Ever arrive at a friend’s home and say to yourself, “Self this home look so pretty”? Well that ladies and gentlemen lends to the perfect front porch, slash entry depending on the type of property you reside in and call home.
Pet(s)
Every inviting home has a dog, or even dare I say a cat. We personally have two dogs, Big & Little as the neighbors refer to them— a Great Dane and an Affenpinscher. I mean honestly how many front doors have you seen pictured in glossy magazines without a dog to greet you?
Plants, Plants, Plants!
Try out your green thumb and plant an assortment of plants leading to your entry. Talk to your local nursery about what thrives in your zone and talk to them about the kind of maintenance you are willing to take on to care for the plants. The Vaughns are kind of hands off so we picked gardenias, confederate jasmine, society garlic, and bottlebrush— These plants all stay green year round and need very little care. And did I mention they smell heavenly and produce gorgeous blooms?!?
A Bright Color Front Door
I don’t care what style of home you live in, if you paint your front door a fun bright color it instantly becomes more inviting! Try out the standard go-to red or think daring orange or even a lively yellow.
Planters
Yes planters are different from plants. They should flank the main entrance doors to your home. Looking for inspiration on what to plant? Check out my Pinterest board Gardening Home-Grown for ideas. Look for different colors, textures, and heights for stunning planters. For your pot choose something that will allow your plants to hand down and grow upwards, for the most the impact you can use varying sizes of pots.
Wreaths
A front door is not complete until you have hung a wreath on it. I did a DIY I found on pinterest from BHG when I was coveting $100+ succulent wreaths online. I made mine about 3 weeks ago and they are withstanding the “Vaughn” test of low maintenance, I’ve watered them once. Follow my DIY pinterest board to see what I all I am “planning” on doing to keep me creative and my spaces creative.
Welcome Mat
It doesn’t actually have to say welcome, nor “Go Away” as I have seen on some other unnamed porches. It should be decorative BUT it has to serve the purpose of catching water, and sand in the case at our house. We purchased our rug last year and we just pressure wash it every few months and it looks spanking brand new every time we do!
Swing or Rocking Chair
The only furniture you need for a front porch is the iconic rocking chair or even a simple swing. Why even have somewhere to sit you might ask? You’ve created a beautiful space so you should enjoy it! Not to mention it is a great excuse to be nosey about what your neighbors do while you sip a glass of wine to watch the sunset.
