Front Porch Decorating Ideas

The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but the front porch is like a handshake, welcoming visitors, serving as a connection point with the neighborhood, and role-playing as the first (and sometimes only) impression for passers-by and neighbors.

And just as your handshake style is important (too soft, and you come off as wimpy; too hard, and you seem aggressive), your porch's style gives visitors a preview of what's inside. "The porch is the calling card of your home, " says Susanna Salk, a design expert and author of Weekend Retreats (Rizzoli, 2009). "Don't neglect it or, worse, use the space as storage. It's an extension of the soul of the house."

Creating front porch style is a simple weekend project. First, Salk says, head outside and look at your porch. How is it used? "Some porches are little portals into the house that you don't notice much, and others are big spaces with a view. What's going on here — is it a transitional space into the home, or its own living space?"

Salk believes a small porch that functions as transitional space into the house itself should echo the overall style of your home. "You should never shortchange this space, but it's too small to create a completely new look, " she says. "If the porch leads into a traditional living room, don't decorate it with tropical accents."

And just as your handshake style is important (too soft, and you come off as wimpy; too hard, and you seem aggressive), your porch's style gives visitors a preview of what's inside. "The porch is the calling card of your home, " says Susanna Salk, a design expert and author of (Rizzoli, 2009). "Don't neglect it or, worse, use the space as storage. It's an extension of the soul of the house."

Painting the front door a color that pops, then adding attractive container gardens, enhances this small porch.

Alison Gelb Pincus, co-founder of One Kings Lane, a home decor and accessories website, advises going vertical on a small porch. "Since you don't have floor space, make the most of the walls and ceiling, " she advises. Her top three improvements include:

• Paint the front door with a new high-gloss coat of paint, preferably in a color that pops. "If your house is white, paint the door red. A gray house is gorgeous with a deep purple door. A color that really contrasts with the front of the house in a shiny, glossy paint lends a strong sense of elegance to the space, " she says.
  
• Change out your hardware. "Slicker, stronger-looking house numbers really change the look of the house, " Gelb Pincus says. "Add a beautiful, sculptural door knocker to your newly-painted door for even more elegance."
  
• Hang a canvas or print specifically formulated for the outdoors to one or both walls (such as the outdoor art collection at art.com). Outdoor art looks like stretched canvas, but it's printed on aluminum, coated with a special coating, and able to withstand weather from snow to sunlight.