Is your front porch in need of a shakedown? Let’s be honest. The front of the house is often overlooked, especially during the winter months.
We’re busy people, and sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to our porches.
But that doesn’t mean they have to be dull, drab, or unusable. With a bit of effort, you can get your porch looking great in no time.
If you need some front porch ideas, we’re here for you.
Read on to discover how you can spruce up your space, increase usability, and make your house shine like a beacon of front-porch paradise in your neighborhood.
Why the Front Porch Needs Your Attention Now
The front porch is one of the most important parts of your home.
Or at least, it should be.
There are several reasons why the front porch reigns supreme in your yard.
The first is that it’s the first thing people see when they walk up the drive. It can set a warm and welcoming tone for your whole house.
You don’t want visitors or passersby to judge you harshly on your front porch décor (or lack thereof), so you better get to sprucing it up.
The second reason is that your front porch is a space that can give back to you in many ways. Sit out on a warm spring day, have the family over for supper, or turn it into your own private sweet spot. It’s a smart idea to use that space and to enjoy the time you spend there.
There are more ways to decorate your front porch than you can shake a stick at.
However, these five are some of the best around. Ready to get started? Check out these unique front porch ideas.
5 Beautiful Front Porch Ideas and How to Execute Them
These front porch ideas are sure to put a smile on your face, as well as the faces of any passerby who happen to look in on you.
1. Front Porch Garden
Are you really into nature? Then bring it to the porch. Adding a front porch flower garden is a surefire way to attract the attention of onlookers around the block. It can be done in a number of ways to suit your personal tastes.
Use brightly colored flowers, cool cactuses and succulents, or even herbs and vegetables to add some spice to your life. You can purchase any number of seeds and bulbs online, or you can choose to peruse the selection at your local nursery.
You’re sure to find something which strikes the eye.
When designing your front porch garden, make sure to incorporate different elements into it. You’ll want to install some hanging planters which fit into your chosen theme as well as regular flower pots.
This way, you get to catch some color at eye level as well as on the ground.
You can get creative with it, putting in some railing pots so everyone can see your favorite blooms in the spring. You can also dig the ground around your porch and install some garden beds along the bottom. This will keep the color evenly spaced out.
Keep in mind that with a garden comes responsibility.
You’ll have to take good care of your plants, watering them and repotting them as they grow. If you need ideas about which flowers to plant, check out the best flowers for garden design.
In order to pull off a front porch garden spectacularly, you need to know your USDA planting zone. When you find out your zone, you’ll know which plants you can plant and when to plant them for maximum gardening success.
2. Front Porch Social Hour
A porch is better than a parlor on a warm summer’s eve. It’s much more inviting to sit outside than to sit in the interior of the house, which can get stuffy quite quickly during the warmer months. A fresh outdoor breeze eliminates all those problems.
So how do you transform an ordinary front porch into a living room fit to host the finest guests?
You’ll want to start by choosing a color scheme and possibly even a theme for your porch.
You don’t want to make do by just throwing a few old chairs out there — this is your chance to shine. Do it right. That means choosing patio furniture made for outdoor use.
Regular upholstery and furniture will get damaged from the elements if you leave them outside. The sun, wind, rain, and dirt will eventually render it an ugly, uncomfortable nightmare.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with it.
If you have a large enough space, put in a sectional sofa. If you want to host your dinner party outside, get a plus-sized outdoor dining table and chairs. Your guests will surely appreciate your dedication to the outdoors.
They’ll be especially comfortable with the addition of an outdoor bar. You can add a mini-fridge and serve up cold drinks all night long.
Of course, if you do that, you’ll need proper lighting to set the mood.
Fortunately, you can easily rig up some outdoor lights to set any mood you want. Put up stringed lights for a relaxed bohemian feel, or choose soft yellow overheads for a more formal feel. The choice is yours.
3. Front Porch Sleepover
Putting a bed on the porch isn’t a new idea. In fact, it’s a very old one, made popular around the turn of the last century when doctors advocated sleeping outside in order to boost immunity to diseases.
Of course, it also helped that the air outside was cooler — something which was quite valuable during summertime.
However, the idea has largely lost the appeal, but we don’t see why.
If you protect yourself properly, putting a sleeping area outside can be a wonderful way to pass the summer. Choose a bed made especially for outdoor use, but make sure it’s comfortable enough to sleep on before you buy it.
The bed should not only be attractive but also durable.
While you’ll be using it at night, everyone else will be able to see it during the day (when you’ll be using it as a day bed, if you so desire). The bed should match your color scheme, and shouldn’t dominate the entire area.
If you’re interested in sleepover shenanigans on your front porch, make sure to invest in some solid mosquito netting to ward off critters who like to bite. Take it down during the day when you have people over, and the bed can double as an extremely large couch.
If you live in a particularly hot area, consider installing an outdoor fan on the ceiling so you’ll have some more air circulating around you. It’s important to keep your comfort in mind, so use normal sheets.
Don’t forget to remove them and wash them regularly, because it’s easy for bugs to get nestled up in them if you leave them on too long.
4. Front Porch of Art
If you’re a creative person, this is the front porch idea for you. Turning your porch into an art project is time-consuming, but the finished product is incredibly beautiful. In fact, the whole neighborhood will thank you for it.
One of the best things about this project is that you can make it completely your own.
Use a variety of colored wood paints to create rainbow splashes of color across your porch, or use many shades of the same color to create an even, monochromatic design.
You can incorporate recycled materials, old furniture, and more into your porch. Create sculptures that speak to your own quirkiness, or paint a giant mural on the side of your house.
The decision is yours and should reflect your heart and soul.
You can get everyone in your household to contribute to your artsy porch. This is a great activity for families to do together, and you could even get the whole neighborhood in on it if you like.
5. Cozy Romance Front Porch
This is one of the best front porch ideas for couples. You’ll need the appropriate outdoor furniture to make your cozy romantic front porch getaway a dream come true.
You can achieve this with a front porch swing loveseat flanked by the end tables of your choice.
A swing is a great place to sit around and chat with your partner, sip drinks, and watch the world go by during the daytime. However, some people dislike the movement of a swing. Talk to your partner before deciding.
When night falls, you’ll need some romantic outdoor lighting. Try mellow pink rose lamps, or colored string lighting to cast a soft glow in the evening. If you want to go all-out, get some scented candles to round out the whole scene.
The romantic front porch hangout spot can be altered to fit your own needs. Don’t like the idea of a loveseat? Put out some beanbag chairs for you and your beloved to lounge around on. If romantic candles aren’t your thing, put out potpourri or incense instead.
Turn These Front Porch Ideas into Reality and Enjoy Your Space
Are you ready to start utilizing every part of your house?
Armed with these five fabulous front porch ideas, you’re ready to take on your outdoor living space.
So, what are you waiting for?
You have a porch to conquer.
