16 Fall Front Porch Ideas That Celebrate the Season

Deck out your doorstep with these fall front porch decorating ideas.

Do you feel that? It’s a light crispness in the air—a sign that the pumpkin season is about to flourish and that autumn is arriving on your doorstep. And in this case, we mean that quite literally! A front porch decked out in cozy fall decor is the perfect way to celebrate the season, so set aside a chunk of the weekend and go wild. Whether you’re aiming for a harvest theme or prefer something spooky, these fall front porch ideas will excite both you and the neighbors all season long.

Related: 14 Easy Ways to Cozy Up Your Home

Opt For a Floral Arrangement

Rather than potted mums or ornamental kale, pop a fun floral arrangement onto a porch table. Rachel Harper of The Ponds Farmhouse let this arrangement of bright orange coneflowers take center stage on her porch, with subtle shades of cream and light orange in the furnishings around it.

Make It Extra Cozy

Create an extra inviting fall porch by incorporating cozy seating. While you’re at it, don’t forget to add a few blankets to conquer the autumn chill, like Jennifer Choate of Down Shiloh Road did here. “Porches are an extension of your home’s indoor living spaces, so consider how you’ll continue the narrative outside and how you’ll use the space,” says Kellie Sirna, founder of Studio 11 Design. “For me, a perfect fall porch serves double duty: It’s where I have my morning coffee with a good book and an evening glass of wine with friends.”

Use Dried Plants

Dried cornstalks may be the fall classic, but you can opt for something equally dramatic and a little more unexpected. Here, Breanna Bertolini of Brepurposed Design flanked her doorway with dried pampas grass to add drama and height to her groupings of fall foliage and pumpkins. (And bonus: You may be able to scavenge many of the elements from your own backyard as you trim and prune plants for the fall.)

Mix and Match Your Pumpkins

A set of bright orange pumpkins is a classic fall front porch decorating idea, but why not add a little intrigue if you can? Consider mixing and matching your pumpkins and gourds with shades of cream, green, yellow, white, and beyond. Arrange them along the steps or right at the front door.

Fill a Vintage Wagon

An old-school wagon or wheelbarrow—well loved or not—is the perfect way to infuse some autumn whimsy into your front porch. “Hit your local flea market for those pieces that will add character to your porch,” suggests Stephanie Purzycki of The Finish. “Use a vintage wagon for your pumpkins, antique equipment, or old gardening tools. These pieces add a beautiful patina to any porch.” Here, Ashley Williamson of The Chippie Hippie filled hers with big pumpkins, dried corn, and marigolds.

Add Cozy Fabrics and Artwork

If you're lucky enough to have room for a full (and cozy) seating setup on your porch, now's the time to swap in new colors of pillows and throws—and even artwork—to celebrate the change in seasons. Theresa Abraham-Godbey of Bumblebee Meadows opted for rich jewel tones that are perfect for fall—but a variation on the typical autumnal hues.

Go for Unexpected Colors

Sure, those golds, reds, and oranges give you that autumnal vibe, but you don't have to stick with those shades. Decorator Martha Knake kept the traditional festive fall decor elements—pumpkins and mums—but used nontraditional shades of pink and white to freshen it up.

Create Some Glowy Ambiance

Glowing light lends instant ambiance, so grab a strand of twinklies and weave them into the rest of your decor. You can wrap them around pumpkins or inside plants—like digital creator Morgan Maloney did here—or even tuck them into a lantern. As an alternative, hang some warm bistro lights.

Add Some Blackbirds

How darling are these perched blackbirds on a dried branch? Emily Schmidt of Gathered Sky filled a flower pot, added a wiry branch, and topped it with a handful of blackbirds. The addition of cute ghosts and creamy-hued gourds make this fall front porch feel more playfully spooky than Halloween-scary. No frightened kiddos, here!

Hang a Colorful Wreath

A beautiful fall wreath is a great way to welcome house visitors (and yourself). This one, created by Dena Thompson of Keeping it Simple Crafts, combines bright orange ribbon with tartan, fall leaves, and various gourds. “I wanted it to feel warm and welcoming,” she says. “Pumpkins are one of my favorites to add to fall decorations, and sunflowers and foxtails were placed around one side of the grapevine wreath along with a beautiful bow.”

Go for Gold

If vibrant fall hues aren’t really speaking to your aesthetic, consider going minimalist with a gilded wreath on your front door. Along with the shiny wreath, Purzycki added a collection of cream, muted green, gold, and rose gold pumpkins which look beautiful against the white washed brick.

Try Rustic Planter Baskets

Flowers may seem summery, but there are plenty of blooms that fit right into autumnal decor with their range of harvest-hued colors. Add a planter to every other step and then fill with seasonal flowers. You can incorporate pumpkins into the mix or leave as-is. “Use fall blooms like mums, marigolds, and asters in rich colors like burgundy, gold, and deep purple to create stunning flower arrangements or potted plant displays,” suggests Virginia Frischkorn, founder of Partytrick.

Get a Little Batty

For a nice and spooky fall front porch idea, hang up as many bats as you can around the front entry. Here, Schmidt adhered some to the walls and hung lots from the porch ceiling, too. Mix and match sizes for more dimension and remember that more is more.

Set Up Some Dry Corn Stalks

With their soft beige color and dried leaves, corn stalks make the perfect decor for a fall front porch. Leandra Margiasso of Our Home Days paired hers with a tin that reads "flower market," a smattering of gourds, and lanterns. If you live in an area where corn grows easily, you might even be able to kindly ask to cut a few stalks down.

Hang Up Some Witches Hats

Infuse your front porch with some Halloween whimsy by hanging a few strategically placed witches hats. Created by Meghan Allen of RaisingTwinBoys, these witch hats sit just above a porch swing and are accompanied by some black and white plaid, ghosts, pumpkins, and skulls. (Note the tiny witch hat atop the lantern, too!).

Repurpose Outdoor Furniture

A potting bench doesn't have to be put away when the gardening season's over. Jennifer Howard of Cottage on Bunker Hill made hers the centerpiece of a rustic fall porch decor setup with a casual arrangement of pumpkins, a festive Halloween garland, and woven and wooden baskets.

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