The Best Fall Front Porch Decor Ideas On A Budget

by Jen @ RamblingRenovators - Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Can it really be the last day of September? I've been enjoying the changing leaves and the abundance of pumpkins, apple pies, and golden sunlight this time of year brings. Luckily, it's still warm enough to sit out on the porch. Let me show you around my fall front porch decor.

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Exterior Improvements

I'm thrilled to say our outdoor fall decor is not just all about the porch this year. Our exterior is far from finished (we still have not dealt with the front landscaping), but our walkway and front yard have had some major improvements this summer. Bit by bit, we're getting our exterior to where we want it to be. Earlier this summer we relaid the walkway, replacing the slope from the front door to the driveway with two built in steps. Here's a reminder of how it looked before:

In one weekend, we relaid the pavers, dug out the hilly grassy area to the right and filled that with hostas, and raised the boxwoods. We'll deal with the landscaping next spring (the hostas are just a temporary solution) but at least it feels cohesive.

And just last week, we finished another improvement. We repainted the peeling and pitted porch with Granite Grip, a coating for concrete surfaces.

granite grip, granite grip autumn mountain

Though I wish the application and distribution of the "sand" in the coating was more even, I'm very happy with how this turned out. Our porch was very slippery (the previous owner had painted it in a semi gloss paint!) and dangerous in the winter time but now it has a gritty texture. I'm sure our mailman will thank us! The Granite Grip in the Autumn Mountain colourway has also added warmth and blends in better with the red brick on the house and the tan pavers on the walkway.

We have to devise a master landscape plan - the area to the right beneath the front window definitely needs rework - but we're pleased with the progress from last year. Our exterior improvements over the last three years include:

replacing the garage door
repairing the fence
changing out lighting and painting the shutters for added curb appeal
repainting and changing the front door hardware

Fall Porch Decor

It is nice to have a painted porch now that complements the rest of the decor. This outdoor space is all about keeping things simple and easy. There are lots of great ideas and creative ways to decorate front porches. In my own home, I focus on fall flowers, textures, and a vibrant color scheme to celebrate the fall season.

Except for the fresh pumpkins and fall mums, all of the things here were items I already had. I do love the look of overflowing bright orange pumpkins on a porch - but in these trying times when many have lost their jobs and budgets are tight, it does feel somewhat wasteful to me. I've become more conscious about what I consume and what I contribute to landfill and I've become more minimal in my decor as a result. I do realize buying pumpkins does support local farmers so there is a balance!

What's your preference for decor? Do you like a neutral fall front porch? Or do you like front porches with farmhouse style? Think corn husks, bales of hay, and apple baskets. The kind of small stoop where you can sit and enjoy a pumpkin spice latte.

For me, there are two must have design elements when it comes to fall decorations: pumpkins and chrysanthemums. I still have my yellow begonias in my summer planters and I love the vibrant colour they've brought to the exterior. For fall, I decided to continue with a yellow theme and was lucky to find some smaller mums and yellow pumpkins at a local nursery. I'm not a fan of more traditional fall colors like orange and brown so yellow is still a fun way to welcome fall.

I love white pumpkins too and added some in; use white accents as a different way to bring brightness to your outdoor space. You can also opt for faux pumpkins which come in all sorts of different colors. There's also no need to toss your summer flowers just yet. My summer begonias and the large fern will stay out as long as they're alive, providing an easy way to transition into fall.

I also bought some white mums but they have yet to bloom. What did bloom quite well this year were the hydrangeas at our cottage! I snipped a few blooms, brought them home, and have put them on our porch. They're a pretty mix of greenish yellow and soft pink. I'm really loving hydrangeas lately... they look just as pretty dried as they do fresh in the garden.

I've added in a neutral outdoor rug, lantern and woven basket to provide natural textures and warmth. It's always good to have an organic element. Hay bales, wicker trays, and corn stalks are other options to bring in that feeling of nature. Just plop some fall foliage, real or faux, in a basket for an easy diy project.

The variety of pillows and cozy blankets bring comfort to this outdoor space. It's nice to sit out here with a cup of tea. I must admit the vintage books are just for show - but they do add coziness to this vignette, don't they?

There's a few final pieces left to deal with - we need to reattach the brass kick plate to the storm door, I still need a front door welcome mat and couldn't find my wreath hook so I couldn't hang a pretty fall wreath, but those things can come in time. For now, our small front porch creates a warm welcome to the autumn season. I only hope the warm fall season weather sticks around for a while and we can enjoy this porch!

And today I've joined some of my talented blogging friends who are also sharing their outdoor spaces decked out for fall. You can hop around and check out their posts by clicking on the links below their image.