20 Beautiful Fall Porches to Celebrate the Season

Colorful Pumpkin Cluster

Here's a fall porch idea that embraces maximalism—but won't break the bank or take up too much of your time. "Instead of a few pumpkins perched here and there, I loaded up our front steps with a variety of pumpkins and gourds," says Will Hunt Lewis, a home furnishing expert and the founder of Hunt & Bloom. "It delivers the right amount of visual impact while lending a layered, almost animated effect."

He says this is the perfect option for someone short on space (and perhaps with little time to decorate). It easily creates a burst of beautiful autumn color mixed with a touch of elegant seasonality.

Terracotta Jack-o'-Lanterns and Greenery

Fill your porch with plenty of greenery and make sure to add a few terra-cotta Jack-o'-Lanterns on the steps. The top hats on the pumpkins add a debonair touch. This fall front porch idea, by Maggie Griffin Design, is perfect as you transition from summer to fall and want to embrace a little bit of both seasons. It's also great for locales that don't experience four seasons.

The Perfect Autumn Doormat

Is your fall front porch really complete unless you have got a seasonal doormat? We'd argue no, and so would Eirini Kalafatides, designer and creative director for Entryways. "Updating your front porch décor is a fresh way to welcome a new season," she says. "Not only does a doormat make a statement, but it's a great conversation starter. As with any accessory—fashion or home—I like having a collection that can be rotated in and out depending on mood or occasion."

Creamy Gourds and Lanterns

If you prefer a neutral aesthetic, consider dressing up your front porch in cream-colored gourds and adding a few flickering lanterns for good measure. Interior designer Bethany Adams combined peach, orange, white, and cream pumpkins and set them against a spray of decorative grass.

Nature First

"My approach to decorating our porch came from nature," says Shannan Haupt of Tea House Designs about her leaf-strewn porch, defined by cozy textiles, chopped firewood, small pumpkins, and a basket of branches. "I shopped my home for accessories I already had and looked to falling nature to provide the rest!"

Old and New

Toni Mogensen melded the old with the new to pull this nuanced look—including a garden stand filled with miscellaneous ceramic and terra-cotta pots, mums, a plaid throw blanket, and hanging baskets of dried foliage. "I always love a touch of rustic mixed with cottage vibes. I finished the look with the lots of pumpkins and mums for the season," she says.

Front Door Spotlight

According to Ruthie Jackson of Miracle on Thirty Fourth, it's all about bringing focus to your door. "Add something cheery front and center, like a colorful wreath and door garland. Let there be light. Lanterns (battery operated or lit) are a great way to spotlight your entry as the nights arrive earlier," she says, noting to get creative and use free goodies from your yard. "Mix in colorful leaves and pinecones for a layered and relaxed feel. And you can never go wrong with a gaggle of pumpkins in different varietals. Stack them for added interest."

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Cozy Touches

"I wanted to inspire those with any size porch," notes Cindy McClendon of The Vintage Road on her petite setup. "By just adding a few simple things like colorful mums, baby pumpkins, and a throw blanket, you can give an inviting and cozy feel to your space!"

Turret Décor

Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design Co. knew her home's stone turret entrance was a prime canvas for Halloween décor. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity. All we needed were a few simple, spooky touches to bring our haunted house to life—bats, spider webs, painted ghost pumpkins, and black cat silhouettes," she says, noting that she pulled this together in one day using a mix of DIY and inexpensive finds.

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Green and Burgundy

"Living in Canada, our growing season can sometimes be a bit short for pumpkins to mature—so I always end up with a bunch of green ones from my garden," explains Deborah of B Vintage Style. "This year I decided to use up the extras on the front porch with some pretty burgundy mums." The result? An unexpected color palette that felt fresh as well as seasonal.

Punchy Purple

Kristine Stark of Farmhouse Green fell in love with this year's vibrant purple mums and decided she wanted to craft a porch that popped with color. "I added the green and peach pumpkins because I just loved how they complemented each other," she says.

Peachy Keen

Modern, hand-painted stacked pumpkins, creepy-crawly spiders, and spooky flamingos make this peachy-pink-centric porch vignette by A Beautiful Mess a standout.

Colors of the Season

To create a maximalist porch design that included a myriad of autumnal materials but didn't overwhelm the front of her house, Jackie Greaney prioritized balance. Choose a single color for your florals (like these burgundy mums), she says, and then add in enough pumpkin and gourds for equal volume.

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Puppy Porch

Even if you don't have an adorable pup (like Krewe, the labradoodle at the center of this photo by Karon Padgett of Triple C Farmhouse), you can easily recreate this simple, but elegant porch—all you need are muted pumpkins and mums. Pastel or white pumpkins (paint them if you have to!) and gourds pair well with bold-hued flowers. When arranged with a few cozy camel and cognac pillows, they create a focal point and add a bit of color to an otherwise neutral design.

Cozy Cool

You don't need much to get your porch ready for cool mornings or chilly nights. Take this side-porch vignette, created by Michael Wurm Jr. of Inspired by Charm, for example. Throw blankets, gingham pillows, bistro lights, and a smattering of fall mums (planted in galvanized metal pots) and pumpkins are all it takes to transform your outdoor living space.

Go Big

Looking for classic fall porch inspiration that still strikes that Halloween-ready note? You've found it at designer Casie Reeder's home. Combine pre-carved pumpkins (that can be reused each year) with fresh iterations from the patch for a spooky touch; work in some hay bales for texture and depth; and naturally add height to your design (stacking gourds will get you there). To finish off the look, introduce some Halloween whimsy with tastefully spooky elements, like these oversize spiders.

Patterns and Texture

Bold colors, country motifs (note the rooster pillow and stone statue), and beautiful textures make this fall porch design by Jen Morris of Beaver Creak Farmhouse beautiful. We'd argue that the vintage picnic basket and curious kitten steal the show.

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Ferns and Mums

Make like Rebecca Heart and combine a variety of plants to reimagine a lush porch design. The more greenery you use in the background, the more color you can bring to the foreground without overwhelming passersby, she says.

Dimensional Décor

If your front porch has multiple layers, use each level to create patterns with your décor; this adds depth to your overarching design. Kara Allen's stoop, for example, alternates dried corn husks with brightly colored florals and pumpkins. Keep them separate or combine them to create a voluminous look that draws the eye in and up.

Garland Garnish

If you love the look of fresh flower garlands, but live in an area where it gets cold early, try dried options. This will also allow you to add some blooms that aren't usually available when the weather turns, like the dahlias that are pictured here on the front of Caroline Titus' sweet cottage. Use wire to tie them to porch supports or weave them into a garland. Finish the look with mums, fresh pumpkins, and flower bouquets—and don't forget to take advantage of any areas that can reinforce or give your porch more dimension, like window boxes or ledges.