NEW QUESTION How do I decorate a front porch that has railing?
Ok, after 25 years I now have a beautiful white railing around my rectangular front porch. Before the railing I had a bistro table and chairs on the porch, and plants etc that could be seen from the road. Front door is black, storm door is white, shutters are black, steps are black, pots around front sidewalk are waiting for plants. I have a big picture window to the right of the front door. The bistro set is under master bedroom window, it is bronze color. A white crepe myrtle is probably going to the far right of flower bed as soon as I can plant it. Any ideas would be great. Am looking for base ideas that would last until Christmas, I could change out some things for each season, right now focusing on Spring and early summer. I do have a wreath coming end of this month (February) that is design with Bees and black and white topiary style for front door. I guess I am wanting to get ideas about what to do with front steps, and that railing. Driving around trying to find inspiration is a dead end. Help!!
Hi ! Your porch with its railing sounds very nice ! I would concentrate on decorating around it ...on your porch post , put up a flag holder , in which you can change out the flags with the seasons and holidays . Put up hooks to hang your porch plants . Decorate your front door with a wreath . I have a plain wreath and just change out the decorations on it ! Put lanterns with battery operated candles that are on timers
in them , put them on each step gong up to your porch or a group of different sizes ones next to your front door .
I always put rope lights on my rails. They add a nice festive touch. Perhaps a wreath on the large window. You can do a topiary. If you add the bistro set, you can leave bronze and put a tall piece on it that you can change out with the seasons.
Maintain 1 focal point - It's your front door with the welcoming yellow.
-It would punch your entry up some more if you got a larger sconce in bronze and lowered it.
-Also you may want to consider painting the storm door goldenrod too, so that the both doors match and have a single larger impact to attract the eye.
-The house has a lot going on visually with the brick, siding, railing and multi window pattern, so you might also think about removing the shutters. They are a distraction because of their slim size and cut-off bottom.
-Your bronze bistro set would blend into the brick behind your railing, so no worries there. And from Kathy, do a topiary on your bistro table, or some other full fabulous plant.
-Your wreaths look nice for the season. When Spring comes, get three yellow or green flower pots planted with yellow pansies for the steps on the left. As Pamela said, put up hooks to hang your porch plants.
-For your landscaping, plant a forsythia at the right end corner of the porch at the seam of brick & siding. Let grow to higher than the brick level, but keep it lightly pruned.
-For the rest, do whatever else pleases you in the garden. I can't tell what the tall shrubs are that are there (holly?) I suggest putting in a few shorter flowering shrubs that bloom at different times. Do you know about Beauty Berry? It's tiny blooms are lavender in the Spring and purple berries in the Fall. Purple is a good contrast to yellow.
I hope you enjoy my suggestions, even if you don't like them for your house!
I actually feel the front needs better landscaping rather than focus on the porch itself. Higher plants in the rear between windows, lower items toward the front. A shaped bed with focal smaller trees at the corners to anchor it all.
Add a garland to the railing or bows on each post. There are lots of great ideas here:
https://www.diyncrafts.com/4223/home/60-beautifully-festive-ways-decorate-porch-christmas
I would use garland on the railing and move wreath to windows