10 Easy and Affordable Front Porch Makeover Ideas

Don’t let a small front porch limit your home’s curb appeal. These simple steps will help you makeover your front porch to ensure a welcoming atmosphere, setting the perfect tone for your home.

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Reasons to Makeover Your Front Porch

The front porch of your house is a space that can impact the overall appeal of your home. It is the first thing visitors see when they arrive, setting the tone for what they can expect inside.

Even if you have a small front porch, you can make it inviting by incorporating simple yet creative decorating ideas. For instance, add a colorful welcome mat, some potted plants, and a cozy outdoor seating arrangement. You can also hang a new outdoor fixture or lanterns to create a warm and inviting ambiance. 

When we purchased our home, it had a good foundation for curb appeal, but it needed some special touches to elevate the look. Because it is asymmetrical, it was a little challenging to come up with ways to make it feel balanced, but it is always possible!

This post is about front porch makeover ideas.

This is where we started. Let’s look at the exact steps we took to complete our small front porch makeover!

Front Porch Makeover Ideas

These decorating ideas are in no particular order. If you are on a limited budget, you can work with what you have and decide if you want to invest in something new. Consider the style of your home, and then add your personality to make the space unique and yours.

1. Start with a Clean Slate

The first thing you want to do is start with a clean slate. Remove everything from your front porch area, power wash the siding, and wipe down the door and windows. We have a concrete porch, so we also gave it a good power washing and let it dry before getting started.

2. Stain or Paint Wood Railings or Posts

If you’re looking to makeover your front porch, one of the most effective ways is by giving it a fresh coat of paint. You can choose to paint your steps, railings, posts, or even the entire porch if you’re feeling ambitious.

Paint has the power to completely transform the look and feel of any space, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. Not only does fresh paint make your porch look nicer, but it can also protect your surfaces from the elements and prevent wear and tear. 

3. Paint the Front Door

Instead of purchasing a new door, you can easily give your front door a makeover with a fresh coat of paint for a brand-new look. Adding color will create a focal point, whether you like a neutral or a bright front door.

I painted our front door Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron 2124-10. It is a softer shade of black paint, which was a great option for our light grey brick and dark siding. It made a huge difference to the look of our front porch.

Our front door is steel, so we used BM Aura Exterior Paint in a satin finish for this project. The Aura Exterior brand is designed for outdoor use, preventing peeling paint. This small change greatly impacted the look of the front of our home.

Related Resource:

• Benjamin Moore Front Door Colors and Inspiration

4. Update Your House Numbers

If your house numbers are worn out or faded, it might be time for an update. Spray painting them for a fresh look is an easy and budget-friendly option if you don’t want to replace them.

Your house numbers must be visible to anyone passing by, so consider the font, size, and placement. You want them to stand out against the color of your home’s exterior and be easily legible from the street.

5. Add an Outdoor Rug or Door Mat

Having a doormat is practical. A quick shoe wipe before entering the front entryway can reduce dirt in your home. Besides being functional, adding a rug or doormat can also be decorative.

Layering outdoor rugs creates interest and texture. I added a welcome mat made of natural coir over a cotton rug, giving the entrance some character. Try this small, inexpensive makeover trick to create a charming front porch entry.

6. Mix and Match Decorative Planters

Planters come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so this is where you get to have a little fun. I love symmetry, and because our front porch is not symmetrical, as I mentioned above, it is a bit more challenging to decorate.

Even though we have the sidelight, I still like the look of tall planters on either side of the front door. This helps lead the eye to the main entrance. In this makeover, I added a third planter on the far left in a different shape and size to help balance the front porch area.

7. Add flowers & plants

Adding flowers and plants is a great way to add bright or bold colors if your home is neutral. Green plants alone will add contrast. I love the look of ferns or tropical plants on a front porch. During a makeover, adding different colors of reds, yellows, blues, and greens through flowers, grasses, and plants to your front porch can soften the entrance, making guests feel welcome.

In a few weeks, these planters go from sparse to full blooms.

Early Planting:

Full Blooms

8. Use Functional & Decorative Lighting

As the sun sets and darkness falls, it is essential to have suitable outdoor lighting fixtures installed on your porch area that can safely lead your guests to the entrance. Consider installing wall sconces or recessed lighting as the primary lighting source.

In addition to primary lighting fixtures, you can add decorative accents to enhance the aesthetics of your front porch. Lanterns are great options to consider. These fixtures look beautiful in the daytime and provide an excellent lighting source in the evening.

Landscape lighting can also highlight your garden or yard’s unique features, adding charm to your outdoor space. 

9. Incorporate Decorative Elements

Adding decorative items can make a significant difference if you want to makeover your front porch. Not only can it create a warm and inviting feel, but it can also serve as a place of comfort and relaxation.

You can start by using decorative items such as wreaths and flower baskets to spruce up your front door. These items add a touch of color and liveliness to your porch and make it look more attractive.

If you have enough space, consider adding some cozy seating options like rocking chairs or small bistro sets. Rocking chairs are an excellent choice as they create an atmosphere of relaxation and are perfect for spending an afternoon reading a book or just enjoying the fresh air.

On the other hand, Bistro sets provide a great place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend. You can also add throw pillows to make the seating area more comfortable and inviting.

10. Add Flower Beds to the Front Yard

Our front porch had a beautiful shrub garden on one side, but it made the house look unbalanced. During the makeover, we decided to add another flower bed on the opposite side of the front porch. The flower bed was designed to complement the existing shrub garden and enhance the house’s overall appeal.

Although we already had a rock wall and paver walkway, we added river rocks to separate the walkway from the wall. This addition not only gave the area a more pleasing look but also helped eliminate many weeds that were growing in the space between the wall and the walkway. The river rocks also helped define the space and made it look more organized. 

Front Porch Makeover Before & After

Budget-Friendly Ways to Makeover Your front Porch

When we first bought our house, the porch was plain and uninviting. Clearly, the front porch needed a makeover, so we decided to take on the challenge and transform it into a welcoming area. A few DIY projects like cleaning, painting the front door, planting gardens, and adding porch decor were easy ways to make it comfortable and inviting. 

These small changes completely transformed the porch and gave our house the curb appeal it needed to feel like a home.

Following these front porch makeover ideas, you can transform your small front porch into an appealing and inviting space that sets the tone for the rest of your home. Remember, beautiful spaces are created over time. This is the same with front porch makeovers: Enjoy the journey! 

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