How to Decorate a Small Porch for Summer

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This post is all about how to decorate a small porch for summer.

I don’t know about you, but I love giving my porch a good decor refresh at the start of a new season. I will admit, I did let spring pass me by this year and went right into summer decor!

There’s no denying that your porch is both the focal point and entry point of your home, so there is just something extra great about having a well manicured porch. If someone’s front porch decor and landscaping is on point, it makes me wonder what the rest of their home looks like and I assume it is well kept. So obviously, I would love for people to assume the same of my home!

Our porch is on the small side, so at first I wasn’t sure what all I wanted to incorporate when it came to decor. If you too have a small porch, don’t let it detour you from getting your decorating on!

Having a small porch takes the pressure off of going above and beyond, and lets you stick to the basics to have a cute, quaint porch.

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Here are my best tips for how to decorate a small porch for summer.

Tip #1: Start with a plan

Before you start in on decorating your small porch for summer, you’re going to want to go into it with a loose plan in mind. This is especially true if you are starting from scratch and have to go purchase some items to pull it all together.

Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas and inspiration. Just do a quick Pinterest search for “summer front porch decor.” Once I find something I love the look of, I make a list of what exactly I need to pick up to create a similar look.

For instance:

large greenery for large planters
white flowers for small pots
pair of gold lanterns
black and white rug for underneath main rug
brown welcome mat

I jot all of this down in my Notes app on my phone, so that way when I get to the store I’m not overwhelmed with options and forget what look I am even trying to create.

Tip #2: Clean up before decorating your small porch for summer

Before you get to the fun part of actually decorating, this is a good time to go ahead and do some much needed cleaning.

If you live in a climate with seasons, dirt has most likely accumulated all over your front door over the winter. Now is a good time to go ahead and wipe down your door and all the crevices. Don’t forget to clean the windows too!

Tip #3: Add a Wreath

A seasonal wreath is a decor must-have when it comes to decorating your porch for summer.

I looked at Target, TJ Maxx, and Vonmaur before deciding on the one I purchased from TJ Maxx.

There was one I loved at Vonmaur but my frugal self couldn’t justify spending over $60 on a wreath.

So back to TJ Maxx we went, and I picked up a cute sunflower one with brown wicker-like accent wrap and eucalyptus leaves. I was originally looking to get one with only white and some greenery, but it was slim picking for white wreaths and the ones I did see just weren’t going to cut it.

I love the look of white and yellow flowers mixed with greenery but go with whatever sparks joy for you! 🙂

Below are a few trendy wreaths you might want to incorporate when you decorate your small porch for summer!

how to decorate a small porch for summer — Credit: Amazon

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Tip #4: Add layered rugs

Another great way to spruce up your front porch area is to add layered rugs.

Amazon has a great selection of these and I’ve put together a couple layered rug combos that I think would be perfect for decorating a small porch for summer!

Tip #5: Add matching planters

A must for pulling together your summer porch decor is to add matching planters on each side of the front door.

If in doubt on size, go with bigger planters. They add a grand, sophisticated look to a small front porch.

If you have the space, you can also add two matching smaller planters offset diagonally in front of the large ones.

Here are a few options for tall planters I found on Amazon that would look beautiful on either side of your front door.

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Tip #6: Skip the tables and chairs when decorating a small porch for summer

When decorating a small porch, there’s likely not going to be enough room to put stands and tables. If you do, it could end up looking crowded.

Basically, less is more when decorating a small porch for summer.

Tip #7: Have a color scheme

For optimal cohesiveness, you should aim to color coordinate your wreath to the flowers or greenery that you will have in your planters on the sides of the door. Of course, they don’t need to be an exact match, just make sure they are not clashing in color.

When it comes to filling your large planters on each side of the front door, some great options are:

Boston Fern (This is what I went with!)
Begonias
Hostas

Since I have sunflowers in my wreath, I knew I wanted to have neutral colored flowers in the smaller set of planters to coordinate. They haven’t bloomed yet but the ones I chose are Cunningham’s White Rhododendron from Lowe’s.

Tip #8: Add lanterns

Depending on the size of your porch, you may have room on the sides of the planters to add some lanterns.

Lanterns are an easy final touch to summer porch decor. Just place a battery powered candle with a timer inside and it will give your porch a glowy, warm ambiance at night!

Here are a few of my favorite lanterns that would be the perfect addition to summer porch decor!