Front Porch Decor: How to Quickly Decorate a More Festive Christmas Porch

Why is our front porch decor so important? It’s like the front page of your home decor book! It gives the outside world a peek into what lies beyond your front door. You want your cover page to be as special as you are.

Your front porch decor is a unique reflection of your personality and style.

It should be inviting and welcoming to all your visitors.

In this post you’ll learn our best tips and decorating advice we’ve learned from years of successfully creating beautiful front porches, especially for the holidays. But these decorating principles can be applied to every front porch you create all year long.

This post contains affiliate links.

 

Front Porch Decor: Step by Step

Step One: Remove last season’s decor. You can’t begin until the old decor is removed. Do this even before you clean up the front porch. Store last season’s decor in clearly marked bins so you can easily find everything next year.

Step Two: Clean up. Now is the perfect time to clean up leaves, debris, cobwebs, and anything else that has collected on your front porch. The better job you do with clean up the prettier your front porch decor will look. Don’t skip this all-important step.

Step Three: Time to decorate.

Our Best Tips for Fabulous Front Porch Decor

Start with your front door.

The front door is the focal point of any front porch, so it’s a great place to start. How you choose to decorate your front door will depend somewhat on what type of door or doors you have.

Jodie has one solid door. This makes for a clean, blank slate that is ready for any type of decor. It’s the perfect backdrop to display a large focal point wreath.

Your Front Door Wreath

The single most important element of your entire front porch decor may arguably be your wreath. With your door the center of attention, how you decorate it becomes paramount.

If you are going to invest in one item, we recommend spending it on your wreath. Investing in a special wreath is well worth the money. You can use and reuse this wreath for years to come.

Why not choose a wreath as special as you are? That’s why we love handmade wreaths. Each one is unique and made with love.

Our favorite handmade wreaths come from a talented woman, Adriane of @branchnbloom Her wreaths are spectacular. I am featuring her wreaths on my two front doors this year. They may be my favorite wreaths I’ve ever owned. And that’s saying a lot. I’ve owned dozens and dozens of beautiful wreaths, and Adriane makes the best.

We have a special savings code and link to shop her entire collection, year-round. She also makes equally stunning centerpieces. Shop her wreaths here.

Hanging Wreaths

I have two large doors with windows of frosted glass. So, whatever I use to decorate my doors, I need two of them. I attach my wreaths either from above using ribbon and a simple thumbtack at the top of the door.

Or I often use suction cup hooks to hang my wreaths. Suction cup hooks lose their grip every now and then, causing the wreaths to fall and have to be rehung. So, they’re not foolproof, but I still use them.

Use What You Have in New Ways

Jodie and I try very hard to use what we have. But we always want to create something new, both for our jobs and because we get bored decorating the same way season after season. It’s true that our blogging and Instagram jobs further encourage us to always make things look new.

Tip: You don’t have to necessarily buy new things to create new looks.

Here are our best tips to help stay on budget when creating your front porch decor (and any other Christmas decorating):

1. Think outside the box. Use your creativity instead of your wallet.
2. Repurpose items in new ways. I took an old sled and used it on my front porch. In the summertime you might use an old vintage bike in the same way. How about an old wooden ladder?
3. Borrow from inside. Especially if you have a covered porch, feel free to look around and see what can be repurposed for your porch. We love to use lanterns, crocks, mini trees, etc.
4. Build new wreaths using the old. Instead of buying a new wreath, how about freshening it up. You can remove things from an old wreath or think about adding things, like picks, pinecones, ribbon, lights, Christmas ornaments, bells. You name it. The skies the limit. Have fun building a new wreath from your tired old wreaths.

 

Decorate the Furniture on Your Front Porch

If you’re lucky enough to have a front porch big enough for furniture, be sure to add special touches to update these focal pieces.

Ideas to Update Your Furniture:

1. Paint your furniture. Give your porch furniture a makeover. Outdoor pieces take extra wear and tear. Be sure to keep them looking fresh with a new coat of paint. Change them up by changing the color. Make sure the color you choose compliments your home.
2. Add a colorful throw or two. Make it cozy and practical. Not only is a throw a beautiful decorative addition it is also useful to keep visitors warm when sitting outside.
3. Add seasonal decor on and around your furniture to create a completed vignette.
4. Add new cushions or covers. The most economical way to update your cushions is to buy new pillow or cushion covers. This is what I do with my cushions and pillows I have on my benches.

 

Custom Pillows and Cushions Make a Big Impact

My favorite source for custom cushions, pillows, and pillow covers is The Hearth and Home Store. The quality it unbeatable and the customization is amazing. If you have a piece of furniture or bench inside or out that needs cushions this is the place to go. I love everything they’ve made for me. Even my outside cushions and pillows look like new after months of enduring Seattle weather. When I need custom pillows or cushions, I won’t go anywhere else. 

Plus, we have a savings coupon code to save 10% off any order:  THEDESIGNTWINS.

Find them on Instagram @hearthandhomestore.

The Hearth and Home Store will create anything you need exactly to your specifications. They have an incredible selection of fine fabrics. This American family-owned and operated company is the answer you’ve been looking for. Their products have been featured on The Today Show, HGTV and more. Use our coupon code, THEDESIGNTWINS, to save 10% on any order. Order your custom cushions here.

Symmetry is the Key to Swoon-worthy Front Porch Decor

Since the focal point of every front porch is the front door, nearly every front porch requires at least some symmetry.

The goal is to decorate around the front door using symmetry to balance your look. This creates harmony and draws the eye to your centerpiece, which is your door.

Depending on the size and configuration of your front porch, you can continue to build out and around your front door using symmetry to balance the entire look.

If you have an extended front porch, you’ll arrange your furniture and other decor according to the space.

Always keep balance in mind.

Create Vignettes on Your Front Porch

• Don’t scatter items around.
• Think in terms of vignettes.
• A vignette is a decor grouping.
• You don’t want decor scattered.
• When decor is scattered around it looks cluttered.
• Scattered items look like they’re floating.
• Grouping items together in uneven numbers is a good rule of thumb.

 

The Power of a Rug

• Ground your decor with a rug.
• A rug frames your vignette.
• A rug creates a room feel and defines the space.
• Layer your front door rugs for added color, texture, and wow.
• Use another rug or two under other furniture to define each area.

Budget Decor Ideas for Christmas Front Porch Decor

Wrap Faux Presents

• Use pretty, festive paper and ribbon.
• Plan the color scheme carefully for a gorgeous, coordinated look.
• Pile them around, either on the ground or on furniture.
• They create a very festive accent to any holiday front porch decor.

Use Faux or Real Poinsettias

• Poinsettias add a real pop of color to any Christmas front porch decor.
• If your weather is cold, opt for faux plants and reuse each year.
• Move them around and use inside and out. They are sure to get plenty of use.

Use Mini Trees

One of Jodie’s and my all-time favorite Christmas decor item is mini evergreen trees. If you’ve noticed, we use them everywhere! So why not use them with your front porch decor? This is an easy yes.

Why do we love them so much?

• They look good everywhere.
• Last from year to year.
• They are effortless. You just set them around! Done.
• You can dress them up if you want. Add lights or ornaments.
• They are incredibly versatile and easy. Enough said.
• We believe you can never have too many trees (if you can store them).

Add Lights

• Lights are very inexpensive.
• They add a lot of wow factor.
• Lighting is essential because you want your front porch to make an impact throughout evening hours.
• Everything is more festive with lights.
• Make a style statement with your lights.
• Do you want classic and refined? Choose white.
• Do you want playful and festive? Choose colored and/or blinking
• Do you want old-fashioned nostalgia? Choose retro size in colored of course.

 

Use Garland

• Adding greenery everywhere is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to take your front porch decor to swoon-worthy level.
• Visit your local garden center and ask if they have tree cuttings. These pieces might not create the ideal garland, but you can use them to decorate creatively.
• If you want to buy fresh garland, you can find it relatively inexpensively from places like Trader Joes and Home Depot.
• The bonus is twofold when using outside: Firstly, the cooler air helps fresh garland last so much longer. Mine often last through February in the cool Seattle weather.
• Secondly, you don’t have to worry as much about mess when using outside.
• The other option for garland to use faux garland. Many benefits to using faux: it lasts for years, doesn’t make a mess, or expire. You can buy pre-lit to save time and energy too. Here are a few of our favorite garland options to shop below.

Repurpose Indoor Decor

Instead of feeling the need to buy items for the porch, look around at anything that’s not being used from inside.

At Christmas time especially there is so much extra decor brought out.

My usual decor is not needed in the house.

So here I repurpose items for the porch.

I particularly like lanterns and other vintage items.

Remember to Have Fun with your Front Porch Decor

Always think outside the box and don’t be afraid to get creative.

Have fun. Sometimes unexpected is best.

Happy Front Porch Decorating!

jodie & julie

Shop links below:

Shop links below: