Front Porches That Have Us So Ready for Fall

By Southern Living
Southern Living

We’re dreaming of long fall afternoons spent sipping cider on the porch, bundled in scarves and blankets, reading a great book, watching the leaves change colors and drop, crisp and crunching, to the ground. Autumn can’t arrive fast enough. That’s why we can’t tear our eyes away from these pretty front porches that are all decked out and ready for fall festivities. Each autumnal container garden and fall wreath-clad front door promises the arrival crisp days and family-filled holidays. We’re reminded that those days are not so far away on the pages of our calendars. These porches are also providing plenty of inspiration for our fall decor planning. (It’s never too early to start, right?) Never mind if it’s January, April, or July, because dreaming about fall is a year-round activity. We’ve been looking longingly at our packed-up, stowed-away fall decorations all summer long. We can’t unpack them yet, but we can still dream. Fortify yourself for the dog days of summer with these fall porches, and incorporate some of these ideas in your space once autumn finally arrives. If you take a spin through these dreamy spaces, you’ll definitely want to start unpacking those fall decorations asap (and you’ll be tempted to start a few DIY fall projects of your own).

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5 Southern Front Porch Musts

We spend a lot of time on our front porches, whether socializing, entertaining, relaxing, or eating. For this reason, it's important that our porches get just as much attention as the other parts of our houses. We think these five porch staples – including plenty of seating and a strategically placed ceiling fan – are a must for any Southern home.

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Mountain Views

Jean Allsopp

This porch is a perfect hillside perch for taking in the fall foliage during its slow turn from green to red and gold.

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Lush Stairs

Helen Norman

This front porch pairs pumpkins and kales for a gorgeous, lush welcome—and an inspiring spot for porch sitting. Just add a porch cocktail, and it's easy to while away the afternoon.

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Classic Entry

Southern Living

Two urn-style planters with trailing ivy and autumnal foliage are flanked by assorted pumpkins to make an elegant and seasonal entry.

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Pumpkins Galore

Helen Norman

Whimsical pumpkin stacks brighten up this pretty front porch, as does the clever addition of hay bales that stand in for typical urns or planters.

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Pretty Planters

Laurey W. Glenn

We would happily take in every autumn sunset on this cozy porch, an ideal spot for after-dinner drinks or early morning brunch. It's adorned with a few lush container gardens filled with vibrant, shade-tolerant plants.

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Seasonal Greens

Helen Norman

Think beyond classic orange pumpkins and embrace gourds in off-white, yellow, and lime shades. It’s an out-of-the-box design choice that feels so fresh. The combination of colors and textures brighten up a shady porch with ease. These containers are planted with miscanthus, 'Wasabi' coleus, and sweet potato vine in a zippy chartreuse shade.

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Rustic Elegance

Southern Living

Dress up your home with these picture-perfect elements. A winding magnolia-leaf garland paired with arrangements of ornamental lettuces and kales brings a touch of rustic cabin style to any autumn decorating.

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More Mums

Helen Norman

When decorating for fall, you can never have too may mums. Carve out a pumpkin and place a mum inside to make a classic “mumkin.” This design incorporates mums, Mexican sage, and boxwoods, as well as plenty of pumpkins, including 'Rouge Vif d'Etampes,' 'Howden,' 'Potimarron,' 'Musquee de Provence,' 'Atlantic Giant,' 'Sugar Pie,' 'Galeux d'Eysines' pumpkins.

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Alfresco Autumn

Jean Allsopp

This front porch doubles as an outdoor dining room. Add candles, twinkling lights hung overhead, and all your closest friends and family for a perfect night spent in the crisp autumn air.

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Plenty of Pumpkins

Helen Norman

We want to pour a cup of hot cider and sit on this warm and inviting porch for a while. We love the simple and tidy combination of a mini-pumpkin wreath and bookending urns filled with pumpkins. It’s perfectly seasonal.

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Botanical Beauties

Laurey W. Glenn

Fall-blooming plants take center stage on this pretty porch, a space that’s adorned with whimsical textures, vibrant colors, and gorgeous botanical pairings.

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Cheery Stacks

Helen Norman

Think beyond ground-level pumpkin clusters and take your fall porch decor vertical. These pumpkin stacks use 'Rouge Vif d'Etampes,' 'Red Eye,' 'Long Island Cheese,' and 'One Too Many' pumpkins and also incorporate leafy kale, cabbages, and bay leaves for contrasting color and texture.

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Candlelit Entry

Laurey W. Glenn

Could this scene be any more inviting? Candlelight adds autumnal ambience to this brick porch, an ideal perch for fall evenings.

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Simplicity and Stone

Laurey W. Glenn

Dress up your stone porch with glowing lanterns and pots filled with autumn bloomers, like these gold and crimson mums.

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Magnificently Mustard

Helen Norman

An on-trend, mustard-hued door makes a perfect palette for autumnal decor. Urns planted with vibrant crotons pair perfectly with a cheerful smattering of pumpkins.

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Small-Space Style

Tria Giovan

This miniature front porch is short on space but big on cozy style thanks to the plush sofa, antique table, and botanical elements. The plants and flowers can be switched out with the seasons.

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Personal Pumpkin Patch

Helen Norman

When in doubt, add pumpkins. For an easy-as-can-be touch that makes a major decor statement, add a mass of pumpkins in varied hues to your front porch.

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Festive Features

Southern Living

Mums, pumpkins, and a lovely mini-pumpkin wreath make for a festive, Halloween-inspired front porch.

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Room for a Crowd

Erica George Dines

In this instance, we’re dreaming about the front yard, not just the porch. Assorted gourds make easy and super-seasonal centerpieces for a space that’s primed for a fall party.

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Stylish and Stately

Laura Moss

Mossy green walls, wispy ferns, and bright orange pillows add just enough flair to take this stately porch through all the seasons and keep it looking perfectly put together during each one.

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Coastal Perch

Laurey W. Glenn
We would be happy to experience autumn on the coast—in all its breezy glory—from this gorgeous front porch.

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Pillow Perfect

Southern Living

Spruce up your outdoor space by filling the seats with pillows in autumnal hues.

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