DIY Home Decorating: Simple Ways to Redesign Your Front Porch

Tired of your boring, dirty and uninviting front porch? Try these simple ideas to create a beautiful, clean, welcoming front porch. It will only take a few hours and will provide endless enjoyment throughout the warm days of spring and summer. When you walk up to your front porch, you will feel incredibly good about the new changes and your time will have been well spent.

Before beautifying your front porch area, clean it thoroughly. Spray it down, removing all dust, pollen, and spider webs. If necessary, scrub the filthy areas with a mixture of dish soap and water, then rinse it off. Now it's time to have some fun and decorate!

Choose a color you love in exterior paint and paint the door. This is a great way to start the redecorating of your front porch because it only takes about 30 minutes and will give you instant gratification once completed. You will feel an immediate difference once your door is painted a new vibrant color.

There are several choices for front door décor that you can purchase or make yourself. Get inspired by browsing through the dozens of door ideas at HGTV with over 30 front door decoration photo ideas.

The best door hangings are the ones you create yourself. Craft stores carry a range of door baskets and containers that can be filled with arrangements made from the plants in your very own yard. Evergreen branches look beautiful in these arrangements.

Placing furniture on your front porch helps to define the space, and allows you and your visitors to enjoy the space. Depending on the size, the amount of furniture will vary. If your porch is small, one or two chairs may be all there is room for. If it is a large space, more seating may be an option. An eclectic assortment of furniture will add interest to the space. Using wicker chairs, tables, and couches will create a cozy, casual feel. Wooden benches and swings can be inviting as well.

If you do not already have furniture and your budget is minimal, consider checking Craigslist in your area, or visit the local thrift store. You will spend a fraction of the price you would pay for brand new furniture, and it will often have more character and appeal. If the used furniture items need a fresh coat of paint, you can find spray paint made for plastic, metal, wicker, wood, and any other surfaces at your local hardware store.

Outdoor fabric pillows are an easy and attractive touch to furniture. These pillows can be purchased at Walmart, Target, Lowes, or Home Depot for a small amount of money. An assortment of pillows will create a comfortable environment you will want to spend time in.

If you would like to make your own pillows, grab a couple of used pillows from your home and select an outdoor fabric from your local fabric store. Cut two squares, about an inch larger than the pillow itself. Place the pattern sides back to back, sew three sides together. Turn the pillow cover right side out, push the pillow snuggly inside the cover, and sew the fourth side closed. It's that easy!

Place planters with colorful flowers in them on the steps or alongside the main entrance. For long lasting plants, use perrenials. Remember to use sun-loving or shade-loving plants, depending on the amount of sunlight your porch area gets. Choose planters that go well with the other decorative elements you've already used.

Place a new door mat in front of your door. Add some color and design to your porch with this low-cost functional and decorative element. Door mats can be purchased for anywhere from $10 to $30, depending on th size and material.

Wow! What a difference, these small changes make to a space. Now it is time to enjoy your new space and forget about doing any more work. Maybe next year, you can tackle the deck, but for now, it's time to take a deserved break!