5 Tips to Help You Decorate a Beautiful Porch for Fall

One of my favorite fall activities is decorating my front porch!

I typically decorate just before Halloween and keep the display through Thanksgiving.

I’ve noticed that a lot of my neighbors put out one or two jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween and call it good for the rest of the season.  Eventually the pumpkins rot or get eaten by squirrels and that’s that.

I suspect some people take this approach because decorating a porch can feel intimidating, especially after browsing in places like Pinterest and Better Homes and Garden.  Well, a few words of encouragement:  if I can do it, you can totally do it too.  It’s so fun and once you get the hang of it – so easy.

Here are five tips to help get your porch looking pretty.

Tip No. 1 – Use What You Have

My first step is always to conduct a scavenger hunt in my house.  I look through my fall decorative pieces, I gather vases, baskets and mason jars.

The requirement is that it has to be able to get wet and possibly ruined.  I live in Idaho and I don’t have a covered porch, so there’s simply no avoiding the wet.  Or squirrels.

This year I used baskets filled with foliage taken from my yard.

Also a decorative mason jar filled with small pine cones and grass from my box of fall décor.

For finishing touches I chose a large lantern and a green topiary.

Tip No. 2 – Include Flowers

In years past I’ve purchased fall flowers at the store, but this season I didn’t want to buy anything and was committed to using what I already had.  So I got out the shears and clipped from my garden bed.

I also happened to have a bouquet from my birthday that dried out nicely.

Tip No. 3 – Bring Out the Pumpkins

Pumpkins are everywhere this time of year.  If you carved one for Halloween and it’s still in good shape, include it in your decorating!  You can still pick up plain pumpkins at the store even if the holiday has come and gone.

I used an assortment, including small plastic pumpkins from my fall décor box as well as real live winter squash (one of which Nick turned into a raven).

Tip No. 4 – Incorporate Ornamental Grass

I love using maiden grass from my yard.  By this time of year the plumes have sprouted and the grass has dried out – perfect for a fall porch!

I start by cutting up the dried grass to look like hay, then I sprinkle the pieces all over. It gives the area a really nice texture.

I use the plumes to fill in the empty spaces and give the display a full, pleasing look.

Tip No. 4 – Don’t Forget the Wine!

I used wine bottles to create some height with the plumes from the maiden grass and hid them in plain sight.

I scattered some wine corks across the area, then used the remaining corks as pumpkin stuffers.

Ah, wine.  You are truly good for so many things.

So!  Are you feeling ready to try it yourself?

If you need a little more inspiration, other ideas include apple baskets (check out this awesome idea from Savy Souther Style); chalkboards or other handmade signs (such as this one from The Wood Grain Cottage); plaid blankets and decorative pillows if you have a bench or chair; crates (I’m loving these ones from Cottage in the Oaks); fall wreaths, corn husks and hay bales.

I hope these tips make decorating your fall porch a less daunting project.  It really is a lot of fun and you get to create a beautiful work of art.  If you’ve never done it before, just go for it; and if you are a seasoned decorator I would love to know what you do at your home!