Front Porch Style Ideas
Front porches are transitional spaces, linking outdoors to indoors, landscape style to interior design tastes, as well as being a place to welcome guests. Large or small, you’ll likely want it to serve a myriad of additional purposes. No wonder it can seem so difficult to get it right! Not to worry, here are some front porch style ideas to help you get the most out of this versatile and important space.
Inspiration
Keep in mind elements that are already in place and expensive to change: house color and architecture. Use these as a guide while deciding how you’d like to decorate your front porch, as well as the style of furniture you already have inside your home. If you own an older home but have a taste for modern furniture, let your porch style reflect this. If, on the other hand, you’ve decorated your Victorian’s interior in period style, wicker, floral fabrics, and ferns are likely in order.
Use
Consider how and when you’ll use your porch. Would you like to use it in the daytime but the sun is too strong? Consider using outdoor fabric to make shades or curtains, which will also provide privacy. Would you like to be able to read on your front porch at night? Keep that in mind when deciding on lighting. Do you want to entertain on your front porch? Is there room for a dining table, or just enough for a seating area? No matter how much room you have, you’ll want a bench or table near the front door on which to put things while you’re unlocking the front door.
Pulling It Together
If you’ve got mismatched furniture, consider painting a single color to unify them. Rugs, table lamps, and artwork aren’t just for interiors anymore. Many are manufactured specifically for outdoor use. Plants are a must for front porches. Evergreens in large containers will provide year-round interest, seasonal flowers in smaller containers are easy to update, and flower boxes on railings give additional privacy. Don’t underestimate the impact of updating house numbers, mailboxes, and door hardware!
