Summer is a time when everyone wants to be outside, but if you don’t have a welcoming space for hosting, you and your friends and family might not spend as much time outdoors. Decorating your front porch for summer offers the perfect place to read outside or take a nap. Your goal when decorating the porch should be to make it feel as though you’ve brought the warmth of inside your house to the outdoors. Adding seasonal plants like canna, lavender, hibiscus, daylilies and peonies are an easy way to transform your porch. This article offers ways to decorate your front porch to have it summertime ready from the furniture you choose to the style you want.
Decorating for Summer
The warmth of summer is inviting and whether you want to sit outside to watch the kids play, to read a book or host a cookout, you’ll want a cozy and inviting place to do it all season long. Your porch is a great place for these summer activities, but it might not be very inviting if it’s nothing but concrete. Decorating your space to match the season will make people want to spend more time in it, including yourself. There are a couple of different elements to consider when planning how to decorate your front porch for summertime.
Furniture
Choosing summer furniture for your porch is the first thing you should do. Furniture will be the biggest element on your porch. It’s easier to work around and add to it rather than the other way around. Find the furniture you want, add it to your porch, then examine the remaining space and think about how you might want to decorate further. Here are some summer furniture ideas:
- Bench Built-in. A bench built-in is great for decorating, seating and extra storage. There are several ways you can add one of these to your porch. You can DIY one from a shelf by turning it on its side or buy a bench that already offers storage.
- Porch Swing. Who doesn’t love to sit on a porch swing on summer evenings? Add one on a stand or install a suspended one to prep your porch for summer.
- Ceiling Fan. If you have the roof space over your porch, it might be a good idea to add a ceiling fan. You can stay outside and enjoy your space while staying cool in the summer heat.
- Daybed. Find an all-weather daybed so you can read, nap and drink frozen lemonade on your porch all summer long. Add a canvas mattress cover to protect it from the elements.
- Sitting Stool. This can be used as additional seating or as a table or to hold decorations.
- Awning. Adding an awning to your porch will help to keep you cool on a gorgeous summer day. This adds shade in a budget-friendly way.
- Gardening Cabinet. A distressed white cabinet can store any tools and supplies you need for your gardening. Keeping it on the porch will make it easily accessible whenever you want to garden. It also doubles as a summer decoration.
- Seat Cushions. Lighter and brighter colors hold less heat. Keep your seat cushions in those colors to match your theme and keep you cooler. Plus, they’ll add good pops of color to your decorating. Caribbean blue and starfish pink are bright and bold colors often seen in the summertime.
- Treasure Chest Table. Pirates are often a summer theme since everyone’s thinking of the ocean. Turning an old treasure chest trunk into an outdoor coffee table will add in pirate elements in a subtle and fashionable way. Add a bench for ample seating around the table.
Choices for summer furniture are endless. It all depends on your style and the size of your space. Be sure to offer more than enough seating on your porch if you plan to host any summer activities.
Wreaths and Front Door Décor
One of the easiest and quickest ways to spruce up your front porch for the summer season is to decorate your front door. Adding elements like themed wreaths or a fresh coat of paint can take your porch from ordinary to ready for summertime fun. Here are some ways to decorate your front door for summer:
DIY Wreaths
Creating your own wreath not only saves money but it brings a personal and unique element to your front porch that no one else will have. You can DIY a wreath to match a family sport or activity. One person took a couple of badminton rackets and birdies, glued them together in a cute arrangement and added a blue, white and red striped bow to tie it all together.
Another way to make a wreath to hang on your front door is to repurpose an old embroidery hoop. Use the hoop as the base and add any decorations you want to it, like paper flowers and greenery.
Other DIY Wreath Examples:
- Take a large, oversized ribbon in your choice of color and pattern. Find the initial of your family surname. Use the ribbon to hang the letter on your door in place of a wreath. If you keep the letter a plain color and design, it can remain throughout the year by changing the ribbon to match the current season. A warm yellow color is a good choice of ribbon for the summer.
- Lean into summer by using bright colored plastic leis as the base of your wreath. Add embellishments like sunglasses and flip-flops.
If you don’t want to work on a DIY project, there are plenty of summer-styled wreaths to purchase, like faux fern wreaths and floral wreaths.
Painting Your Front Door
After exposure to all the winter elements, your front door might not be looking as fresh as it once did. Brighten up your front porch by adding a new coat of paint to your door. Even if it is the same color as before, it will remove the look of wear. But if you want to really get into the summer feel, you can choose to paint your door a new and bright color. You could also paint small details onto your door to match the season, like flowers or ferns. They don’t have to be large and can act as an accent to the space.
Greenery
There’s no such thing as too many plants. Greenery is a great way to add decoration to any setting, especially in summer. Succulents are a great option for those who don’t want a high-maintenance plant. For those who don’t have a green thumb, you can always use faux plants in your decorating. Layering plants creates a naturally lush and seasonal area. Here are ways to add greenery to your porch:
- Fill woven baskets with roses and a pothos plant. Line the entryway.
- Add front door planters with ferns. Ferns are a traditional summer look and are perfect for the front porch.
- If you don’t have much floor space, add hanging planters. You can make your own wire hanging baskets or buy some.
- Well-placed topiaries make the perfect accessory for summer. Add one to either side of your front door for a sleek and symmetrical statement.
- No railing? No problem. Section off the area by adding potted plants along the edge or planted in the ground along the front of the porch.
- Reuse old crates by painting them and planting flowers in them to add depth and dimension to any corner space on your porch.
- Really lean into summer by adding a faux lemon tree or two. They’re hassle free and add a splash of color.
- Save money with burlap planters.
- Add dimension to your porch by getting planters in varying heights. A set of boxy, tall rectangular planters in three different heights will ensure cohesion and variation at the same time.
- Fill a mason jar with your favorite flowers and tie a matching ribbon around the top.
You can easily change the style of your porch by the style of pots you choose. Plain white pots can give a more minimalist style while vintage galvanized planters give a farmhouse style. Black and boxy geometric planters offer a modern look.
Floor Mats and Rugs
A floor mat might not seem like a way to decorate a porch but depending on how you choose and place it, it can be just as useful as any other decoration. There are plenty of different themed outdoor floor mats to choose from to find your perfect style. Some are more summery, like those that have flip flops or flamingos on them, and others interact with guests, like one that says, “Cute shoes,” or one that says, “You look awesome today.” You could also make a personalized doormat. DIY one by painting your family name or initial onto a plain mat.
When it comes to decorating with mats, you can also layer them on top of each other or on top of outdoor rugs for a more styled look. You can mix prints and colors however you want for the perfect layered look. If you don’t want the layered look, you can keep it to either only a doormat or only an outdoor rug. A rug will help to define the space. They’re also easily washable with a hose.
Extra Décor
Now that you have the main pieces to your porch, you’ll want to add in some other accessories to pull it all together. Here are some optional décor ideas that can complete your summer porch design:
- Throw pillows. Pillows are an easy way to change the style of your porch to match the seasons. Find ones you like for every season and rotate them out. Bright colors are better for the summer.
- Firepit. If you have the space, a firepit is a great addition to a porch for summer nights.
- Lighting. You’ll want to ensure you have ample lighting available on your porch so that you can continue to use it once the sun sets. An easy way to do this is by adding string lights along the ceiling or railing. Hanging lantern lights are a nice option for soft light.
- Paint the ceiling. Like painting the front door, painting the ceiling can freshen up the space. If you choose the right color, it can also make the porch feel bigger and brighter.
- Vinyl lettering. Write your family name or mantra above the threshold in vinyl lettering for a personal touch. It can also be something as simple as the word “relax.”
- Signage and wall art. There are endless options for hanging signs and wall art to add to the space. A wooden farmhouse sign offers a welcoming feel. Chalkboard signs are also a great option for friends and family to leave personal messages on when coming and going from the space. Welcome signs can match the season, like a flamingo sign for the summer.
Decorating by Personal Style
All of your porch decorations can not only match the season, but they can also match your personal style. Here are some examples of how porch décor can change the overall style of the space:
- Interior to exterior. Mix thrift, vintage, new and repurposed items for an inviting space. Bring inside elements to decorate the front porch. Use fresh natural greenery and warm elements like a throw and rug. Porch curtains emulate an interior space. Use textiles to add visual texture while bringing that interior warmth outdoors.
- Cottage-style. Use minimal décor items to achieve a cool and welcoming front porch. Wood and metal should work seamlessly together.
- Unique antique. Style your favorite antique pieces together for a quick and easy way to create a theme. Old buckets and pots work well for flowers and plants.
- Modern farmhouse. Add a porch swing to break up space if you have a large porch. Use matching rocking chairs to create the modern farmhouse vibe. Keep comfort and warmth in mind when decorating.
- Minimalist. Stick to simple designs and subtle colors like black, white and neutrals.
- Rustic farmhouse. Add signage that conveys the theme. Play with vignettes around different areas. Opt for distressed pieces made out of exposed wood or aged metal. Choose neutral colors like gray and white.
- Welcoming. Layering a floor mat and rug adds warmth to a porch. Use decorative signs that relate to one another for a welcoming sense. Add a seasonal door wreath to invite people inside. More seating also adds a more welcoming look. Throw pillows are also inviting and add coziness to the space.
- Seaside theme. Utilize lighthouse prints to whales for a nautical design. Use red, white and blue to add the American spirit into the style. Anchors, seashells and sea animals are great for decorations.
Design and theme choices are endless. If you want to aim for a cohesive style like those above, plan ahead. Set a color scheme ahead of time and know what to look for when shopping.
Update Your Front With Quality Overhead Door
One way to start decorating your porch for summer is to look around your home and find items that can be used outdoors. You might have enough inside that you won’t have to buy or make anything. Chances are, though, that you won’t have enough summer-themed outdoor décor to fill your porch space.
Another way to update your space is to upgrade your front door. Painting doesn’t always have the effect you hope for. Quality Overhead Door offers plenty of new entry doors in varying styles. We offer a range of entry door collections including:
- Craftsman collection. Lasting durability and energy efficiency benefits of fiberglass.
- Arbor grove fiberglass collection. Enjoy the beauty and details of a premium natural wood entry door without the cost or the upkeep.
- Rustic collection. Rustic fiberglass entry doors made from rich Cherry grain.
- Smooth fiberglass collection. Low-maintenance beauty.
- Steel collection. High-definition paneling for distinct styles with shadow lines.
Browse our website and view our wide selection of new entry doors to find the perfect one for you and your home’s style!
Quality Overhead Door works with a commitment to quality and durability. Because of this, we only carry and offer products from the most trusted names in the industry. Our doors are secure and strong but they don’t sacrifice style and beauty either. Request an estimate on a new entry door from Quality Overhead Door today!
Additional Resources on Entry Doors:
- How to Decorate Your Front Door and Porch for Fall
- How to Decorate Your Front Door and Porch for Spring
- How to Decorate Your Front Door and Porch for Winter
- How to Decorate Your Front Door