My Summer Front Porch

Summer has arrived here in northern Indiana, and it looks like it is finally here to stay! That means it's time for me to bust out my summer front porch decor!
 
I love my front porch! It's pretty much the perfect front porch in my opinion! It runs the length of my house and is large enough to decorate with patio furniture. It's almost like having another room in my house.

Turning outdoor areas, such as porches and decks, into more of an outdoor living area is huge right now. It's a major item on home owners/buyer's check off lists. Plus, it's a very welcoming sight to have a well decorated front porch. It's the first thing your guests will see when they visit your home, so it's important to give it some love!

If you have the space, a key item for any good summer front porch is seating. I went with a white, faux wicker love seat that I had actually purchased at Pier 1 Imports years ago. When I first moved into this house, I had originally planned on putting a porch swing out there, but when I came across the love seat (and it was on sale!), I couldn't say no! I also like the fact that I can rearrange it when I want, something that I couldn't do with a porch swing! The wicker loveseat, along with my porch railing, adds a bit of old school southern veranda style to my "Yankee" porch!

With it being summer, flowers are also a must on any front porch! No matter how big or how small your porch is, there is always a way to decorate with flowers! I usually do a few hanging baskets and I also have two awesome planters that flank either side of my front door. I like to put flower pots on each of my stairs on the side of my house as well. I've thought about getting plant stands too! You can never have too many flowers!

I also have two giant, fake, tropical plants that my in-laws were going to give to Goodwill that I snagged and now reside on my front porch! They actually look real and definitely add some coziness and summertime flair!

Rugs, tables, and knick knacks finish off outdoor living areas. I've got a mosaic table, a little metal goat, and some garden gnomes on my front porch. I also have a rainbow windsock hanging off the end of my porch, but I am thinking of replacing it with a classic American flag. My home is always a work in progress and I am constantly thinking of what to do next! That's what I love about having a home!

Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram (sweethome.indiana) for more summertime front porch and home inspiration! 

It doesn't get any more summery than this watermelon welcome mat!

Seating is key in outdoor living spaces and it doesn't get any comfier than my wicker loveseat!

The fake tropical plants in the background of this picture were meant to be on my porch! I also love the rainbow striped cushion on my wicker loveseat. I love to add pops of color throughout my home!

I've always made my own hanging planters and this year was no different. The really nice big ones at garden shops are so expensive, it's just cheaper to do my own. This year, I decided to try something a little different and use coco planters. They are larger than the cheap, white plastic hanging baskets I had been using and they hang lower as well, which means I can plant more and taller flowers! This one is not quite finished as I need to find a spiller flower to add to it.

A wreath on the door is always a must in my book! This peony and hydrangea wreath is perfect for summer!

One of my gnomes! I've loved gnomes ever since I was younger and used to watch David the Gnome!

This is my goat that I got at an antique shop in Chimney Rock, North Carolina. They had goats like this on top of their sign and that pretty much drew me in! I had to bring one home with me! Adding personal touches like this is how you turn your house into a home!

Although not on my front porch exactly, these ceramic mushrooms in front of the porch add little pops of color to my home! I have several of these throughout my front garden bed. I just love them!

Beware of the guard dog!

My summer front porch in all it's southern charm style! I'm ready to sit down on my wicker loveseat and have a glass of sweet tea!

Happy Summer!