78 Best Front Porch Decorating Ideas for a Dreamy Entry

The classics are classics for a reason, right? A set of wooden rocking chairs looks great on almost every porch and helps create a welcoming, laze-about vibe that is quintessential to front porches. Here, designer Claire Zinnecker surrounded two vintage rocking chairs with freshly planted greens and a wedding ring quilt sewn by her grandmother.

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Channel the “lake life” by choosing rustic elements with subtle theming. Here, simple enamel buckets make for planters with laid-back charm, while the plain wood canoe paddles and firewood add to the rustic atmosphere of this Massachusetts lake home.

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Because the front porch is the first thing guests will see upon arriving to your house, we’re giving you permission to go a little overboard (on scale, on furniture, on everything). Opt for large planters to flank your front door. Fill them with tidy boxwoods for a more prim-and-proper approach, or go for more unkempt greens and spillers to keep things feeling a little humble.

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Textiles are the perfect way to show off your porching personality. For a subtle country flair, pick something like a gingham tablecloth, plaid blanket, or a patterned quilt to wrap your swing cushion, like the homeowners did here on their California porch. If your upholstery is graphic, pair it with plain pillows in the same palette to bring the space together.

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If you’re a dedicated green thumb, then you know that every spot—and we do mean every—could use a little greening up. Here, a small potting station on the covered patio acts as a mini kitchen garden with quick-grab herbs and small greens.

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If you aren’t sure where to begin on your porch design project, start with a simple color palette. On this Texas porch, varying shades of blue and white set the base while an antique flag hung on the wall provides the proper pop of red. A mix of country patterns, such as gingham and grain sack ticking stripes, add texture.

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On smaller porches, you may be tempted to fill the space with larger-than-life plants to make an impact. Instead, try picking plants with smaller silhouettes, like homeowner Bambi Costanzo did here. This allows you to have more plants in the same area and doesn’t take up precious walking space by the front door.

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Not only is a painted floor a quick and easy way to upgrade your existing porch, but it’s also on trend. You can keep it simple by washing the space in a single color or mixing it up with a checkered floor or other dynamic patterns. You also don’t have to have wood flors to paint them! Here, a concrete slab got a major upgrade with green paint.

Get the Look:
Floor Paint Color: Cypress Vine by Behr

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Love an all-white exterior but want to add some color and don’t have a ton of room to do so? Take a note from creative Nancy Fishelson! Her longstanding affinity for whites and neutrals doesn’t mean she isn’t open to pops of color. Happy hydrangeas add just a dash of color when set against her white farmhouse flush with greenery.

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If you love the look of topiaries flanking the door but don’t love all the fuss of having to care for them, go simple. A pair of rounded boxwoods in tall planters adds height and drama without the maintenance required to care for more fanciful topiaries.

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