, and maybe a little inspiration.
Add a Porch Couch For Instant Coziness
This just had to be number one on my list of porch ideas. Besides upping your home’s curb appeal, the focus of improving your porch is so that you will use it more. One of the surefire ways of making your porch more inviting is to add a porch couch.
Some people call them patio sofas, but either way, the most important thing is that you find a couch for your porch that is inviting and comfortable. With the right couch, you’re other couch in the living room will start to feel neglected.
You can now find outdoor couches for as low as $100. Even though your couch won’t be fully exposed to the elements, you may want to check out an acacia wood couch. Acacia wood is not only affordable, but extremely durable. For the price of a plastic patio set, you can buy a quality piece of acacia wood furniture. Experts say that acacia wood can last as long as 40 years without being treated. That’s longer than your mortgage, which is saying something.
Our porch isn’t big enough but if you have the room consider adding an outdoor carpet such as the Noahas Super Soft Modern Shag Rug. Maybe even a small table to put the pitcher of lemonade on. The entire ensemble will be sure to give your porch a nice “lived in look.”
Let The Light In
Don’t get me wrong, hanging plants, hanging gardening equipment, and string lights are great decorating touches for your porch. However, we’re not designing a cave here.
We want to be outside for a reason.
Let the light in. Reduce clutter and make room for the sun to enter your porch.
The look and feel we are going for is warm an inviting. Allow the sun to get in and avoid harsh bright overhead lights.
Mix in hanging lanterns, table lamps, and candles for the perfect ambiance.
The Power of Color
Color is your chance to make a statement with your porch, and may very well be the most important choice you make when it comes to decorating your porch.
Porch colors should be bold, yet complement the colors of the rest of your house’s exterior.
I’m a sucker for light browns, subtle greens, and a splash of yellow.
As your porch is a high traffic area, you may want to explore non-skid paints or coarse paint additives to make your porch surface less slippery.
Bring Nature In
Sometimes you don’t realize how plants and greenery can change a space until you do it. Your front porch is your home’s bridge to the outside world, bring some nature in.
Obviously, green is the gold standard; however, mix up your porch’s look by adding colorful flowers like pansies, poinsettias, or begonias. You’d be amazed at how many flowers will look right at home on your porch.
To help keep everything organized, add plants by using flower pots, ceramic topiary, and metallic hangers.
No matter what you choose, hanging ferns or arranging flower pots is a classic porch look that will never go out of style.
Highlight Your Front Door
No matter how great your front porch is, you’ll still want to keep focus on your front door. While installing a beautiful custom door will most assuredly be the cherry on top, you can avoid the additional expense by being creative.
Door decorations go a long way in making your home inviting.
Try out placing an apple basket on the front door, or maybe an all season wreath.
Another quick tip – especially great if the color of your door matches your house – is to paint the trim around the door. Install a porch light on each side of the door for an extra pop of life.
Tile for Porch
If you aren’t happy with your porch’s surface (we all wish we had the perfect wooden porch), you may want to try porcelain tile.
Outdoor tile is more affordable than you think and looks great when done right. Now they even make tile to look like wood.
Create an Outdoor Gaming Space
Bring family game night outdoors.
If you have the room, add a ping pong table. If you don’t have very much room, bring out the board games.
If you’ve simply given up on getting the kids off of their electronics, put up a projector screen and connect the kids’ Xbox. At the very least they’re outside getting fresh air.