Home Porches 14 Front Porch Decorating Ideas For An Inviting Entry These front porch decorating ideas are welcoming and stylish. By Maggie Burch Maggie Burch Maggie Burch is a digital media professional with a decade of experience creating, editing, and managing multimedia content for national brands, including Glamour, Southern Living, House Beautiful, and The Everygirl. A homes enthusiast, Maggie writes about decor and real estate trends, designer-approved tips and tricks, and even her own DIY projects. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 19, 2024 Close Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox When was the last time you sat for a visit on your front porch? If you're lucky enough to have a front porch on your house, it may not get as much use as your other outdoor areas. Southerners know the importance of hospitality and making your front porch inviting for guests, but it should also be inviting to you. As the first glimpse into your home, your porch is an extension of your interior decor while also amping up your house's curb appeal for passersby and approaching guests alike. We're sharing the styling secrets behind some seriously impressive front porches to help make your front porch an inviting, beautiful space where you want to spend time. Decorating Mistakes That Make Your Porch Look Unfinished, According To A Designer 01 of 14 Create A Cozy Seating Area Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Even when the shades are drawn and the lights are dimmed, a well-appointed front porch will help make your home look inviting. If you only have room on your porch for rocking chairs or a bench, that'll do it. Add some cushions and a side table to bolster the effect. If you have more space, create a cozy seating area centered around a rug that can accommodate a handful of your closest friends. As true with interior design, a well-layered outdoor space looks lived-in and way more attractive than something stark and bare. The Best Outdoor Furniture, According To Our Testing 02 of 14 Let There Be Light Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Ensure your outdoor living room has enough light to enjoy the space after the sun has set, but steer clear of light bulbs that are too bright. String bulb or twinkle lights along the inside of your porch ceiling (so they aren't visible from the street), or add sconces or hanging lanterns that match your front door. Bring some large, sturdy table lamps outside to reinforce the outdoor room feel or table-top lanterns make for excellent porch decor and protect your candles from the elements. Outdoor Christmas Light Ideas And Tips To Make Your Home Shine This Season 03 of 14 Plant Plenty Of Pots Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Page Mullins While in some cases less is more, when it comes to brimming container gardens, there's no such thing as too many porch plants. Having plants on your front porch reinforces the signs of an active home. Add lots of colors with the plants or pots they're in. For a more minimalist look, stick with a monochrome palette with green plants and neutral planters. Place large pots or smaller groupings all around—on the stairs, by the front door, or scattered around the porch. Think outside the standard flower pot box too. You can also add trees for height or place smaller pots on a bench or table to make them more visible. Window boxes can be a great addition if you have smaller front-facing windows (and will be much more convenient to maintain). Of course, hanging ferns or flower pots is a classic Southern porch look that'll never go out of style. 38 Front Door Container Garden Ideas For An Eye-Catching Entryway 04 of 14 Focus On The Front Door Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Barbara Schmidt No matter how great of a seating area you set up on either side of your front porch, ensure your front door remains the focal point. That is what most people see when passing by, after all. Consider adding planters to flank the front door (if your door is in a corner, stagger planters out to the open side of the door), creating a funnel towards it. If your porch is on the darker side, or there's not enough contrast between the door and exterior paint, add a pop of color by changing the door paint color. You can also paint the trim around the door a different color. And, of course, remember a fun doormat. 05 of 14 Maintain The Lawn Robbie Caponetto Before stepping onto your front porch, the walkway and greenery can also impact a home's curb apparel. Maintaining the grass and planting flowers or bushes can help frame your front porch and house. You can also try some low-maintenance lawn care by planting specific types of grass, adding a fence, and using garden stones for decor. There are also such things as low-maintenance plants. Adding a few around the front of your home is a great way to inject some liveliness into your yard. 06 of 14 Give Height With Evergreen Plants Sun-seeking updates and white paint transformed this Homewood gem. LAUREY W. GLENN As Southerners, we fall head-over-heels for colorful and seasonal container gardens, but a beautiful evergreen shrub or potted tree is another great way to elevate your porch year-round. Use green plants, like topiaries, potted boxwoods, or other structured greenery, to add height and interest to your entryway. 07 of 14 Add A Rocking Chair Laurey W. Glenn There's nothing more traditionally Southern than rocking chairs or wicker furniture on a front porch. Combine the two, like these green wicker rocking chairs, and you'll have an iconic and inviting Southern porch where everyone will want to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea. 08 of 14 Hang Stylish Street Numbers Laurey W. Glenn Pretty street numbers are a great way to distinguish your house and add a creative flair. More than just the numbers listed on your mailing address, these numbers represent your home and your family who lives there. Have fun with new or antique brass or iron, large wooden numbers, or paint them to match your house. 09 of 14 Upgrade Your Doormat Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Just as with the interior of a home, layers make all the difference in taking a space from ho-hum to eye-catching, the same goes for the front porch. Think high and low. A welcome mat not only anchors the entry and provides service for guest to wipe off their shoes, but also adds interest in a similar way a runner does in a hallway. 10 of 14 Paint The Flooring Hector Manuel Sanchez While designers recommend avoiding darker shades, paint is a great (and relatively inexpensive) way to transform any space, including the entryway. From splashing the front door in a punchy hue to coating the ceiling with a haint blue, the just-right painted floor is sure to create a warm welcome. How To Paint Your Porch Floor, According To A Designer 11 of 14 Flank The Door With Shutters Robbie Caponetto; Produced: Mark Thompson; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller The architecture of a home often dictates the exterior features it needs. And shutters are one of the first accents (which are also functional) that are typically added; however, there are other ways to incorporate them beyond the windows. Consider adding shutters on either side of the doorway (use curved designs for arched entryways) as a detail that stands out. 32 Shutter Ideas That Add Instant Curb Appeal 12 of 14 Train Climbing Vines Like the interiors, the front yard tells a story with roadside-rescue boxwoods and flowers inspired by Henderson's childhood garden. JAMES RANSOM; STYLING: Veronica Olson Looking for a more nature-inspired approach to dressing up your front porch? Take a cue from artist Dorothy Shain Henderson's bungalow and train climbing vines. Here, she used evergreen clematis vines to frame the freshly painted white columns. 14 Flowering Vines That Take Color To New Heights 13 of 14 Display Seasonal Decor Laurey W. Glenn; Floral Design: Mary Cox Brown; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Think about the holidays throughout the year when planning your front porch decor. Find seasonal accessories that compliment your home's exterior. Christmas might be the most memorable time of the year for outdoor decorations, but you can also create an inviting fall porch with pumpkins and mums or welcoming spring entry with colorful blooming containers. 14 of 14 Rethink The Hardware Hector Manuel Sanchez One thing you may never think to update is the doorbell. Despite hearing it ring every time a new package is delivered, the doorbell gets little attention regarding renovations. Add some personalization to your front door by changing the hardware, including the doorbell. You can make it look modern to correspond with your newly painted front door or search for vintage-looking hardware to make your front porch distinctive. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit