Did I ever tell you the story of our front door?
Well, actually, it would be the story of our 2 front doors?
It was a warm sunny day in September when I first stopped and looked at
this house. And when I meandered up those steps
I found myself staring at 2 doors just across from each other.
One where the door is- and one where that blank wall is now.
I scratched my head, shrugged a bit and wondered what door was THE door.
What was behind each one. Two separate blocked off areas?
Or maybe it was just an indecisive person who put the doors in.
Did they like it facing east or south? Maybe different for different days.
I have no idea. And I have no explanation for it.
But, as you can see we just have 1 door now.
We chose to take out the one that was locked with a padlock.
Yes, padlocked.
I have often asked myself WHY I thought this house was THE one.
😉
Recently I shared a look at the front porch all decorated for autumn
with pumpkins and lanterns and candles flickering away.
And today I am sharing a few easy 5 minute ideas for front door decorating for autumn.
#1. Pumpkin Planters
I have had so many questions about more on how to create these planter displays.
And a secret- it is easy as 1, 2, 3.
A great look for planters by your door all year long is fresh plants.
But during autumn – add a sprinkling of charm with pumpkins.
This look was simple- I just added clipped greens to those cast iron urns
and placed a chunky pumpkin or 2 or even 3 on top of them.
For this look- I used seeded eucalyptus, but you can use any type of greens and get the same look.
Think of overgrown plants in your yard for example-maybe even ones that have started to change colors for the season. They are free and it is easy to clip a few branches off
and place them into the urns.
When choosing the perfect pumpkins- decide if you want just one
or a stack.
With one- any chunky little guy in the right size for the pot will do.
But if you are looking to stack- choose pumpkins with small stems that are fairly flat on top
so that the next one will sit nicely.
#2. Gather and repeat and repeat and repeat
Pumpkins = autumn.
So gather up those pumpkins and place them on the steps.
I used 8 Cinderella pumpkins for this look- but if you have a larger porch- you can really go to town.
And if it is a smaller one- just a couple pumpkins will have the same impact.
The key is to group several together.
I love to use muted pumpkins for a long lasting look- and
these pumpkins will also look great with Christmas greenery in November
for a Thanksgiving welcome.
#3. Create a welcoming glow with lanterns
Probably one of the easiest ways to dress your front door and porch
for a charming welcome is to bring out pretty lanterns.
I know that sounds so simple to say-
but just think about how a porch light glowing in the distance as you pull up to a house feels?
That porch light says ‘Hello’ before you even get out of the car.
Using lanterns to light a path to the door or simply gathered on the steps creates a charming
welcoming first impression-
and it also helps light up steps and darker areas for safety.
#4. Something simple
Orange isn’t my thing usually, but sometimes a little pop of color is perfect.
And for me, there is something about a simple wreath or swag and nothing else on a door
that is perfectly charming.
This look was from last year for the Balsam Hill blog-
and was just a swag on the door with nothing else.
Same thing with a berry wreath- keep it simple but with huge impact.
#5. Bring in the greens
And lastly,
of course, don’t forget some greenery that is living as well.
Clay pots and baskets filled with kale or cabbage or other autumn garden greens is always charming-
and those autumn greens are inexpensive which is a bonus.
I am a big fan of several of those pots tucked in with pumpkins and lanterns by the door
and also for a finishing touch on your porch seating area.
To see more of the seating area on the front porch-
you can find it HERE
Happy Tip Tuesday everyone!
So beautiful!!! I love your autumn decoration!
Bisous from Provence, Monika
Thank you Monika!
I love this fall decorating you did. I live in California and was wondering if you have issues with squirrels eating your pumpkins? I'll put pumpkins out and the next morning there are bites and big pieces missing out of all of them and seeds all over my porch. Yummy for the squirrels but such a mess for me 🙁 Anyway, I was thinking fake pumpkins this year or maybe just fall foliage and lanterns as you did. Thank you for the great ideas!
Hi Deanna! I have not had an issue with squirrels eating them- but deer are another story. There have been a couple deer that have come right up onto the porch and nibbled on the pumpkins. We decided the one that they seemed to like was now for them haha- and left it out further in the yard for them to enjoy. Maybe try putting a couple pumpkins out further away from your porch for the squirrels would help keep them away?
Beautiful! I just read that if you spray your pumpkins with furniture polish the squirrels won't eat them. Makes them very shiny too! I'm trying it this year as the squirrels here love pumpkins!
Love your photos and your tips,thank you so much.:)
Courtney, orange isn't really my thing either, but I have to admit it looks fantastic when it's just the right shade and mixed in with other elements that complement its hue. That's a big deal for me to say I actually like orange. My good friend up here has a favorite color- It's orange! I'm forever making my sassy remarks as I've always done and then looking at her sheepishly saying, "Gosh, ML, I'm sorry. I need to be nicer to orange." Ha ha. She has opened my eyes, though and I can actually appreciate it just a tad now.
As for your door situation… that is strange. Maybe the previous owners were distant relatives to the heiress who built staircases to nowhere and put doors in leading to nowhere just to capture the ghosts that she insisted haunted her mansion. Ha ha.
Gorgeous porch with yellow pumpkins. Door looks very beautiful, Thanks for sharing wonderful tips. You can decorating a pumpkin with your house number guides.
Hi! I stumbled across this gorgeous picture of your front door and wondered what paint color you used on it? Thank you!
Hi- it is Boothbay Gray by Benjamin Moore
oops- you are asking about the original door color- sorry about that! It is just regular black gloss right off the shelf.