It’s May 1st, so I’m all in on all things spring/summer, landscaping, plants, digging in the dirt, moving plants outside, etc! I love to style our front porch for the seasons. We have a fairly large space to work with so I always want to fill it up with plants and greens. This year, I decided to keep things classic and sort of monochromatic. I also brought out some houseplants to use with the styling. As much as possible I will link what I can along the way. Here is how to style a classic front porch for summer.
Planters and Plants
Our house faces south and our porch is covered, so the space gets partial sun. It’s the perfect combo of sun/shade throughout the day so plants typically thrive here. I purchased four new planters this season. Over time, some of mine crack or start to look worn down, so I replace as needed. In an effort to keep things neutral with pops of green, I opted to bring some houseplants outside.
The two planters in the back near the house are from Walmart (lightweight). They hold two Kimberly Queen ferns. These type of ferns can handle some sun, and this porch area gets partial sun. I purchase my ferns at a local nursery every, but you can find these at any garden center in late April/May. PRO TIP: Add height variance with a cheap stool (mine are from IKEA and I use them year after year)! The stool is mostly hidden and this draws your eye up from the ground.
The taller planters are from Lowe’s and they are lightweight. I added a fiddle leaf fig and a cane palm from inside to these planters. Hoping these do okay our here on the covered porch. I worry a little bit about houseplants burning if they get too much direct sunlight. Cross your fingers none of my houseplants perish out here!
The planters in the front are two random planters that I’ve had for years. It helps keeps things from being too matchy matchy, but still cohesive. The planter on the left holds a bird of paradise and the right holds an African milk tree cactus (both from inside).
Layered Rugs
Layering rugs on a front porch adds dimension and texture and an inviting look. It sort of ties everything together. The rug on the bottom was an early spring find from Target (no longer available). I shared the coir mat way back in February and it’s still available. The coir mat is linked here – so euro, I love it!
Round Garden Spheres
I picked these round garden spheres at Homegoods this spring. They were inexpensive and I thought the shape would soften up the porch a little bit. I’m obsessed! Again, they just add another layer of texture and dimension, which you can see is a running theme here. I was able to track down some similar ones here.
Sitting Area on Porch
Next to the front door, we have a little sitting area with rocking chairs, a table, and a rug. I also keep this space classic and simple all year long with striped pillows and a simple plant. This year I went with white mandevilla in a stone pot (the pot is old). Mandevilla keep blooming all summer long and are easy to care for. Bringing the white and green over here keeps things neutral and cohesive and classic looking. You can find links for these items here.
Miscellaneous Items
- My next DIY project is going to be cleaning, priming, and painting the concrete on this porch. It’s in bad shape and needs done so badly. I have all the supplies, I just need the weather in Kansas and my schedule to cooperate for three consecutive days!
- I don’t use a wreath on my door in the summer. It feels busy to me when I have the porch filled with plants. When it’s not as filled up and lush, I love to add a wreath.
- You can find details of our front door here.
- We replaced the hanging light on the porch in 2022. You can find info on that here.
- I keep string lights hanging around the front door all year long. It makes our home look cozy and inviting from the street. The lights are on a timer so they turn themselves on and off.
- Modern house numbers can be found here.
I hope you enjoyed this post on how to style a classic front porch for summer! As a garden and plant enthusiast, I just love this time of year so much! XO
