The front porch of a house is essentially an extension of your living space.
Particularly if you’re a
In other words, the porch is more than your porch, the porch is an essential part of life, a place where all the important things happen, where the story of your life is written.
And in order to live up to the great responsibility and opportunity of this place, you will want your porch to be as comfortable, welcoming, and relaxing as possible.
This can be achieved with just a few small adjustments and additions, and we’re here to give you some helpful pointers along the way.
Table of Contents
Painted, Well-Kept Front Door
It should go without saying that a welcoming front porch should have a painted and
The front porch might primarily be an extension of your living space, but it also the (small) exterior room that welcome people to your home, and the front door -obviously- is the most important part of doing just that.
And please do not shy away from using bold
Coloured Trim
A very easy way to pick up the
It’s quick, it doesn’t cost the world, but it’s highly effective and looks just great!
Cozy Chairs
It goes without saying that an extension of your living space needs comfortable seating.
If everything goes well, you will spend a lot of time on your porch, and you
Rocking Chairs
A staple of front porches you really don’t want to miss out on.
If
These days, rocking chairs come with all the charm of the classic rocking chair but with a lot more comfort and sturdiness.
Swing
We’re sure you have, just as we do, the image of someone slowly rocking to and fro on a swing in your head when you think about a “typical” front porch.
Well, make it a reality! Porch swings are a great way of adding charm to your front porch, and they
Hammock Chair
If you love the idea of gently swinging the night (or day) away, but
Sectional Sofa
If you have the space and
The great joy of sectional sofas is the very simple fact that you can easily fashion exactly the kind of sofa you want and the space allows for without having to cut back on anything.
Cushions and Throws
Whichever seating option(s) you choose to employ on your front porch, there are two things you will need in abundance: cushions and blankets.
There’s nothing worse than whiling the evening away on a beautiful porch without having something to snuggle (against) and a nice throw or two to keep away the night air!
Sturdy Outdoor Table
If you have the space and truly want to enlarge your living space to serve all purposes, you should invest in a large, sturdy outdoor table.
That way you can do anything from hosting a dinner for friends, to working or doing homework, to playing cards or crafting outside without having to compromise on comfort.
Wire Spool Table
When space is scarce, or you plan on having bigger outside events in your back yard or on your patio, a small table, more like a coffee table, is quite enough to have on your porch.
The possibilities there are endless, but if you want to go for a charming DIY or up-cycling look, a table fashioned out of an old wire spool is a great eyecatcher.
Tea or Drinks Cart
And for those who like it even smaller and more practical, a drinks cart might just be the perfect choice that combines looks and pupose.
Porch Curtains
Using porch curtains has two reasons: to provide shading during hot summer days, and to add a layer of privacy during long evenings out if your porch can be easily seen from the street or your
And even if you don’t intend to draw them, you might just want to consider hanging sheer, possibly
Fairy Lights
Obviously, lights are a big topic when it comes to making your porch usable at all times of the day, or night. Generally speaking, you probably want to have quite a selection of different lights at hand, ranging from one emitting enough light to work, read, or study with, to some lower lighting bright enough for having dinner, and even some candles to set the mood.
On top of that, we suggest making use of fairy lights to create ambience lighting. They typically are
Plants, Plants, Plants
While your front porch should be an extension of your living space, it also doubtlessly is part of the “outside”, and using a lot of plants in your decoration reflects this state of duality.
In terms of which plants to choose, the choice is all yours! Everything from cut flowers to small potted plants and maybe a vegetable planter up to smallish trees or palms is possible.
Tall Planters
One great way of creating focal points, particularly around your front door, or acting as visual space dividers are tall planters.
House Number Planter
The house number planter is a charming way to combine the necessary with the decorative.
Welcome Sign
Sometimes creating a welcoming feel is really as easy as putting up a sign.
There are loads of different designs available, and what’s more, a “Weclome” sign is a lovely DIY project for yourself, the kids, or the whole family.
Colander Hanging Basket
Speaking of DIY, cheaply fashioning planters, plant hangers, or hanging storage solutions for useful knick-knack out of things you already have at home is a great way to decorate your front porch.
Monogram Planter
Another beautiful way of leaving your personal mark on your porch is using a monogram planter. Let guests know they have found the right house by planting the first letter of your surname with
Planted Dresser
And yet another way of re-using something you most likely already have at hand.
Instead of throwing away an old, now unused dresser, vanity or chest of drawers, give it a second life as a planter on your front porch!
Seasonal Decorations
And last, but not least,
There really is no good reason to let spring, fall, Halloween, and Christmas pass by without giving it a nod in terms of porch decorations as well!