Rustic Porch Decorating

Decorate a plain porch to add a welcoming touch to your home.

Transform a rustic front porch into a warm and welcoming space in which to entertain friends and family members or relax with a book. Enhance the outdoor space with furniture and décor items designed to withstand the elements. Prior to decorating the porch, you can decide on a design theme to create a cohesive look. As an eco-friendly touch, recycle vintage pieces into useful and decorative items.

Things You'll Need

• Porch furniture
• Chair cushions
• Rugs
• Lighting elements
• Plants
• Plant holders

Instructions

1. Outfit the rustic porch with durable and decorative furniture. Pick a casual-looking vintage woven bamboo or wicker love seat and chair set. Cover the seats with comfortable moisture- and mildew-resistant cushions featuring colors and patterns to match the overall look of the space. For example, choose seashell-patterned or nautical blue-and-white striped cushions to coordinate with a beach-themed porch.

2. Place rugs on the porch flooring to add comfort and warmth to the rustic space. Set the floor coverings in front of the chairs and in front of the door. Pick rugs made with hardy materials such as bamboo, jute, sea grass or wool; the rugs' natural fibers will also complement the rustic look of the space.

3. Install porch lighting elements. Hang wrought-iron sconces on the wall above the seating area to provide lighting while you are reading or visiting with friends. Suspend vibrant Chinese paper lanterns from the porch ceiling to add a pop of color to the space. Fill antique tin lanterns with tea lights or votive candles and set them on a side or coffee table.

4. Decorate the porch with live green plants to provide a seamless transition from your home to the yard. Fill empty porch corners with tall tropical plants in woven bamboo holders. Place cactus and other hardy plants in rustic terracotta pots and set them on porch shelves and tables. Display freshly cut garden blooms or wildflowers in wood or copper vases.

References

• Country Living: Decorating Ideas for Outdoor Spaces