24 Brilliant Front Porch Ideas to Make Guests Feel Welcome (2024)

I’m a southerner. Front porches are a silent requirement of living in the south. You’ll find few homes which don’t have some type of front porch.

I’ve moved into two different homes since I married a southern man and relocated to his home state. One of the first things we did when moving in, was to adda bigger front porch.

Front porches are where all of the action happens. You spend your summer evening breaking beans on the porch. You spend the mornings on your front porch with a good cup of coffee.

This is also where important life talks happen. You can imagine how important it is to have a functional and welcoming front porch since this is where a great deal of time can be spent.

If you have a front porch and are looking for ideas on how to make it feel like an extension of the home, here are some of the internet’s best ideas in one convenient location:

1. House Number Planter

If you’re looking for a fashionable way to display your house number, this could be a great idea. You can purchase it or make it yourself.

Either way, it’s a planter with a place to display both your last name and house number. You plant flowers inside the box to draw attention and add natural beauty to the front of your home.

2. Painted Front Door

Is the paint peeling on your front door? Does your door look dated? If you have a front door which looks old or in disrepair, the front of your home doesn’t look welcoming.

But don’t be discouraged. You don’t have to buy a new front door. Instead, use this tutorial on how to paint your front door to give it a new look.

3. DIY Corner Bench

Having ample seating room for your front porch is important. Thislittle bench will ensure everyone has a comfortable place to sit and relax.

What better way to use every inch of the front porch space while providing seating than by constructing a corner bench with a built-in table?

4. Nova Scotia Front Porch

There’s a home in Nova Scotia which has made the internet smile because of its country charm. This is an image from the front porch of this lovely home.

If you’re looking to add welcoming, country charm to your front porch, then consider borrowing a few tips from this picture.

5. Welcome Sign

This welcome sign can be purchased or used as inspiration for your own creation. Whichever option you choose, having a welcome sign is a good idea for the front porch.

Simply put, if you want people to feel welcome at your home what better way to accomplish it than putting out a large sign which beautifully says it.

6. The Wire Spool Table

Who says adding charm to your front porch has to come with a hefty price tag? It doesn’t. Instead, you can upcycle items to create a gorgeous look.

In this case, a wire spool was painted and used as a table. With the right décor, your home will be screaming, ”charm” in no time flat.

7. Monogram Planter

Do you have a vacant wall on your front porch? Don’t leave it that way. Instead, use this tutorial to create a giant wooden monogrammed letter.

When the letter has been built, hang it up, and use it as a large planter. This will add a personal touch to your porch and a burst of color too.

8. The Pair of Chairs

Do you have a front porch which is slender in design? Perhaps it’s narrower than it is wide?This can feel like a challenge when attempting to decorate.

But this design idea is great. It shows you how to have a welcoming front porch with less furniture.

9. The Envirotile Makeover

10. DIY Sectional

Having a sectional on your front porch is a great addition because of the amount of comfortable seating it provides.

However, purchasing a sectional can be costly. Which is why I’m bringing you this tutorial on constructing your own sectional.

11. Tall Outdoor Planters

We all know plants work wonders on making a porch feel more welcoming. You don’t have to go with traditional window boxes or hanging baskets.

Instead, go with these DIY tall outdoor planters. They’d be perfect by your front door and could add a touch of color in less vibrant locations.

12. Shades of Summer Front Porch

If you’re someone who prefers to go with more neutral or natural coloring, this is a great design idea. Here ferns are used by the front door to offer a boost of natural color.

But they also went with a darker front door and matching door mat. Yet, they chose a slight boost of natural color for the wreath on the door as well.

13. No Shrubs, Only Plants

This design idea is a unique option for the front of your home. Instead of going with traditional shrubs, consider planting potted plants.

You’d use pebbles for mulch to keep the weeds down. Insert perennial bulbs in pots and let them produce year after year.

14. Modern House Number Sign

You might not realize how much pizzazz your house numbers can add to your home, but they’re capable of adding a nice touch to your curb appeal.

Instead of using traditional numbers, use this tutorial to make a modern sign. Your home will seem more unique and stand out from the rest.

15. House Number Flower Pots

You may not realize what a big deal your house number can be. If you get creative with how you display the house number, it can make all the difference.

In this case, you stack three potted plants together and fill them with flowers. Display the house number on the big bottom pot.

16. The Bagged Front Porch

I like this front porch design. It makes a big statement with a small front porch area. They use a smart color scheme as the gold gives it pop, but the white offers a subtle touch of color.

They also include a chair for a place to sit, a modern plant, and a unique wreath with flowers inside.

17. $40 DIY Farmhouse Swing

A front porch swing is a perfect place to have a chat, drink a cup of coffee, rest, take in the scenery, or snap peas.

If you’d love to add a swing to your front porch, consider this tutorial. It’s a farmhouse style swing with plans which is said to only cost around $40.

18. DIY Porch Curtains

Another front porch trend which is booming lately is porch curtains. If you try to purchase your own, they can become pricey.

However, this tutorial shows you how to make front porch curtains from drop cloths. Itadds more charm to your porch and offers privacy too.

19. The Yellow Front Porch

Do you want a modern front porch with lots of color? You should check out this design idea. They use a colorful wooden doormat.

Plus, they paint the front door yellow and use a yellow flowered wreath as well. The look is finished off by yellow flowers planted by the front door.

20. Unique Coffee Table

Your front porch sitting area needs a coffee table if you have the room. But don’t spend a fortune on finding the perfect table.

Instead, buy a galvanized tub and turn it upside down. Purchase a sizeable wooden top and place it on the tub. It’s the perfect farmhouse coffee table.

21. The Large Front Porch Swing

This front porch swing doesn’t come with a tutorial, unfortunately. However, if you’re great with building things, this may inspire your build.

If you’re not the greatest at building things from scratch, you can shop around and be able to purchase this large, comfy swing.

22. Colander Hanging Flower Basket

Flowers make all the difference on a front porch. If you want to give your porch a welcoming touch with natural beauty, use hanging baskets.

But you could take it one step further by stepping away from traditional hanging baskets and use colanders in their place. It will undoubtedly draw the eyes to your flowers.

23. The Flowering Dresser

Do you have an old dresser you’re getting ready to toss to the curb? Don’t toss it until you see this idea.

Instead of using a basic planter by your front door, use the dresser. You can paint it any color you’d like and fill it with gorgeous flowers. It’ll bring your porch to life in a whole new way.

24. Steps to Screen Your Porch

A screened porch is your best friend. The reason being is you can enjoy it throughout the year without being eaten by bugs and being spat on by the elements.

If you pay someone to do it, it can become expensive. Which is why I wanted to share this tutorial which breaks down screening in your own porch and makes the process much more manageable.

Now you have 24 different ideas on how to make your front porch more welcoming, more functional, and more gorgeous.

These ideas should inspire you to make your own creation with your front porch, and many memories will be made there.

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Front Porches in Southern Culture

In the South, front porches are a common feature of homes and are considered a silent requirement. They serve as a gathering place for residents, where various activities take place, such as breaking beans, enjoying a cup of coffee, and having important life talks. Front porches are seen as an extension of the home and are often designed to be functional and welcoming.

Ideas for Front Porch Decoration

The article provides several ideas to make your front porch feel like an extension of your home. Here are some of the ideas mentioned:

House Number Planter: This idea involves using a planter with a space to display your house number and last name. By planting flowers inside the box, you can add natural beauty to the front of your home.
Painted Front Door: If your front door looks old or in disrepair, you can give it a new look by painting it. This tutorial provides guidance on how to paint your front door.
DIY Corner Bench: Building a corner bench with a built-in table can provide ample seating on your front porch.
Nova Scotia Front Porch: The article mentions a home in Nova Scotia that has a charming front porch. You can borrow design tips from it to add country charm to your own porch.
Welcome Sign: Having a welcome sign on your front porch can make guests feel welcome. You can purchase one or create your own.
The Wire Spool Table: This idea involves upcycling a wire spool and using it as a table on your front porch.
Monogram Planter: By creating a giant wooden monogrammed letter and using it as a large planter, you can add a personal touch and burst of color to your porch.
The Pair of Chairs: If you have a narrow front porch, this design idea shows you how to create a welcoming porch with less furniture.
The Envirotile Makeover: This idea involves using a product called Envirotiles to change the appearance of a concrete front porch.
DIY Sectional: Building your own sectional can provide comfortable seating on your front porch.
Tall Outdoor Planters: Instead of traditional window boxes or hanging baskets, using DIY tall outdoor planters can add a touch of color to your porch.
Shades of Summer Front Porch: This design idea uses a neutral or natural color scheme with ferns, a darker front door, and a matching doormat.
No Shrubs, Only Plants: Instead of traditional shrubs, consider planting potted plants on your front porch for a unique touch.
Modern House Number Sign: This tutorial shows you how to make a modern house number sign to add a unique touch to your home.
House Number Flower Pots: By stacking three potted plants together and displaying the house number on the bottom pot, you can create an eye-catching display.
The Bagged Front Porch: This design idea uses a smart color scheme, a chair, a modern plant, and a unique wreath to make a statement with a small front porch area.
$40 DIY Farmhouse Swing: This tutorial provides plans for building a farmhouse-style swing for your front porch at a lower cost.
DIY Porch Curtains: Porch curtains can add charm and privacy to your front porch. This tutorial shows you how to make them from drop cloths.
The Yellow Front Porch: This design idea uses a colorful wooden doormat, a yellow front door, and yellow flowers to create a modern front porch with lots of color.
Unique Coffee Table: Instead of buying an expensive coffee table, you can use a galvanized tub turned upside down with a wooden top to create a farmhouse-style table.
The Large Front Porch Swing: While this swing doesn't come with a tutorial, it can inspire you to build or purchase a large, comfy swing for your front porch.
Colander Hanging Flower Basket: This idea involves using colanders as hanging baskets to add an eye-catching element to your front porch.
The Flowering Dresser: Instead of using a basic planter, repurpose an old dresser as a planter for your front porch.
Steps to Screen Your Porch: This tutorial breaks down the process of screening your porch, allowing you to enjoy it year-round without being bothered by bugs or the elements.

These ideas can inspire you to create a front porch that is welcoming, functional, and visually appealing.