Welcome Spring to the Neighborhood With Your Front Porch

Last Updated on February 27, 2012

Once February hits, most of us are sick of winter and are suffering under the weight of cabin fever. Dreams of sunshine, singing birds and buds on the trees start to fill our heads. It’s when we start to feel like this that our thoughts turn to spring decorating. What better way to welcome spring than with a beautiful front porch? Here are five great ways that you can welcome spring to the neighborhood, right on your front porch, and if you’re decorating your porch on a budget, check out this great article on All You.

Paint

Look in the shed; chances are you’ve got a few gallons of paint. Paint the front door or just the trim. Adding a coat of bright white or even a pale yellow can lend a feeling of spring to even the dullest porch! If painting the front door is a bit too bold, consider painting the porch floor or even your furniture. Remember: it’s just paint! You can always change it back to the way it was if you don’t like it.

Wicker Furniture

Nothing screams spring like beautiful whicker furniture and colorful cushions. Look at garage and tag sales, flea markets, or even second-hand shops for new-to-you pieces that you can add to your porch. You don’t have to spend a lot to achieve a great look. Just remember to bring your furniture in for the winter or give it a good coating of weather protector; doing so will ensure that you can enjoy your furniture for years to come.

Planters

A few planters scattered strategically around your porch will lend a tremendous amount of curb appeal this season. When choosing plants, think mums, daisies and hydrangeas. Springtime colors like pink, yellow, white and lilac will look perfect! You can easily find planters at garage sales and flea markets, but you might find things lying around your home that you can use. Buckets, barrels and even large stockpots make great planters. To give your plants a chance to drain, drill holes in the bottom of your container or put a few pieces of Styrofoam in the bottom.

Greenery

Along with planters, various types of greenery will liven up your porch. Add a beautiful wreath to your front door, hung with a wide ribbon. Construct window boxes and plant shade-loving plants; ivy looks particularly lovely flowing out of a window box. Your greenery doesn’t have to be real; it just has to look real! Look around your local craft store and see what they have in the way of “fake” greenery. A few ivy vines will look fantastic hung over your front door.

Accessories

Since you can do all of the above on a budget, pull out your low interest credit card and use it to purchase new accessories. Porch lights, wind chimes, cushions and welcome mats are all easy ways to add a bit of spring to your home. Look at the front of your house from the sidewalk and look for any accessories that are outdated. Refinishing or replacing these accessories will make you feel like you’ve bought a new house!

You don’t have to go broke to welcome spring to the neighborhood; you just have to be creative. Take a drive around the block and see how others are welcoming the sunshine! You might just bring some inspiration home with you.

Andrew Bennett is a writer for granite credit card — check them out if your credit history is less than ideal.