Summer Front Porch Updates Before and After
When I first set eyes on our traditional colonial house, I was instantly in love. The balanced design of this style home really makes me feel at peace. Although, what truly made me swoon was the beautiful front porch! Our home is the only one in our neighborhood that has a wrap around porch and that also ends with a half-gazebo off the side porch. This makes our home unique, in a world of cookie-cutter home styles, and personally I believe porches are underrated these days.
Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed decorating our front porch and we’ve received so many wonderful comments about it. Although, we have this little nook (shown below) on the front of the porch that is to the left of the front door (as you come up on the porch) that has just baffled me since the day we moved it. I just can’t seem to figure out how best to utilize it or decorate it. It’s also a space that gets a lot of sun (a good 6+ hours worth) and it’s not a very large space either; measuring at just 67-1/2″ x 41-1/2″ without obstructing the walkway to the front door.
Each season I’ll decorate my front porch and this years’ summer porch refresh all began with the free chair. A few years back I found this chair at the side of the road but it had no seat pan which didn’t bother me at all because my husband fixed that for me. Although I had an idea for it, I never finalized that original idea to use it, then I forgot about it. Fast forward, the chair came back to mind when, recently I received the Country Door summer catalog.
On the cover of this magazine was a wood and metal welcome sign that inspired the perfect idea for this little fornt porch nook. I’m also lucky because my husband is great at wood working and created the vision I had for our own welcome sign and I got to customize it by being able to choose my own stain color. I found the metal letters at our local Michaels craft store.
Now my summer porch vignette includes this beautifully handcrafted wood and metal letter welcome sign, a refinished old chair, enough faux red geraniums to fill both a metal watering can and a white gardening tool box. The best part about this setup is that I can easily change it out each season simply by changing out the faux flowers and/or adding in more seasonal decor. I can just see some faux thistle, leaves and pinecones overfilling the watering can and garden tool box for an autumn setup.
To give you an idea of the versatility of this front porch decor setup I’ve listed below some porchscaping (is that a word?!) decor options for each season.
Spring Porch Setup Ideas:
- Either use spring themed flowers, like tulips in the watering can -or- replace the watering can with a bunny -or- replace the watering can all together and put in its’ place a basket filled with faux Easter eggs;
- Remove faux flowers in the garden tool box and replace with tucking in some cute little bunnies -or fill with Easter eggs;
- Use a basket filled with Easter eggs on the chair; faux spring flowers in the garden tool box and a place a 3″-4″ standing bunny behind the tool box next to the welcome sign.
Fall Porch Setup Ideas:
- Either use fall themed flowers in the watering can -or- replace the can with a basket filled with fall themed flowers or pumpkins -or- replace the watering can all together with a large pumpkin;
- Replace the flowers in the garden tool box with small fall theme bushels and place a scarecrow pick into one of the bushels;
- Use a fall leaf garland strand to wind down the welcome sign;
- Since Halloween falls during this time, replace any decor on the chair with a large carved pumpkin and place a black crow on the back of the chair; replace garden tool box decor with Halloween pumpkins.
Winter Porch Setup Ideas:
If this area of my porch didn’t get so much snow I’d be able to decorate it better. But, if I could decorate it based on the welcome sign, chair and garden tool box, I would….
- Use some small nails and attach some white sparkling snowflakes on the welcome sign. I wouldn’t worry too much about putting holes into the wood sign because it just adds character;
- Remove the watering can and replace with a small Christmas tree;
- Replace the contents in the garden tool box with shiny red and green Christmas bulbs;
- Place a 3-4″ red sled behind the tool box and next to the welcome sign.
The ideas for decorating this small nook on the front porch are endless. I’ve even placed our single white wicker tea table with two chairs in that corner. This was before I started decorating it. The best part of having a chair or bench in this space is the delivery people will usually leave my packages on the chair. That makes it easy to spot that I have a package that’s arrived.
It goes without saying that once the sign was done and I got the porch all set up, I felt so accomplished. But that didn’t last long though because, as I sat looking at my finished front porch project, I came up with a list of things that still need to be completed, which is mostly regular maintenance. Once those are done, this little corner will sparkle in all its’ seasonal beauty!
Front Porch Project List
- Sand and re-stain porch floor;
- Sand and re-paint porch railings;
- Replace front door mat;
- Paint outdoor lights black;
- Wash the house siding.
With Autumn just around the corner this front porch will get a little makeover you won’t want to miss. {wink}
Below is a before and after picture, WOW, what a difference -right?! So which look do you think is more inviting and welcoming? Leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts on my front porch refresh!
It is my plan to post in (hopefully) the near future the tutorials for both the wood and metal welcome sign and the chalk paint chair.
If you are inspired to create a little porch vignette nook or refresh your porch don’t forget to share by tagging me on Instagram and using #btdinspired, I’d love to see your work (and I just might repost your photo)!
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Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. I just really love the product(s) I’ve willingly chosen to feature. All opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
