Fall

Welcoming Fall Front Porch

Hi there friends! We all feel it, a familiar coolness in the air, so we say ‘so long summer’ and welcome Fall into our lives. It seems like just yesterday we were talking about our favorite summer vacation spots and dinning alfresco . As the seasons transform so do our nests, changing from an airy summer oasis embracing the warm sunshine, to cozier options with hopeful anticipation of what’s to come. When it comes to ‘decorating’ for autumn, I’m definitely in the less is more camp. The kitchen is the first place I start and then I head out to the entrance to our home. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as mimicking nature’s transition through Autumn. The colors start out neutral and become bolder as October gives way to November’s splendor. I hope you enjoy our welcoming fall front porch and find some inspiration to create something beautiful in your home.

I’ve teamed up with a group of talented bloggers to share our Fall porch and craft ideas. Make sure to scroll down and check out their inspiring work!

Creating a welcoming fall front porch is so simple, all you need is lots of pumpkins and Mums! You can take a peek at last years porch here.

My girlfriend lives on a farm and invited me to pick pumpkins from her garden. I decided to leave the stems on several pumpkins to give them a rustic, organic look. I’m drawn to the calm, muted gray, blue color of the Jarrahdale pumpkins. They contrast nicely with the warmer orange and yellow pumpkins nearby, giving them a ghostly appearance. If you can’t find this color pumpkin, pick up a Kabocha squash at your local market. They are similar in color with a rounder shape.

It’s a long walk to the front door with lots of steps. As fun as it would be to line the walkway with pumpkins that would cost a fortune so I focus on the main porch and first few steps. You can see the leaves are just starting to turn and a few are beginning to fall from the trees. Soon our porch will be a-glow with bold autumn color!

We have a stone bench next to the door that comes in handy when we need to sit and remove wet boots. This spot also works to showcase seasonal items. I usually pull out my vintage coca-cola crate and fill it with a few freshly picked apples and pumpkins. The apples go into pie eventually and I bring a pumpkin or two inside and fill it with with herbs (DIY below) or flowers for decor in the kitchen. On the dark doors I added two ivory berry wreaths. The monogrammed wreath holders were purchased years ago and I leave them up year round, changing the wreaths seasonally.

The weather is still fairly mild so we’ve left the Adirondack chairs out for now. I’ll continue working on this area but for now, I’ve added a couple Mums to the area. I love the navy stripe in this lumbar pillow and how all these colors look together.

I removed my summer flowers from the urns and replaced them with heartier plants. I generally don’t plant a lot of pansies but I thought these were so pretty I added a few.

Mums are the old stand-by. They look great for a month or so and then I move on to winter planting. Grasses also look pretty if you are interested in adding subtle Fall touches outdoors. I brought in one of the pumpkins, cut the top off, added potting soil and plants for an indoor herb garden. You can also put flowers in your pumpkin and use it as a pretty centerpiece.

DIY Pumpkin Herb Planter

Supplies:

Medium size pumpkin
Assorted herbs or flowers
Plastic wrap, foil, or a container to hold herbs
Potting soil
Gloves
Large spoon to clean out the pumpkin
Drop cloth or an old towel
Knife for cutting

Instructions:

Carefully remove the top of your pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and gently clean the inside of the pumpkin. Place a plastic bag, foil, or container inside the pumpkin. Fill pumpkin with potting soil allowing enough room for several flowers or herbs to go in. Remove herbs from container. Loosen the dirt around the plant and place it in the pumpkin. You will have room for 3 to 4 plants depending on the size pumpkin you start with. Add additional potting soil as needed, water, and that’s all there is to it! Remember there is no drainage so only water when the soil feels dry.