DIY Christmas Porch Decor Ideas
Easy and inexpensive Christmas porch decor ideas that are festive and colorful. Includes fresh greenery, a beautiful door wreath, a vintage sled, and more.
I want to share a few details about our Christmas front porch decor because I honestly believe that with a little effort, patience, and inspiration, any entrance can be transformed into a space that will welcome your guests in style. It usually doesn’t happen overnight, and it will take some careful budgeting, but our front porch is proof that it’s possible.
How to Add Interest
Our porch is very simple. It’s basic concrete with a white railing, and it’s on the small side. I love that there are two windows to break up the stone front. We painted our door a pretty shade of blue called Distance from Sherwin Williams. Other than the door paint, the only color on the porch is what I add through decor. You can see where I started in the image below. I put away all the fall decor, and gave the porch a good cleaning.
In order to give the best first impression possible, the key is to decorate your outdoor space like an indoor room. Depending on the size, include chairs or a bench, pillows, a table, planters or urns, and lighting. Make sure there is color that will show from the street, and texture to add interest.
The Door
Before you add any Christmas decor at all to your front porch, the door should be addressed. Everyone has a door, so make it count. Add a festive, generously sized wreath or swag. Fresh greenery is wonderful, but for simplicity and convenience, the faux variety works well too.
Wreath Embellishment Ideas
- berry picks or garland
- bells hanging from rope
- pine cones
- a ribbon bow
- dried citrus slices
- small ornaments
- fresh or faux holly
- glittered snowflakes
Add More Presence
To beef up the area around your front door, add planters if room allows. This will provide symmetry, and frame your front door so it has more presence. When you flank a front door, it actually grows in size. Our Christmas planters are simple Polywood boxes with Norfolk pine trees.
Planter Assembly
For our spring + summer porch, I placed pre-potted ferns in the planter boxes. When it was time to decorate for fall, I purchased these round pots to go inside the square boxes.
To anchor the little Christmas trees in the planters, I simply buried the tree bases in the existing potting soil that was in the round pots. There was still some live ivy in the round pots, so I left it there. For another planter idea, see how I added lanterns to square black planters at the Sutton Place house.
At the last minute, I decided to add white twinkle lights to the trees, which makes the area sparkly. It’s always nice to refresh your doormat as well. Instead of layering a rug under the doormat, I chose a doormat in a larger size. It’s a nice change!
The Sitting Area
The sitting area is very simple. I chose these red sweater knit pillow covers to go on the farmhouse rockers, and added a plaid throw blanket.
Fresh Greenery
A good place to add fresh evergreens where it won’t make a mess is as an accessory. Place it in an unbreakable container, and add some water. If you’re experiencing cooler temps, the greenery will last for several weeks.
We don’t have any bushes appropriate for cutting stems of greenery, so I purchased a mixed bunch at Lowe’s. I love the juniper and cedar together!
Add Something Unexpected
A few years ago, I treated myself to a vintage sled that I displayed on the Sutton Place front porch. When we moved, it disappeared, and I was afraid it somehow got tossed. I finally remembered that it might be in our storage garage, and sure enough, it was buried behind some boxes!
The sled adds a bit of unexpected charm and interest as you come up onto the porch. Extra greenery in the form of a small wreath brings in some more color. Charm, interest, and color all in one!
More Porch Ideas for the Holiday Season
Add warmth, ambiance, and holiday cheer to your outdoor Christmas decorations with these additional ideas!
- battery operated candles in lanterns
- pinecones piled in galvanized buckets or baskets
- string lights on railings or columns
- fresh greenery in a large mason jar with red berries
- a grouping of mini trees
- faux reindeer
Click the images below to be taken directly to the product listing. Every effort has been made to provide sources for the items found in this post. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
Note: the Norfolk pine trees and wreath are currently sold out everywhere. I’ll let you know if they become available again!
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I never in a million years thought I would be saying this, but I wish it would snow. Just a little. I’m behind getting my Christmas decor up, but I hope to finish this week.
If you’re behind too, or struggling with finding the Christmas spirit, here are a couple of suggestions. Play some Christmas music, light a scented candle, bake a loaf of bread, and wrap some presents. Before you know it, you’ll be well on your way, and ready to celebrate.
