3 min readPumpkins, lanterns, and bottle gourds, the quintessential autumn trio. Hallmarks of fall porch décor year after year, thousands of homeowners pop one (or all three) of these beauties onto their porches and call it quits for fall. On the other end of the spectrum, some folks are preparing to haul out their hay bales and set up skeletons to welcome the start of spooky season.
If you find yourself standing in the middle ground of the ultra-simple and extra festive, we have great news: One piece of decor can seriously elevate your porch design while remaining adaptable. Translation: You can say goodbye to spending an entire afternoon tackling towers of holiday-specific storage bins and the stress of constantly swapping out props.
“A porch that already looks good in July just needs autumn added to it. A porch starting from zero every October is chasing a look it can never catch,” says Marie Cloud, founder of Indigo Pruitt Design Studio.
Before you rip open your potting soil and head to the pumpkin patch, here are two things to keep top of mind while dreaming up your designs.
Your porch is still a part of your home.
Just like any room in your home, your porch should feel like a layered space. After all, it serves as your home’s starting point, acting as a first impression for guests, neighbors, and other passersby.
When designing a seasonal porch, opt for details that define your personal style and your home’s architectural style, so you can extend both beyond the threshold of your front door and into full view. Like your coffee table or sofa, your porch needs a bespoke statement piece to set the tone of your home and ground revolving seasonal décor. And the perfect piece for the job: a fully stocked plant stand.
“Treat it like an extension of your home rather than an afterthought,” says Jennifer Hunter, principal designer at Jennifer Hunter Design. “One of my favorite ways to do this is with a simple plant stand filled with potted seasonal plants and flowers.”
Pick your pots and petals wisely.
What’s blooming in your yard is entirely dependent on the season, meaning when it comes to striking that classic autumnal air, you really can’t go wrong with the warm yellow, bright orange, and bold magenta petals that take well to the colder air. For interior designer Laura Jenkins, you really can’t beat a seasonal floral paired with a real pumpkin.
“I love to update plants for the seasonal weather,” says Jenkins. “By this time the ferns are looking a little haggard, and it might be time to let them go. I love buying mums from our local nurseries and putting them in my urns and in pots running up the stairs.”
Even more, stone planters and terracotta pots have the potential to elevate your designs further by adding an ever-elusive patina, making spaces feel more lived-in and storied.
“I love using terracotta pots that I’ve collected over time. They add so much warmth and character, and the patina you get from older pots is hard to replicate,” says Hunter.
So, what's the cardinal rule of autumn “porchscaping”? Never forget that your porch is a part of your home. It’s time we start treating it like one.
