Wow, is it me or did summer fly by this year! Yet, here we are, kids are back or about to be back at school and the leaves will start to change before you know it. You know what that means don't you, it's time to start thinking about decorating your house for the Fall season!
By Caitlin Sole
Whether you have a balcony, a wraparound porch, or just a small stoop, you can add seasonal touches to your outdoor space using pumpkins, mums, and more with these fresh fall porch ideas.
It's easy to give your front porch a seasonal refresh with a few fall decorations. Adding fall flowers, pumpkins, gourds, and simple decorating touches to your porch creates a warm and inviting entry for guests. Consider a classic fall color scheme, like red, yellow, and orange, for your fall front porch, or try something new, like a farmhouse-style display of soft white pumpkins paired with pastel accents and rustic planters. Use these ideas for fall porch decor to achieve a festive harvest look that lasts all the way through Thanksgiving.
PHOTO: JAY WILDE
1. Create a Fall Porch Seating Area
Add a bench to your porch for a comfy outdoor seating area that doubles as a festive fall vignette. Set a simple bench against an exterior wall or railing, then layer it with pillows and throws in weather-resistant fabrics. Fill planters, such as baskets and galvanized buckets, with fall flowers like mums to flank the seating area. Complete the fall porch decor with miniature gourds tucked between the planters and a nubby rug underfoot.
PHOTO: ANTHONY MASTERSON
2. Start with Classic Fall Porch Decor
If you start with the right basic elements, you can easily update your front porch for fall with just one trip to the pumpkin patch. A pretty faux fall wreath makes a good investment you can reuse for years to come, and lanterns in varying sizes make versatile vessels you can switch up as the seasons change. For your autumn outdoor display, fill them with small pumpkins or fiery bittersweet branches and set a few larger pumpkins nearby for more fall color. Traditional fall porch decor such as pumpkins, rustic lanterns, and colorful wreaths will never go out of style.
PHOTO: WERNER STRAUBE
3. Extend Fall Decor Beyond the Porch
If your entryway has limited square footage, let your fall porch decor extend past the front stoop. Line the walkway leading up to your front door with pumpkins in a variety of shapes and colors. Tuck smaller gourds into window boxes or planters for an unexpected fall twist.
PHOTO: ADAM ALBRIGHT
4. Decorate with Fall Foliage
Nature abounds with this colorful fall porch decor. A mix of textures, including spiky grasses, mounds of mums, fluffy 'Magic Carpet' spirea, and ruffled kale, fill a variety of rustic containers. Be sure to pack planters full and water only occasionally because plants grow slowly in cool temperatures. Mix orange carving pumpkins with unusual varieties of gourds and squashes. Wrap a thick rope with outdoor string lights and grapevine balls to create a festive garland to welcome visitors.
PHOTO: WERNER STRAUBE
5. Add Farmhouse Style to Your Porch
Easily achieve a farmhouse look with a few inexpensive fall decorating ideas. The traditional farmhouse decor that decorates this space can be found at a local craft store, flea market, or secondhand shop. Vintage furniture, rustic signage, colorful door decorations, and comfy chair cushions all add up to the quintessential fall farmhouse porch.
PHOTO: ADAM ALBRIGHT
6. Create a Cozy Fall Nook
To make your outdoor decorations more functional, include a cozy seating area for enjoying the fall colors. Here, a fluffy pillow in an Adirondack chair creates a spot for relaxation. A matching orange side table holds a decorative lantern and spooky painted pumpkin for a festive fall porch setup.
PHOTO: JASON DONNELLY
7. Frame Your Front Door with Fall Decor
If you don't have a large porch to decorate, think vertically and add cornstalks or a leaf garland around your door. A vertical display will give you a big impact without taking up a lot of space. For fall porch decorating ideas on a budget, buy faux seasonal garlands instead of creating one with live produce or leaves. These can look convincingly realistic and be used year after year. Here, pumpkins get a vertical lift on pedestals that provide added interest to this decorative porch.
PHOTO: CARSON DOWNING
8. Soften Fall Porch Decor with Neutrals
Decorate with natural elements in soft colors and textures for an inviting front porch that easily transitions from season to season. We love this home's inexpensive fall porch decor, including a straw basket filled with gourds. Weatherproof pillows provide extra comfort and a sturdy blanket brings warmth. And, of course, the more pumpkins, the merrier!
9. Make a Harvest Planter
If you have the space, add a large container like a wheelbarrow or wagon to your list of cute fall porch ideas. Fill it with an assortment of fall elements, such as bittersweet, pumpkins, gourds, and leaves. Add a short message or your home's numbers to the pumpkins for a finishing touch. This decoration can easily span the fall holidays, taking you right through Thanksgiving.
PHOTO: CARSON DOWNING
10. Add an Accent Pattern to Your Fall Porch
Create a neutral fall display by grouping elegant white and pale-orange pumpkins. To keep it interesting and add a touch of farmhouse style, incorporate painted gingham pumpkins throughout. Finish with white mums, lanterns, and patinaed planters to complete the rustic fall porch decor.
Caitlin is the senior digital home editor at Better Homes & Gardens, where she covers all things home, including decorating and interior design, cleaning and organization, paint and color, home improvement, and more.