Fresh Inspiration for Your Spring Porch

Think colorful pillows, blooms, lanterns, string lights and wreaths for quick and inexpensive ways to bring cheery optimism to your porch. You can build on what you have each season without starting over.

If you’ve got a bit more room in your budget, get swinging. A porch swing can really set up your porch and bring the right mood, Fishburne says.

“Front porches can be gathering places,” she says. “It’s also a place to sit and drink a cup of coffee.”

Your decor is as important as your greenery and blooms in colorful planters or containers. “You can have fun with your plants,” Fishburne adds, because your planters and what’s in them plays into the mood on your porch. “By just changing your flowers, it makes a space feel different,” she says.

Look for colors such as chili red, black and saddle brown in the classic palette this season. But you’ll also see cashew burnt orange, midnight blue and clay pot, too. For poolside, lakeside or beachside (or to create a space with those places in mind), there’s nectar peach, luxe green, lemongrass yellow and bayou green, to name a few.

Beyond the pops of color, you can also layer with high contrast hues on your porch. An example: red chili with black.

If you have the space, a porch swing can be a great way to relax or enjoy a visit with neighbors. Better yet, try a daybed swing.

If your porch can fit a rug, get one, says Fishburne. Outdoor rugs can be as important as the pillows on your porch.

Bright and colorful planters or containers with greenery and blooms can be the perfect addition to any porch space.

If you don’t live in a subdivision that restricts front door colors, a fresh paint color for your front door can give your porch a new look.

By simply changing out your wreath, you can change seasons in a snap. Consider making an update twice a year or more, depending on how much time you have to invest. Succulents make great wreaths for spring. Boxwood and grapevine wreaths can carry you through all seasons when you change out the bows.

Lanterns can transition from season to season. Just like any space, they’re a great staple for the front porch. Just add LED candles and the ambiance is set.

Cafe or string lights bring a festive air to any space, especially on a porch. Light it up with white or go for a dramatic look with color.

Benches are a twist on traditional patio and porch seating, but as an added bonus, backless benches can do double duty serving as tables in narrow porch spaces.

Put pillows on your porch for a quick, budget-friendly way to add pops of color. You can also change out the cushions of your bistro or other chat set. Some new innovations this spring include quick dry pillows, so you can sit down and relax instead of drying out from morning dew or rain.

If you’ve got a small porch, poufs add instant seating. They can also serve as a table, or just an ottoman to put up your feet.