Christmas decorating ideas for porches are all over social media and the internet. But sometimes the pictures look easy, but it doesn't come out the way you want it too. This post will help you create a show-stopping design plus a Christmas Tour of Home to give you some inspiration.
Christmas Decorating Ideas for Porches
With so many different shapes and sizes of porches let's begin by defining what a porch is.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using the links below. All opinions are all my own.
What is a Porch
Well, according to the internet and dictionary it is a covered entrance to a building.
So, if you have any covering over your front or back door, then you have a porch. But even if you don't have a covering and you do have a stoop or patio these Christmas decorating ideas for porches will work for you too.
I know because there are some beautiful festive Christmas decorating ideas for any porch on this post here.
Getting Started
Like any Christmas home decor project, it is good to start with creating your ideas. Let me encourage you to use Pinterest as a resource. I have lots of ideas on my Christmas board on Pinterest so tap holiday Christmas ideas to see my board.
Home tours are another great source of inspiration. And you're in luck today because I have a fantastic home tour listed at the bottom of this post.
And you will find more inspiration on my website like this Outdoor Christmas decor post.
Inspiration Piece
You have tons of ideas and decor from your collection what do you do now?
Well, what is your inspiration? Is it a wreath, wall hanging or rug? In my case, it all started with this wreath from The Whimsical Door on Etsy.
I knew I wanted something minimalist with a farmhouse vibe, so The Whimsical Door was perfect.
Color Scheme
Next, you have to decide on your color scheme. In my case, the wreath was red, white, and green. So these were my natural color choices.
Door Wreath and/or Garland
Now we are getting to the fun part, and that is putting up your decorations.
Starting with your door, you will need an outdoor Christmas wreath and garland. There are other options for your front door like a door hanging, swags and so much more. I even made bells once and share how to make Christmas bells in another post.
This year because my wreath is an asymmetrical ring wreath I needed something delicate to hang it with on the door.
When The Whimsical Door created this outdoor Christmas wreath, I asked if I could get more ribbon. They so generously sent me the whole spool.
I want to encourage you to purchase a whole spool that is the exact match of the ribbon on your wreath. Using the same ribbon over and over is a significant design element.
So, here is how I hung my wreath.
Merely hang a command hook upside down. Wrap the ribbon around the wreath or ring and run it over the door and tie it to the command hook.
Now go ahead and add garland or anything else that has to do with the front door.
Christmas Door Mat
Next, add your doormat.
Layering doormats are super popular right now. Consider a more neutral rug like solid, check or stripes.
I created my mat from leftovers from a painter's drop cloth leftover from my drop cloth runner post.
I cut the size I wanted and then sewed the edges. Next, I used painter's tape to tape out my lines.
Then using Dixie Belle chalk paint, I painted the white lines on the mat. I removed the tape before it dried.
I also painted the Jingle all the Way on the mat. Again it was simple.
I used my Silhouette to cut the design.
Here are some tools you will need if you decide to make your own mats.
Plants, Trees and Planters
This is where you start adding some height to your design like a Christmas tree.
There are so many options when it comes to your planters.
You can put out a new planter during the holiday like I did with this galvanized bucket or keep your current pot.
Next, think about what will go inside the planter. You can use topiary's, poinsettias, or a Christmas tree.
I used a small 3-foot tree and added a bow on the top the match the bow on the wreath and some battery-powered mini white lights.
Walls
Next, let's move upward onto the walls. If you have wall space, consider adding something festive to your walls.
A porch wall is a great place to bring something nostalgic in like this Pine Tree Farm sign I made.
This piece has meaning to me because my sisters and I inherited a pine tree farm from our parents when they passed.
I didn't want just any tree farm sign I wanted something personal. So I created my sign.
So, do what makes you happy.
If you find a sign that brings you joy then add it or if you have something old that makes you think of your childhood place it on the wall too.
Accessories
We are almost finished. Now it is time to add some accessories to make your space seem even warmer and inviting.
Lanterns are great for decorating just about any space. I like to use them so much in accessorizing until I wrote a post of some of the best lanterns.
But there are loads of other Christmas decorating ideas for front porches. Like old vintage sleds, ice skates and the list goes on.
I like to keep things simple and minimal so a few lanterns did the trick for me.
But if you have any statues or other items that have to stay on the porch then add a little Christmas decor to them too.
I love to add a little holiday spirit to “Rover” our sweet starving pup.
If you have a statue add a ribbon around its neck. Notice here I used the same ribbon as the tree and the wreath.
Remember repetition is a good element of design. It pulls together the whole space.
Christmas Decorating Idea for Front Porch List
Now that we have walked through the steps its time to do some shopping either in your storage area, online or at the store.
Here is a step-by-step list of how to decorate your porch for Christmas.
- Pull inspiration from
- Select a color scheme
- Gather items from your storage, online or shopping locally
- Place wreath and garland
- Place doormat (layer your mats to add more color)
- Plants, Trees or Planters (add Christmas lights and ribbon)
- Wall art (Christmas signs, ironwork and more)
- Accessories (like lanterns, vintage sleds, statues)
Tips and Trick
I have a few last thoughts and suggestions. If you do not have a porch remember you can still decorate your space. Go check out my Christmas decorating for porches round-up post to see one idea that turned out super cute.
If you have a small porch keep it simple as I did on my porch.
Allow space between items to let light travel around them, and it will make your porch seem larger.
Christmas Home Tour
Now it is time to get loads of inspiration to create your beautiful porch or any room of your home.
Click on each link below to be taken to all kinds of different Christmas home designs.
MONDAY
White Arrows Home| The Chelsea Project| Our Prairie Farmhouse|
Noting Grace| The Red Painted Cottage
TUESDAY
Celebrate and Decorate| Rain and Pine| Savvy Apron
WEDNESDAY
Curly Crafty Mom| Camelot Art Creations| Follow The Yellow Brick Home|
Mom Home Guide| Twelve On Main
THURSDAY
County Road 407| Art and Sand| Simple Nature Decor| Sweet Parrish Place
FRIDAY
Deeply Southern Home| First Day of Home| Life on Summerhill|
Lemons, Lavender, and Laundry| The Aspiring Home
Again I hope you have been inspired and received loads of ideas but if you need a little more inspiration try this cottage farmhouse Christmas porch idea. It is a warm and cozy front porch as if it belongs to Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas & Happy Decorating!
If you enjoyed these ideas, please sign up for emails, so you don’t miss out on more fun decorating tips and ideas HERE.
WHITE CHRISTMAS TREE IDEAS | LIFE ON SUMMERHILL
Tuesday 10th of December 2019
[…] Now that you've gotten motivation for decorating your tree if you'd like some more inspiration check out my holiday porch decor ideas. […]
BEST CHRISTMAS TREE BASE IDEAS TO DRESS UP YOUR TREE
Wednesday 27th of November 2019
[…] my Christmas Decorating Porch Ideas post, I show you my mini Christmas tree that I've nestled into a galvanized […]
HOW TO HANG A WREATH | LIFE ON SUMMERHILL
Tuesday 3rd of September 2019
[…] I did some research on how to hang a wreath with ribbon during Christmas and shared my Christmas decorating ideas for porches and people asked how I hung my […]
5 SPRING DECORATING IDEAS FOR A SMALL FRONT PORCH
Monday 11th of March 2019
[…] Last Christmas I changed out my planter for wall art. You can see what I did in my Christmas front porch decor post. […]
Erin- Lemons, Lavender, & Laundry
Wednesday 26th of December 2018
I love the wreath! And what a fun sign to add a little sentiment. Thanks for sharing your Christmas porch with us!