How to Decorate a Front Porch for Spring

March 10, 2022 Posted in: Front Doors, Garage Door Tips and Tricks, How-To

When the snow is melted and buds begin to form on the trees, that’s our cue to shake off those winter blues and decorate for spring! Transitioning from winter can be one of the best changes of the year. Just as nature wakes up from its slumber, so too can we liven up our houses after months of staying indoors. There’s a reason why there’s such a thing as spring cleaning. It’s the perfect time to spruce up your home and prepare for the lovely, sunny days to come.

As you prepare to welcome the spring season, one of the perfect places to start is your entryway. Not only are you setting the mood for the rest of your house, you’re also preparing a nice space to enjoy one of the best parts of spring — relaxing and hosting outside! Below, you’ll discover the basics of how to decorate your front porch for spring, our best spring decorating ideas for your front porch, and spring decor for front doors. Learn the secrets to styling your porch for spring no matter its size or your budget.

Before we dive into specific ideas for your porch, let’s take a look at some of the fundamental decor elements that set the tone for a spring-inspired entryway.

1. Spring flowers and plants

Using nature as your guide is a great way to decorate for any season, but spring offers some of the best plant options of the year. Since this is the time when green shoots and vibrant flowers bring color back into the world, that’s our cue to incorporate it into our decor as well. Trade out your evergreens and dried plants for fresh greens and spring flowers, breaking out your planters or buying new ones to home your new plant friends. Plant parent is the new pet parent, so don’t be shy about giving your porch a facelift with some greens!

When selecting your next plant, look for options that suit your lifestyle and the level of care you’re willing to commit to keeping them alive and vibrant. Take note of the conditions those plants like best and whether your porch provides them, such as adequate hours of sunshine or shade. You may also want to pull your plants in at night for a few weeks if temperatures drop below your plants’ threshold. If you’ve killed every plant you’ve ever owned, then maybe some artificial plants are in order. Opt for high-quality, real-looking alternatives to look as chic as possible.

2. Light and bright colors

Another cue we get from nature is color scheme. For spring, that means we want to incorporate light and bright colors. Draw inspiration from blossoming flowers, birds’ eggs in shades of baby blue and speckled white, as well as new shoots that exist on a spectrum of yellow to green. Pastels are another springtime favorite due to their association with Easter, but their soft, muted coloration can also make for a slower transition away from the starkness of winter.

When considering where to incorporate pops of color, consider throw pillows, rugs, wreaths, signs, planters and blooms. Just be sure to use any in-your-face shades sparingly. Too many could make your decor appear gaudy as opposed to appealing.

3. Gardening tools and rain gear

Spring is when gardening comes back in full swing. Whether you’re into gardening or just want a few potted plants on your porch, you can incorporate some aesthetic gardening tools into your porch decorations. Find an antique or stylish watering can to use as a planter or even for its original purpose — watering your porch plants. You can also try to incorporate other gardening tools, such as a pitchfork or hoe propped up against the wall, or a whicker flower trug basket to hold magazines, gardening gloves or a mini spade.

Another tenet of spring is rain. April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. Why not incorporate this into your porch decor? Whether you’re using raindrops and umbrellas as motifs on decor items or incorporating real rain boots and umbrellas into your setup, rain is a great inspiration for spring decor. If you’re interested in something practical, put out a chic umbrella stand or outdoor book rack for your guests when they visit. You can also use umbrellas and rain boots as planters or props to accentuate the season of wet weather.

4. Seasonal mats and pillows

Try refreshing your porch by bringing out spring-inspired throw pillows, area rugs and welcome mats. Pillows are a great way to incorporate vibrant colors, such a bright pinks, yellows or blues. An area rug could be bright or something in between eye-catching and neutral, giving some character to your front porch ensemble. A fresh welcome mat with a catchy saying is another fun way to bring in the season, as well as to remind guests to wipe any wet or muddy rain boots before entering!

5. Layering and the rule of threes

When it comes to decorating, layering is your friend. Whether this is literally layering things on top of each other, such as rugs, or grouping things together to create visual depth, such as pillows, planters or lanterns, it is a great tool to have in your decor arsenal. When layering, the rule of threes becomes especially important. In design, the rule of threes refers to the brain’s preference for odd numbers. We tend to find them more appealing and memorable than even numbers, and three tends to be the best of them all. It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to use three of the same object for this rule to apply. For instance, two rockers and one small table between them still abides by the rule of threes, as does two planters on either side of your door. Another trick is to vary the size or height of the three objects.

5 Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Spring

Now that we know what elements we can work with for our spring decorating, it’s time to put them all together. Here are four front porch decorating ideas for spring.

1. Greens on the steps

Just like a trail of pumpkins up the stairs is a fun fall statement piece, greens up the stairs can do the same thing! Lead visitors up to your front door with freshly potted plants. Either use the same size planter all the way up or ascend the stairs from largest to smallest. Using your stairs to group planters in threes is another way to liven up your steps and create some interest.

2. All creatures great and small

Bunnies, eggs, and chicks are the Easter-inspired mascots of spring. Deck out your porch with these creatures great and small. Before you think it sounds tacky, consider displaying a stately bronze rabbit statue or a basketful of freshly painted eggs on your porch table. You could also incorporate a pillow with a beautiful bird or a throw blanket that’s robin’s egg blue.

3. Statement planters and risers

Frame your door with two statement pieces. Whether they are two small trees potted in large urns or potted plants stacked on log risers (grouped in threes to fill the space if necessary), these can make a big visual impact. Remember that you want to fill the space vertically as well as horizontally. If you frame the doorway with items that are too small, they will look out of place.

4. Layered lanterns

Group three lanterns of varying sizes on your porch steps, beside the door or in front of a large urn. Fill them with bulky white candles or even moss, twigs and fake butterflies to really give off a springtime vibe! Don’t be afraid to use different styles of lanterns either. Consider keeping the metals monochromatic, but don’t be afraid to mix and match different styles and sizes!

3 Small Front Porch Decorating Ideas

Sometimes, porches can’t accommodate all the furniture and decor we wish they could. Don’t worry though. Here are some ideas for decorating a small front porch for spring.

1. Eye-catching wreath

If you’re short on space for your porch, an eye-catching wreath can really pull a lot of weight. Opt for something proportional to your door and colored in contrast to it. Eucalyptus or boxwood wreaths are a great starting point and can really contrast a dark door as well as a light-colored one. Large blooms and embellishments will really stand out as opposed to scattered small ones.

2. Layered welcome mats

Layering creates a chic look no matter the size or your porch. Layering your welcome mats is an especially accessible option for small porches. Choose a larger mat with a simple design, such as stripes, as your base. Ideally, it should take up two-thirds of the framed doorway. Then, layer it with a coir door mat. Typically, coir mats come with a generic greeting printed on them such as “Welcome,” but if you want a bit of your personality to shine through, you could pick something more specific. Sometimes the sayings are funny and sometimes they’re meaningful, but either way, they serve a practical and visual purpose regardless of your porch’s size!

3. Tall sign

If your porch is very narrow, propping a tall sign next to your door can work really well. Something long and lean will not only fill in the space well, it will also lend some vertical weight to your entry. Whether you go with a traditional greeting, your family’s name or a spring-based design, a tall sign can help liven up your porch. Really tight on space? Try hanging the sign on the door like you would a wreath!

How to Decorate on a Budget

If you’re tight on cash, decorating may seem like it’s out of the budget. Not so fast! Decorating doesn’t need to break the bank, and there are simple, affordable ways you can add some character to your entryway this spring.

1. Use what you have

Look around your house, garage or shed for things that you already have. Gardening tools and rain gear are especially perfect for this! Lean your garden hoe or a pitchfork on the wall of the porch, or paint some larger unused pieces of firewood to create risers. Don’t be afraid to add a fresh coat of paint to something you’d like to style for spring and really make the most of what you already have in your home!

You can also repurpose other seasonal decor, especially if you start investing in multi-purpose items. A gold lantern case could be used all year round depending on what you put in it! You can also string Christmas lights in such a way that doesn’t scream Christmas but still provides ambiance.

2. Invest in one statement piece

Go for the most decorative bang for your buck and invest in a statement piece. Think about what will catch the most attention when looking at your porch. That could be a wreath, a stylish urn, a statement pillow for your chair, or a seating option like a bench, table or chairs. Sometimes less is more and you can slowly build up your porch year after year as you acquire statement pieces one at a time.

3. Add textiles for some coziness

A pillow or throw blanket can really bring a feeling of coziness to a front porch. It’s such an inviting touch that really turns up the chic! Buying a bunch of individual throw pillows can be pricey, but there’s a better way to save. Invest in a nice pillow insert and then buy pillow covers for the seasons! This way, you can easily wash covers when they get dirty and change out pillows without having to store any bulky items from season to season! A neutral-colored throw with a moderate weight can also fit in nicely year round — you may even already have one you’re not using!

4. Try thrifting

Love the idea of a rain boot or umbrella vase? Check your local thrift store to see if they have any. The same could go for umbrellas and other decor items that people may decide to donate. Spring cleaners are prone to get rid of many potential gems during this time of year, so go to your local thrift stores and see what treasures you might find, like a plain wooden chair can be painted and used as a plant riser or cozied with that pillow and throw blanket. Get creative!

5. Use sales to plan for next year

Shopping sales is another strategy, though this one may be an investment in next year’s porch. Depending on when the stores turnover their stock for the new season, you may be able to snag a few items and implement them in your current setup. Check your favorite places midway through spring to see if they’ve started to discount their supply yet. Most likely though, you’ll get your best deals when spring is over, but it’s never too late to plan for next year!

Another possibility is to buy discounted winter decor and see if there’s any way to spruce it up for spring with a coat of spray paint or a few extra embellishments.

5 Ideas for Spring Front Door Decor

The focal point of a front porch is the door, which makes it prime real estate for your best decorations! Here are some ideas for spring front door decor.

1. Umbrella vase

Hang an umbrella by its handle on your front door. Then fill it with blooms or greenery to create a beautiful vase on your front door! You may want to tie the umbrella with some matching ribbon close to the bottom so you don’t have to fill the whole bottom. You can also use stuffing or padding to make what you have in there look more substantial than it actually is.

2. Monogram

Find a wooden cutout of the first letter of your family name. Tie a decorative ribbon to its top and hang it from your door. You can get really creative with this too, whether that’s painting it, adding embellishments or even constructing the letter out of greenery or other springy items. You’ll just want to make sure that it’s proportional to your door. A tiny letter on a stately door won’t turn out the way you think it will.

3. Spring wreath

Wreaths are the classic door decor, but they aren’t just relegated to Christmastime and winter. Crafting stores often offer great wreath options to purchase or, if you want to splurge, you could contact your local florist and see what spring wreaths they have available. A live wreath will require some care, so be sure to find out how to prolong the longevity.

Creating a spring-themed wreath is also a fun DIY opportunity. Start with an artificial boxwood green wreath, grapevine or magnolia leaf wreath and then tuck in some artificial blooms to give it a pop of color. Add a burlap bow and you’ve got yourself an eye-catching wreath. You could also glue an arrangement of colored eggs together for something Easter-themed. Don’t be afraid to try something new!

4. Chalk sign

Who doesn’t like a good chalk sign? Find a pre-made chalk sign or paint one of your own using chalk-paint. Then add some ribbon or string at its top to hang it from your door. Finish it up by writing “Welcome,” your family’s surname, your house number or a catchy saying in white chalk. You can change this sign as frequently or infrequently as you’d like, giving you lots of options.

5. Basket

If you want to shake things up a bit, go for a flower basket instead of a wreath. Baskets add texture and depth to your door while also housing ample amounts of flowers and foliage. Whether you go for artificial flowers for their ease, or regularly change out fresh cut blooms for the season, a basket is a great front door decor piece. Don’t shy away from things other than flowers either, such as moss and greens. So long as there is contrast with the wood, you can get pretty creative with what you fill the basket with!

Freshen Up Your Entryway With a Door From Quality Overhead Door

Decorating an entryway is all about accenting the most important thing on the porch — your door! Give your porch the best facelift by starting with its centerpiece! It’s not only the design focal point, but an actual threshold and barrier to your home. Don’t settle for something that isn’t serving you.

At Quality Overhead Door, we deliver doors that are both well-made and eye-catching. Just take a look at our entry doors and you’ll see what we mean! If you’re ready to transform your porch and give your home an upgrade, then schedule an estimate online today. If you have any further questions, then don’t hesitate to contact us to find out more about how we can help you transform your front porch!