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    Home » Front Porch Ideas

    Simple Fall Porch Decorating On The Cheap

    Published by Pam Kessler | 1095 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article. - 19 Comments

    Every single year I say I'm NOT going to go all out on my fall porch decor. Every. Single. Year.

    And then I get started with creating a simple fall planter. Then add a few simple mums here and there. Maybe a simple bushel basket or two. And next thing you know, I'm rummaging all over my house for just one more thing to put on my porch to make it just so.

    Simple fall porch decorating ideas.

    And all my ideas for a simple fall porch go flying out the window.

    But this year, I think I've contained myself.

    Sort of.

    It's not an over the top, fall threw up on her house kind of porch.


    Right?

    Front porch fall decor with a harvest theme.

    And I did not decorate the WHOLE porch, so if you need ideas for small front porch decor you could easily remove one planter and the chair and you're all set. Unless of course you have just a stoop and then I feel for you, because I was a just-a-stoop homeowner prior to this house and I get the challenge, Sister!

    My whole porch started when I found this shelf made out of fence pickets at a local shop.

    Fall harvest decor for the front porch.

    It was old and crusty (with who knows what, but it may have been chicken poo), had been found in a barn (again, chicken poo?) and it was just setting there all lonely waiting for someone with $10 in hand to rescue her ($10 chicken poo?).

    I was happy to oblige.

    The poor petite high school girls who were helping out at the shop that day probably regretted asking me if I needed help loading it in my van, because this sucker is so much heavier than it looks. Like 80 pounds of heavy.

    These kinds of shelves are sort of common. I think they must have been a project in a woodworking magazine back in the day, because I see them at estate sales and barn sales quite a bit.

    I had thought about painting it burgundy or mustard yellow to be a bit more festive. But then the basic brown started growing on me.

    Brown is perfect for fall. And I didn't have to lug the thing back off the porch to paint it. So brown it stayed!

    Fall decor for your front porch.

    I did wipe the chicken poo off it though, just in case you can't get chickens squatting on this shelf out of your mind.

    So with my fall foliage planters that I showed you how to make the other day and a brown shelf, I just started adding things I already had around the garage and basement.

    Foliage planter for fall.

    I rarely, if ever, buy anything new for my porch decor. I try to use what I have. Basically, because it's a porch and not my living room and it is going to get rained on, snowed on (please, no time soon) and things may even get blown around a bit.

    I've rescued the cornstalks and the bushel basket full of pinkish mums from the hydrangea bushes once or twice already.

    All to say, let's not spend money on something that it so going to set outside in the elements and will probably only last a year when there are much better things to spend our hard earned bucks on.

    Fall decor on the front porch.

    OK, did you know this was a "thing"? You take a door mat and use a throw rug underneath it to sort of beef up the doormat.

    Using two doormats at your front door.

    I've seen it on a few other blogs and I was all like "Hey, I want in on that action!".

    Well, trying to find a throw rug that matches your existing orange doormat is not all that easy. I decided to go with this gray, slightly over-dyed global inspired rug because the doormat has a tiny little bit of gray in the leaves.

    It's growing on me.

    Get it, leaves - growing. I guess if I have to spell it out even to myself I need to up my pun game.

    My hands down favorite thing on the porch is this corn garland that I bought at the Country Living Fair. I L-O-V-E it to death, but on the ride home I realized that I have a whole cornfield surrounding my house and some gourds setting on my kitchen table, so I could have made one in about ten minutes.

    Corn garland for fall home decor.

    You live, you learn, you make it yourself next year!

    UPDATE: I did a tutorial on how to make one for you. You can find it here - How To Make A Fall Corn Garland.

    So let's talk about the owl here. I used this on a porch a few years ago and it's one of those things that you either think is gaudy as heck or cool as heck. There's no middle ground on this guy!

    Using thrift store decor on your porch for fall.

    I'm in the cool as heck group, because I obviously put him on the porch again. I sort of like those 70's oddball pieces.

    Mums in a wooden crate for outdoor fall decor.

    OK, so let's recap here.

    Simple fall porch decorating ideas:

    • Raid your garage, shed and basement for fall pieces. Besides the plants, shelf and pumpkins, all these items were from my house.
    • Use items in unexpected ways. I'm sure the owl was not made to be porch decor. Who knows though since the 70's were wild times!
    • Use colorful fall foliage plants and mums for boosts of accent color.
    • Using a variety of pumpkin colors for an eclectic fall color scheme. Trader Joe's or your local grocery store should have a nice selection of colorful ones.
    • Scavenge around in your yard for flowers and plants to add to your decor. Those hydrangea blooms were still on the bush ten minutes before taking these photos.
    • Use natural materials in your decor. Cornstalks, corn cobs on a rope and wooden baskets are all fair game for fall decor. Tip - Thrift stores are great places to find CHEAP baskets and crates.
    • Have fun while decorating your porch. I know I did. Well, except when I was cleaning chicken poo off the shelf.

     

    Simple fall porch decorating ideas using items from around your yard and house. Fall porch decor doesn't have to be expensive to look good!

     

    Some other fall porches you might like are:

    Front Porch Fall Decor: Farmhouse Porch Decor With Color (circa 2017)

    Fall Porch Decor Farmhouse Style (circa 2015)

    Fall On The Porch (circa 2013)

    Or all sorts of Fall Porches are on my Fall Porch archive page

    And to see how I made my planters go to Making A Fall Foliage Planter

     

    « Making A Fall Foliage Planter (No Mums In This One)
    How To Make A Fall Corn Garland »
    225 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debra

      September 24, 2018 at 8:11 am

      Love the porch and absolutely LOVE the owl! Very festive!

      Reply
    2. Karen

      September 24, 2018 at 8:50 am

      I think your porch is great. All of the items blend so well together. I love your owl and would buy one if I ever am lucky enough to find it.

      Reply
    3. Kristi Bissell

      September 24, 2018 at 10:34 am

      WOW girl, What amazing curb appeal. The color really catches your eye.

      Reply
    4. Diane Walgrave

      September 24, 2018 at 10:45 am

      Gorgeous Pam! Well worth the wait! Love the combination of colors you have chosen! HAPPY FALL!

      Reply
    5. Nikki Gwin

      September 24, 2018 at 10:47 am

      I love everything about this! I am a farmers daughter and would LOVE to have some corn to decorate with. Although..... do you have a problem with mice? It might now be a good idea for here now that I think about it... hahahaha But I am in love with your ideas and will use it to inspire me.
      🙂 gwingal

      Reply
      • Nikki Gwin

        September 24, 2018 at 10:48 am

        typo... bleh... should say "it might NOT be a good idea" 🙂

        Reply
    6. Debra Oliver

      September 24, 2018 at 10:53 am

      I'm joining you in the "cool as heck" group. I have a thing for owls, gaudy or not. so cute! great porch!

      Reply
    7. Kim kenward

      September 24, 2018 at 11:18 am

      Love it all and that owl is definitely a favorite. This porch decor can last well into Thanksgiving! Nicely done, Pam. Chicken poo and all!!

      Reply
    8. Merri Jo

      September 24, 2018 at 11:25 am

      Pam, I love your fall porch decor! And as always, your post makes me yearn to drive to OH to go barn sale/thrift shopping!! You & your vintage goodies always speak my love language!

      Reply
    9. Dorothy Mungarro

      September 24, 2018 at 11:55 am

      I love your front door and the corn garland. Great curb appeal.

      Reply
    10. Sue Pagels

      September 24, 2018 at 12:07 pm

      Looks great - I especially love the color of the green items! Speaking of "fall throwing up on your porch" - that would be my neighbor. I love clutter, absolutely, but I actually shuddered when I drove by her porch.

      Reply
    11. Julie Briones

      September 24, 2018 at 1:54 pm

      This looks SO charming! Love the corn 'garland', Pam! Pinning!

      Reply
    12. Leslie Schmidt

      September 24, 2018 at 3:27 pm

      I love this, Pam! You have such a good eye. I especially like the fact that it's not orange-heavy. That makes it much more distinctive. It goes so well with your gorgeous door.

      Reply
    13. Stacey @ Poofing the Pillows

      September 24, 2018 at 5:33 pm

      This is really beautiful! I love the way you've incorporated some of your vintage goodies along with the natural stems and plants. Pinning and sharing. 😉

      Reply
    14. Angie @ Postcards from the Ridge

      September 25, 2018 at 10:10 am

      Pam, your porch is so pretty. I love the vintage touches and that corn garland is so creative!

      Reply
    15. Christine

      September 25, 2018 at 10:53 am

      Very nice! I love all the green, it's different.
      But, what?! No thermoses?

      Christine
      New Hampshire

      Reply
    16. Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces

      September 26, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      I love this SO much, Pam! The colors are fresh, unexpected, and oh-so-lovely! Love, love, love the corn garland! Beautiful job and not over the top at all I decided to go on the cheap this year, too.

      Reply
    17. kristin

      October 08, 2018 at 12:55 pm

      I love your fall decor! So, I"m feeling like an idiot with fall decorating. I want corn stalks on the sides of my front door but how do I attach them? I've looked at so many photos online...yours included. Are they leaning? I get if there's a post to attach them to but I want mine in front of the side panels. Help!

      Reply
    18. Kim~madeinaday

      October 15, 2018 at 8:25 pm

      Lovin your porch! That Indian corn garland is too cool! Sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
      Kim

      Reply

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