Don’t want to spend a fortune styling your house this year? Check out these 5 easy and affordable fall decorating ideas for a small porch.
It’s fall but still pretty warm here in the south during the day.
Even though the weather isn’t feeling exactly like autumn I’m ready for it.
I’ve had my mums for weeks and I finally got around to finishing up my front porch decorating a few days ago and I can’t wait to share it with you.
It’s time for another Pinterest Challenge hosted by our friend Cindy from County Road 407.
Do you remember last month I created this pretty fall basket for my fireplace mantel for our first challenge?
Well the puppy (she’s over one now so technically not a puppy anymore, right?!) started to eat the faux leaves and she thought the dried gourds were her toys.
So I had to take the basket apart and put those decorations up higher…ugh dogs! Lol
If you’re visiting from Lora Bloomquist blog we’re so happy you’re here…thanks for stopping by.
Welcome to Simply2Moms
We’re AnnMarie (wearing black) and Anne (in white)…lol!
We work together to share simple and budget-friendly ideas for decorating, recipes, DIY projects, and tips for life with older teens (and beyond!).
You can read more about us and our families here.
And we would love to learn more about you! Be sure to say “hi” in the comments below and tell me where you’re visiting from.
But that’s enough about us…let’s talk more about this month’s Pinterest challenge.
The inspiration this month is from Rachel and Kevin from Sugar Maple Farmhouse.
Wow right!?
Just gorgeous!
This is what my dream porch would look like!
I just love how this big front porch is decorated for fall…the pumpkins, mums, corn stalks…oh my!
The warm colors of the fall decor with the wood tones of the rocking chairs and porch swing are so pretty.
And the throw pillows, blanket and rugs bring so much coziness to this outdoor living space.
My front porch isn’t quite this large but I’m inspired to bring some warm autumn color and coziness to my small porch.
Let’s check out how I did it!
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How to Decorate a Porch with Affordable Fall Flowers
I always buy mums at the end of the summer every year and down here in the south it’s still really hot.
And my front porch gets sun all afternoon which is the hottest time of the day for my plants.
Of course now some of my mums are already in full bloom from all that sun so let’s hope I don’t kill them off before Halloween.
Who wants to take bets?
I did see a few people sharing tips about watering mums from the bottom.
So last weekend I soaked each one in a big bowl of water so cross your fingers for me.
Maybe they’ll even make it to Thanksgiving…now that would be something…huh?!
I was able to get mums in a variety of different colors this year at Costco.
And that cute little cabbage ornamental plant is from BJ’s and was only $5.
Although, I’d love to do all white mums someday but I’m too frugal so I always buy them at the grocery store because they’re super inexpensive there.
Can you believe those giant mums were only $16.99 each and then the 8″ pots were 4 for $12.99?
Crazy cheap, right!?!
S2M Tip: Buy fall mums at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the best prices.
Last year I used all yellow mums when I styled the porch for fall which was the only color they had at Costco.
So I was super excited to find the rust, pink, purple and orange this year.
I had to dig to find different colors because I’m pretty sure 90% of the mums were yellow.
My DIY stained wood planters hold the huge mums which brings in some of the warm wood tones we saw in the Pinterest inspiration photo.
The supplies needed to make these planters is much more budget-friendly than buying porch planters in this tall size.
I still need to share a tutorial about making these planters.
I just bought two new mums the other day for a fundraiser at my daughters dance studio so those haven’t bloomed yet.
Since it was a fundraiser those plants weren’t as inexpensive at $12 each but it was a fundraiser so let’s not count those in my 5 tips.
On the other side of the door, I added one of the new plants in a wicker basket set on top of a green vintage wood stool.
The colors and textures of this little vignette make me smile every time I open the door.
Pink mums fill my upcycled lantern planters on either side of the front steps.
Using these old lanterns as planters is another way to save money while decorating this fall.
Have you ever tried to transplant chrysanthemums?
Every year I buy them as annuals and I’m wondering if I should try planting these after the season.
Let me know any tips you have below in comments.
How to Create a Cozy Front Porch
Texture, texture, texture!
Bringing in different textures adds to the cozy vibe of a space.
Even though my front porch isn’t large, we have a Trex bench on the side which we absolutely love for some fall porch sittin’.
I never thought we’d be able to squeeze in a sitting area out here but when I gave my small porch a little update a couple years ago it worked. whoo-hoo!
An orange fringed throw blanket for chilly evenings and a couple of pillows add coziness to the bench.
They also give the black bench a pop of autumn color and interest.
And I didn’t buy anything new to style the bench so that’s another no cost decor idea.
S2M Tip: Purchase classic items that you can use year after year for affordable decorating.
A soft neutral area rug adds even more cozy texture to the hard concrete porch.
This is an old rug that I had in my entryway foyer a few years ago.
S2M Tip: Don’t immediately toss things that you no longer use in your home think about ways you can use them to decorate your outdoor entertaining spaces.
I loved how the porch in the Pinterest challenge photo had several area rugs.
One in front of the door but two others in front of the each of the seating areas.
Since my porch is small I only have room for one rug.
Instead of laying it the“normal way side to side across the front of the door, I decided to roll it out with the longer part going from the door out to the steps.
Now the soft area rug is not only in front of the door but also at the foot of the bench to provide a comfy spot for our feet.
Or more likely for the dog to lay on. haha
What to Hang on a Door for the Autumn Season
I love this hanging basket from Target I got several years ago.
Although it’s getting a little molding from being out in the elements I still use it all of the time.
It’s no longer available but I found some other great options you may like…just click the Shop this Post photo at the end of this article.
I filled the basket with the same faux fall stems I’ve been using for the past two years.
S2M Tip: Store faux stems and greenery in plastic storage bins to protect them from damage in between seasons so you can use them for years.
The pretty netural yellow and cream flowers coordinate so well with the door color which is Anew Gray by Sherwin Williams (SW7030).
I’m waiting to add some pumpkins until it cools down just a bit so maybe they’ll last a little longer this year than they have in the past.
Thanks for stopping by the blog, I hope you got some helpful ideas to easily decorate a small front porch for fall on a budget.
Next up is Michele from Thistle Key Lane who’s also sharing her small porch so if you have a smaller space like us you’ll have lots of ideas. After Michele be sure to check out all the other homes for even more inspiration!
Click on any image to shop items from this post
More Fall Inspiration
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