10 Tips for Creating a Friendly and Welcoming Front Porch

Your front porch is the very first thing you see when you get home from work (and the first thing guests see when they arrive). So it’s super important that it’s a welcoming and homely space.

After all, we work hard to create a good home, painting and decorating our house. But first impressions last, and if your front porch leaves a bad one, nothing you do inside will make any difference.

If you’re reading this post then you’ve likely already decided that your porch is in need of a little TLC. Not to worry, we’ve got plenty of tips to help you out – and many of them don’t cost much at all!

1. Tidy up First

Let’s be honest. A messy front porch filled with broken furniture, dead pot plants, an littered post doesn’t create a welcoming atmosphere. When it comes to a front porch, less is always more.

So, start by getting rid of the clutter. Throw away any broken items, furniture or decor you don’t use. Hose down the walls and floors regularly and invest in some new comfy furniture. You’ll be surprised at what a difference it makes!

2. Give Your Front Door Some TLC

Your front door is the entryway into your home. It needs some love. Scrub down the dirt and give your front door and the walls around it a fresh lick of paint once a year. Perhaps you can paint your door a different bright color each time to keep it exciting!

Replace the door handles, doormat and doorbell if they’re looking weathered. Attach a postbox nearby to store all the junk mail, instead of having it littering your doormat.

3. Dust and Sweep Daily

As it’s the entryway and exit of the house, the front porch gets dirty with all of the comings and goings. You’ll often find dust, cobwebs, branches, leaves or dirt being blown into your porch every day.

To stay on top of the mess, you should sweep it out every day, or at least every other day.

4. Decorate Your Space

Simplicity is key when it comes to decorating your front porch. You don’t want clutter greeting you at the end of a long day. But there must be at least some necessary elements as you don’t want it to be completely sparse either.

Fill the space with the things you actually use, such as a table and a few chairs, a hanging seat, and some pot plants.

Short on space? Consider your floor as part of your décor too. A design floor will give an aesthetic touch to the overall environment. It’s super easy to do!

5. Incorporate Nature

Who doesn’t like flowers? Vibrant flowers in colorful hanging pots are a fantastic addition to your front porch as they don’t take up any surface space. Adding flowers and plants to your front porch makes it feel homely, and makes it smell good too! It’s a win-win.

6. Invest in Good Lighting

As Coldplay’s lyrics say, lights will guide you home. Lights will also welcome you home.

Some people prefer bright lights such as motion sensor lights on top of the front door for safety while others may prefer dimmer mood lighting. The kind of lighting you prefer is completely up to you.   

7. Color Combination

Adding color to your front porch helps to make it a brighter, more cheerful space. If you choose them well, they can also do wonders for adding life to a tired space.

It’s important to keep the color coordination in mind when choosing your paint. Do the walls of the porch match the color of the front door? And so on. Make sure that any plants you choose also add to the color scheme, rather than overwhelm it.  

8. Landscaping Designs

Your front porch is a great spot to hang out and relax. Perhaps you enjoy reading out there. Either way, having the right seating and view is very important. So, if the landscape of your front pathway and the porch driveway is aesthetically designed it will become the perfect place to have a chill with your book or smoothie.

You don’t have to spend loads of time and money on decorating the driveway or landscaping sight of your front porch. Do not make it too extravagant, keep it simple but sophisticated.  You want it to be a cozy and comfortable space that you’re tempted to spend time in.

Consider what you use your front porch for the most. Do you have friends over for tea that may require tables and chairs? Do you prefer to read out there that could make a hammock, love seat or rocking chair more useful? Create designs to suit your habits. Simply decide on a design and call up a trusted contractor like the Pavers Adelaide to renovate it now.

9. Seasonal Stuff

Our lives are filled with occasions, and your front porch is a great place to mark these occasions.

At Christmas time, add some festive cheer with a Santa Claus decoration, or a bunny at Easter. At Halloween, line your porch with Jack O’Lanterns and a bowl of candies for the kids.

10. Paint by Numbers

You can get creative with the house number to add some personality to your front porch.

Perhaps you’re into mosaicking and can create a number out of pretty mosaics. You could also paint a large number on the wall outside. Or otherwise, invest in some classy metal numbers.

Either way, the pizza delivery guy certainly won’t struggle to find you!

That’s It!

A front porch is the heart of your home. It welcomes your family and your guests into your house and is the first thing anyone sees when they arrive. Make it memorable.

Your porch is also a great spot for sitting and relaxing and for creating a sense of security.

Giving your porch some much-needed TLC does not have to cost you much. Just keep it clean, be creative and put in the effort and you’ll reap the rewards!